Insider: 3 reasons the Colts beat the Titans despite injury to QB Anthony Richardson
Insider: 3 reasons the Colts beat the Titans despite injury to QB Anthony Richardson
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INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts look like they’re going to be in the mix the rest of the season.
Riding an overpowering performance by running back Zack Moss, Indianapolis overcame the loss of rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson to beat the Titans 23-16, ending a streak of five consecutive losses to the Titans and seven straight home losses dating back to an Oct. 16 win over Jacksonville last year.
Indianapolis (3-2) now moves into a tie for first place in the AFC South with the Jacksonville Jaguars after the first five weeks, and the Colts appear to have a formula to ride against opponents the rest of the season.
Colts news:QB Anthony Richardson leaves game with injury to throwing shoulder
Zack Moss responds to Jonathan Taylor contract with best game of his NFL career
For most of the week leading up to the game, the news around the Colts was dominated by the return of Jonathan Taylor, who signed a three-year, $42 million extension on Saturday and picked up 34 yards — 18 rushing, 16 receiving — in a limited debut due to his lack of work this season.
The man who’s been carrying the load for Indianapolis did all the work the Colts needed.
Moss ripped off a career-best 165 yards on 23 carries, caught two passes for 30 yards and scored two touchdowns, pacing an Indianapolis offense that was hit hard by the loss of Richardson late in the first half.
Known as a grinder, Moss was a big-play machine Sunday, opening the Indianapolis scoring with a 56-yard dash for a touchdown up the middle, opening a late drive with 26 yards up the sideline on another grab and churning out yards throughout.
Once Taylor is fully up to speed, the Colts may have a devastating 1-2 punch at running back, the kind that can minimize the passing game and overpower teams. Tennessee’s defense came into the game giving up just 2.89 yards per carry, and although the Titans were missing injured nose tackle Teair Tart, few expected Tennessee to give up 194 yards on 32 carries.
Colts score:Zack Moss powers Colts over Titans after Anthony Richardson leaves with injury
Physical Colts defense trades blows with Derrick Henry
Mike Vrabel chose to use his best weapon in a critical moment Sunday.
Facing a fourth-and-1 deep in Indianapolis territory while trailing 20-16 in the fourth quarter, Vrabel elected to go for it, reasoning that his powerful, superstar running back would be able to bull his way for the first down.
But the middle of the Indianapolis defense is stout on its own accord.
Tennessee handed the ball to Henry off-tackle, and he was met in the hole by defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who dove and got his long arms on Henry’s legs, at the same time that middle linebacker Zaire Franklin met Henry in the hole to stop the Titans superstar short of the sticks.
Indianapolis held Henry to 43 yards on 13 carries, a 3.3 average and a far cry from the way he’s played in previous outings against the Colts. Henry had more than 100 yards in seven of his first 14 matchups against Indianapolis, but he was an auxiliary part of the attack on Sunday.
Tennessee instead picked up most of its yards by picking on a young Indianapolis secondary — DeAndre Hopkins had eight catches for 140 yards — but the Colts’ strength on defense is the front seven, and when the rubber met the road, Franklin, Buckner and the rest of the Indianapolis front did the job.
Buckner took over in the final minutes, leading a pass rush that ultimately forced a Julian Blackmon interception to seal the deal.
Richardson knocked out of lineup again
There has been plenty to like from Richardson’s first four starts in the NFL.
Richardson completed 9 of 12 passes for 98 yards in the first half against Tennessee, helping stake the Colts to a 10-6 halftime lead even though he wasn’t asked to do much with his legs.
But the effects of his second carry of the game are going to spark questions about the ways the Colts can use Richardson going forward. Richardson kept the ball on a run to the right late in the first half, was dragged down from behind and immediately rolled over in pain, tapping his right shoulder.
Richardson left the game with trainers, was examined briefly in the medical tent and taken to the locker room, holding his right arm as motionless as possible most of the way. When the half was over, Indianapolis ruled Richardson out for the game with an injury to his shoulder, the third time in four starts that the No. 4 pick in the draft has been unable to finish a game he started due to an injury suffered in the game.
The rookie’s legs are part of what make an electric, explosive fit for Steichen’s offense, but he has now left games with a bruised knee, a concussion and a shoulder injury, intensifying questions about how he’ll be able to protect himself long-term.
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