NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans (4-8) fell to the Indianapolis Colts (7-5) on Sunday in one of the most bizarre games played this NFL season. Two blocked punts, an two-point conversion picked off and returned for a score and a play that featured the rare double fumble on a single play does not even describe half the events that came to pass in the 31-28 loss at Nissan Stadium. 

Tennessee feels like it is inventing new paths to defeat at this point.

"I'm going to try to find a way to continue to get this team to fight like they did today," coach Mike Vrabel said. "Because that was, until we obviously lost, it was, I would say a pretty impressive effort to be able to compete in that back-and-forth. Give them credit as well. But proud of the way that we fought, and we lost."

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Indianapolis quarterback Gardner Minshew threw a four-yard touchdown pass to receiver Michael Pittman with 2:31 left in overtime. All the Titans had to do was prevent exactly that from happening after kicker Nick Folk made a 46-yard field goal with 4:19 remaining to put Tennessee in the driver's seat. Titans corner Sean Murphy-Bunting was in coverage on Pittman during that final play.

Murphy-Bunting was called for an illegal contact penalty two snaps previously that gave Minshew a fresh set of downs after being sacked on 1st-and-10 from the Colts 37-yard line. 

Indianapolis won their fourth straight victory in the process of sweeping their divisional foe. The Titans loss was made even more costly by the rash of injuries that marred the second half of the game. Defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons and tight end Josh Whyle were ruled out of the game with knee injuries. 

Kicker Nick Folk was forced into punting action once punter Ryan Stonehouse was knocked out of the game. He was seen in the postgame locker room on crutches and with a large brace on his left leg. Running back Derrick Henry rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns before leaving in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion. Cornerback Kristian Fulton also went down with an undisclosed injury.

Henry did not return.

Tennessee's offensive struggles compounded the problem. The ineptitude peaked with four consecutive three-and-out series that spanned their last drive of the first half until 11:34 remained in the final frame. The Colts sacked rookie quarterback Will Levis six times and extended their league-leading streak to 17 consecutive games with a turnover forced.

"You can’t look at your record to determine how you're going to go out there and play," said Levis of his team's situation. "Circumstances can define your work ethic and how you go out there and standards you hold yourself to that. 

"You're coming to work every single day to dominate for that day, and doing it the next day, and again the next day. And then hopefully, have it translate into Sundays, which we couldn’t do today. So, just go out there and try to win every single Sunday and that's all we can do."

The Titans lost their first game at Nissan Stadium this season and has not put together consecutive wins since Weeks 10 and 11 of 2022. 

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.