The Indianapolis Colts remain unbeaten, traveling to Tennessee and handing the Titans a 41-20 defeat. The win moves the Colts to 3-0 for the first time since 2009.
Here are the winners and losers from the blowout win.
Winner: Jonathan Taylor, RB Colts
The Colts running back is emerging as one of the best rushers in the NFL. Taylor rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. He added 16 yards on three receptions. He showed off his big-play ability, breaking multiple tackles on a 46-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter. In the fourth, Taylor flexed his muscles, powering in a 1-yard touchdown run through two Titans defenders.Â
Taylor has at least 90 total yards in all three of Indy’s games. After the early slate of games, Taylor leads the NFL in rushing with 338 yards. Taylor’s consistent production in the running game opens up the bootleg play for quarterback Daniel Jones, giving the veteran QB several easy completions.Â
Winner: The Colts secondary
Good defense travels. Playing on the road in Tennessee the Colts defense recorded a turnover for the third straight game. Cornerback Kenny Moore II turned a first-quarter Cam Ward pass to the flat into a walk-in pick six. Safety Camryn Bynum has an interception in Indy’s first two games. Xavien Howard recovered a fumble against the Miami Dolphins. A Colts secondary that entered the season as a major question mark is quickly turning into a group of ballhawks. Staying healthy will be paramount for the unit. Moore left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury. Mooney Ward was also shaken up late in the game.
Winner: Alec Pierce, WR Colts
The third-year wide receiver wants to prove he’s more than just a deep threat, and he did that against the Titans. Pierce was quarterback Daniel Jones’s favorite target early, turning five targets into four catches for 67 yards. Pierce excelled in the intermediate area of the field, making two long gains on deep crossing routes. He dropped a would-be 42-yard pass on a deep pass from Jones in the third quarter. He left the game and was evaluated for a concussion after the drop and was ruled out for the rest of the game.
Winner: Rigoberto Sanchez, P Colts
It had been 259 days since Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez punted a ball in a regular season NFL game. The Colts offense had scored on every possession before going three-and-out with 9:13 left in the second quarter. Sanchez had been plenty busy as the team’s holder, but the nine-year pro was probably glad to finally show off his leg.
Loser: Brian Callahan, Titans head coach
Callahan had multiple head-scratching coaching decisions in the first half. In the second quarter, Callahan settled for a 64-yard Joey Slye field goal. Slye missed, giving the Colts the ball in Titans territory. On the Titans next possession, Callahan settled for another long field goal before getting hit with a delay of game because the team did not get the kicking ball on the field in time. The five-yard penalty turned a 57-yard field goal into a 62-yard try that Syle missed.
Loser(s): Non-Colts in the AFC South
The Titans’ loss to the Colts, and the Houston Texans‘ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars put the Colts alone at the top of the AFC South. The Titans and Texans are winless at 0-3. The Jags are 2-1. The Texans won the AFC South the previous two seasons, but through three games, it looks like there will be a new leader in the division.