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Week 17 Game Recap: Tennessee Titans 16, Indianapolis Colts 10
What you need to know
| Tennessee Titans |
The Titans came into the game needing a win to make the playoffs and they had a game plan designed to give them the best chance of winning. They came out rushing the ball, running on 12 of the first 16 plays. The plan was to keep the game close until the Colt starters came out and then apply pressure to the offensive reserves. The Titans were able to execute that plan to gain a much needed victory to make the playoffs.
Vince Young played well in the early parts of the game when the Titans established the run in order to keep the pressure off of the passing game. He completed his first six passes as they built a 7--3 half time lead. The offensive line gave the Titan quarterbacks time to throw as they were able to gain 263 yards through the air.
The running game was not very effective after the initial drive in which they gained 48 yards on seven attempts. LenDale White was the main back with the team rotating in Chris Brown in the first half and Chris Henry in the second half to try and keep White fresh.
| Indianapolis Colts |
The Colts came into this game with their playoff seed already wrapped up and they were content to let their starters play long enough to keep them fresh for the playoffs. The main starters played until the Colts started their first drive in the second quarter. When the drive began Tony Dungy pulled Peyton Manning, Joseph Addai, and Dallas Clark. Later in the drive he would pull Reggie Wayne.
When Jim Sorgi entered the game the entire Colt offense seemed to sputter. Sorgi was erratic and looked to be rattled by the Titan pressure. His failure to make positive plays, putting the offense in long yardage situations on third down where they had a lower chance of success.
With the Colts playing from behind and in long yardage situations they were unable to establish any type of rushing attack. The running game, led by Joseph Addai, was only able to muster a total of 46 yards.
The receivers were only able to catch passes that were thrown short as the Titan defensive backs were content with giving the receivers short yardage plays and tackling them before they could turn those short catches into long gains. Reports Sunday said that Marvin Harrison would likely start this game and see some work but he was inactive.
What you ought to know
| QB Vince Young, Pass: 14 - 18 - 157 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 19 - 0 |
Young started the game and performed well until leaving with a leg injury in the third quarter. He started by completing his first four passes as the Titans established the run. When the Colts countered by blitzing to take away the running game Young was not able to consistently make plays. His passing numbers were good, but he seemed to want to take off and run on some plays where it appeared that there was a small running lane. This running threat was also used to freeze the defensive backs and linebackers as Young would roll out on designed plays where he would have to option to run if his primary receiver was covered.
| QB Kerry Collins, Pass: 10 - 13 - 106 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - -3 - 0 |
Kerry Collins entered the game in the third quarter when Vince Young left with a leg injury. He performed well in leading the offense down the field to three second half field goals. Collins did not seem to be fazed by entering the game late and with little chance to warm up as he completed six of first seven passes, with the only incompletion coming when he was hit as he threw the ball. The veteran showed his skills by brilliantly executing play action passes and placing the ball where only the receiver had the best chance of catching it.
| RB LenDale White, Rush: 16 - 45 - 0 |
White started and was the key focus on the opening drive. He ran the ball on four consecutive plays for 35 yards to open the game, running through good sized holes and not going down on contact. After that drive he found the running tough as there were few holes to run through and he was met in the backfield before he could get much forward momentum going. White had a costly fumble on the first drive of the second half when he gave the ball away on the Titans 30. That fumble led to a Colts touchdown that would give them a brief 10-7 lead.
| RB Chris Henry, Rush: 9 - 15 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) |
Henry saw game action in relief of LenDale White in the second half. He was used to provide a breakaway threat in the event that he was able to get into the open field. However, he found the going tough and was unable to break any plays for big yards. He tried to take some plays wide, but was tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he could turn the corner and make any positive yards.
| RB Chris Brown, Rush: 7 - 22 - 1 |
Brown made an immediate impact by spelling LenDale White. He scored the game's first touchdown by blowing through a gaping hole on the right side of the line. Brown had a costly fumble deep in Colt territory in the second quarter as the Titans were driving for what would have been their second score. He did not receive any carries after the fumble and did not play in the second half.
| RB Ahmard Hall, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) |
Hall was only involved in the passing game as he caught both of his targets on screen plays.
| WR Justin Gage, Rec: 7 - 104 - 0 (8 targets) |
Justin Gage is the veteran leader of the receiving corps. He runs crisp routes and is able to get open against the Colts coverage. He was in the right place at the right time on his longest reception. The reception came when Bo Scaife was hit as the ball arrived and it bounced up right into Gage's hands as he was trailing on the play. Gage has good hands as he was able to haul in six of his eight targets, with one of his catches coming on the rebounded pass intended for Scaife. When the game was still in doubt in the fourth quarter, he was the receiver that Collins looked for when an important play was needed.
| WR Roydell Williams, Rec: 6 - 59 - 0 (9 targets) |
Roydell Williams is a young receiver who seems to be getting better with experience. He showed that he can take the short pass and gain more yards when covered by one defensive back and that he can take a big hit and pop back up when he caught two key third down passes right on the first down line and was hit immediately. Five of his receptions resulted in first downs.
| WR Eric Moulds, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (3 targets) |
Moulds was the third option on most pass plays as he saw all three of his targets in the third quarter. He had a key third down reception after Young went out with an injury on the game tying drive.
| WR Biren Ealy, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (2 targets) |
Ealy was only targeted twice in the first half. Once was on a deep pass in which he drew a pass interference penalty that gave the Titans excellent field position inside the Colts ten yard line.
| TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (6 targets) |
Scaife was the safety valve for Vince Young when Young was in trouble. He was only able to come up with three receptions, but that was a product of his being covered on over the middle pass plays. He did leave the game for a short time after his was hit when the ball arrived, and the ball rebounded into Justin Gage's hands. He would return in the fourth quarter to gain an important first down on a screen pass on the game winning drive.
| TE Ben Hartsock, Rec: 1 - 21 - 0 (1 targets) |
Hartsock caught the only pass thrown to him in the second quarter when he was wide open when the defense bit on a play fake.
| PK Rob Bironas 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points |
Bironas was his usually effective self as he connected on all three of his attempts, including a 54 yard kick that would prove to be the game winner.
| TEN Rush Defense |
The Titans rush defense held the Colts to a total of 46 yards rushing as they were unable to establish any type of rushing attack after the starters were pulled in the second quarter. The Colts reserve backs had little room to run as the defense was able to put the Colts in second and third and long situations when the reserves entered the game.
| TEN Pass Defense |
The Titans pass defense acted differently based on the quarterback that was in the game. When Manning played the defenders were content with letting the receivers get open on underneath routes and were letting the Colts move the ball down the field and eat time off the clock. When Jim Sorgi entered the defenders played close to the line of scrimmage and blitzed to create pressure in an effort to rattle the inexperienced quarterback.
| QB Jim Sorgi, Pass: 11 - 24 - 68 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 |
Sorgi played over a half in relief of Peyton Manning and was not effective. The Titans pressured him at every opportunity in an attempt to rattle the quarterback and to not give him time to throw. As the first half came to a close it was apparent that Sorgi was bothered by the pressure as he was not able to get comfortable in the pocket and set his feet. In the second half his problems were compounded by the Colts falling behind and being forced to throw with an ineffective running game.
| QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 14 - 16 - 95 - 0 TD / 0 INT |
Manning came out throwing as the Titans were giving the receivers room to operate close to the line of scrimmage. Manning took advantage by hitting his receivers on short routes mainly on the outside part of the field. As hard as it is to believe, his numbers could have been better but Bryan Fletcher dropped a catchable pass for Manning's first incompletion. When Manning left the game he was on the sideline acting as a mentor to Jim Sorgi.
| RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 4 - 27 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) |
Addai saw limited action as the Colts main starters only played until midway in the second quarter. He showed quickness and elusiveness in finding the hole. The Colts line was able to open good running lanes to run through.
| RB Kenton Keith, Rush: 3 - 12 - 0 |
Keith saw very little playing time as the Colts rested their key players for the playoffs.
| RB Luke Lawton, Rec: 3 - 28 - 0 (5 targets) |
Lawton was the most effective of the reserve backs as he was able to come up with receptions out of the backfield.
| RB Clifton Dawson, Rush: 2 - 8 - 0 (3 targets) |
Dawson was the main back in the Colts offense when the starters left the game in the second quarter. He was not able to find much running room on his limited carries and was unable to come up with any of his targets as they were usually too high.
| WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 12 - 87 - 0 (14 targets) |
Reggie Wayne was targeted early and often. On the Colts' opening drive he had five receptions for 38 yards. However, his fumble on the Titans 20 ended the drive. Wayne would remain in the game until he reached two milestones: going over 100 receptions and taking over the league lead in receiving yards.
| WR Craphonso Thorpe, Rec: 6 - 23 - 1 (9 targets) |
Thorpe was the number two receiver when the game started due to Anthony Gonzalez and Marvin Harrison being inactive. He became the number one option when Reggie Wayne left midway into the second quarter. Only one of his targets came with Manning in the game.
| WR Devin Aromashodu, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (6 targets) |
Aromashodu saw significant playing time as one of only three healthy receivers to suit up for the Colts. His numbers were held down due to most of the passes thrown his way being too high and uncatchable.
| TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
Clark saw limited action as the Colts only played their key starters for a little over a quarter.
| TE Bryan Fletcher, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) |
Fletcher saw limited action as he was regulated to a blocking role when the starters left the game in the second quarter. All of his targets came with the starters playing.
| PK Adam Vinatieri 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Vinatieri was successful on his only field goal attempt from 37 yards.
| IND Rush Defense |
The rushing defense was carved up by the Titans backs on the games opening drive be rebounded well to hold the backs to a total of 50 yards rushing after the opening drive. They were able to get penetration into the backfield and hit the backs behind the line of scrimmage before they could get any momentum going and were able to quickly close any holes that opened.
| IND Pass Defense |
The Colts pass defense was carved up by the Titans quarterbacks as they were able to complete 77 percent of their passes. The line was unable to get any type of pressure on Young and Collins as they found the time to throw and locate open receivers on underneath routes.
