2023 Week 13: Titans 28, Colts 31
Sunday, December 3rd, 2023 | 12:00pm CT
Nashville, TN | Nissan Stadium
Nashville, TN – In Week 13 of the 2023 season, the Tennessee Titans hosted division rival Indianapolis Colts and lost in overtime by a score of 31-28.
The Titans scored on the opening possession, stringing together a four-play, 64-yard drive highlighted by a 39-yard completion from QB Will Levis to TE Chig Okonkwo to bring the Titans to the Colts 22-yard line. Two plays later RB Derrick Henry busted through the left side for the 22-yard score for an early 7-0 lead.
The Colts answered on the following possession with a three-play, 56-yard touchdown drive just one minute later. WR Isaiah McKenzie returned the kickoff 36 yards to the Indianapolis 44-yard line. A taunting penalty by Tennessee put the Colts at the Tennessee 36-yard line when QB Gardner Minshew found WR Alec Pierce for the 36-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 12:05 left in the first.
Later in the first as the Tennessee Titans were facing third-and-10, Levis was stripped-sacked by DE Samson Ebukam and the fumble was recovered by S Julian Blackmon before he fumbled the ball and it was then recovered by Levis to give the Titans a fresh set of downs at their own 48-yard line. The Titans drove down to the Colts 10-yard line, but ultimately settled for a 24-yard field goal by K Nick Folk to take the 10-7 lead.
Tennessee’s defense forced a three-and-out to start the second quarter and the offense took over at the 23-yard line after a 56-yard punt. Levis found WR DeAndre Hopkins twice on the drive for 45 yards to get to the Indianapolis five-yard line where Henry finished it off with the five-yard score to give the Titans a 17-7 lead.
Indianapolis responded with a 24-yard field goal by K Matt Gay on the following possession. Later in the second quarter as the Colts were on the Titans five-yard line, DL Denico Autry strip-sacked Minshew and the fumble was recovered by DB Elijah Molden. But the Colts defense forced a three-and-out and Indianapolis was able to end the quarter with a 46-yard Gay field goal to make it 17-13 going into the half.
The Indianapolis Colts opened the second half with a 19-play, 70-yard drive that took more than 10 minutes off the clock and culminated in a 23-yard field goal by Gay to make it a one-point game.
The Colts were able to take the lead when P Ryan Stonehouse’s punt was blocked by S Nick Cross and returned for a touchdown by LB Grant Stuard. On the two-point conversion attempt, S Amani Hooker picked off Minshew and returned it for two points for Tennessee to make it 22-19 Colts at the end of the third quarter.
The Colts stretched the lead to 25-19 after they were able to get to Stonehouse before he could punt it and recover what was ruled a fumble at the Tennessee seven-yard line. The Titans defense held strong as Colts settled for another field goal.
The Titans tied the game on a three-yard touchdown pass from Levis to Hopkins to cap off an 11-play, 75-yard drive, but the extra point was missed and it was 25-25 with 5:26 left.
The game then went into overtime. The Titans started with the ball and were forced to settle for 46-yard field goal. Indianapolis cashed in on the opportunity. A 55-yard connection from Minshew to Pierce put the Colts at the Titans four-yard line where Minshew ultimately found WR Michael Pittman Jr. for the game-winning touchdown.
