NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans are so banged up that even quarterback Ryan Tannehill now is in a walking boot.
The Titans also have won four straight games after an 0-2 start, showing a toughness that could be what matters most in the AFC South Division, where they are the two-time reigning champions.
Andrew Adams returned an interception 76 yards for the first touchdown of his NFL career, and the Titans never trailed while beating the Indianapolis Colts 19-10 Sunday for their second straight season series sweep of their division rivals.
“We’re a tough team,” said Tannehill, who missed one snap after hurting his right ankle during the second half. “We’re going to keep battling, and we find a way to win. And at the end of the day, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish each and every week, is going out and finding a way to win, and our team’s going to battle and find a way to do that.”
The Titans also have beaten the Colts in five straight meetings and six of the past seven. This is their fourth sweep of the Colts since they were placed in the same division in 2002.
“It feels really good, especially when an owner makes comments about how badly we’ve got to beat the Titans,” Titans safety Kevin Byard said of Colts owner Jim Irsay, who has made clear he wants his team to regain control of the rivalry.
Randy Bullock made four field goals, the last two providing Tennessee’s first points this season in the fourth quarter, and his 48-yarder with 4:47 remaining was for the final margin.
The Titans forced three turnovers, the last on Michael Pittman Jr.’s fumble with 3:22 left, and Denico Autry, Bud Dupree and Jeffery Simmons had one sack apiece. Running back Derrick Henry helped seal the win with his third straight 100-yard rushing game, finishing with a season-high 128 yards on 30 carries.
“That’s going to be the formula, if you guys haven’t figured that out,” said Titans coach Mike Vrabel, whose team visits the Houston Texans (1-4) next Sunday. “That’s how we’re going to have to play.”
The Colts (3-3-1) came in having won two straight games and three of four to nip at Tennessee’s heels in the standings. Now they’re 1-3-1 in the division — they salvaged a tie in the season opener at Houston and rallied to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars last week — and have trailed by at least 10 points in each of those games.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to play better,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “We’ve got to play better.”
Sunday’s game at Nissan Stadium came on reunion weekend for the home franchise, which started in Houston before moving to Tennessee in 1997, and there were some 130 former Oilers and Titans on hand, including Chris Johnson, Warren Moon, Dan Pastorini and Delanie Walker. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was also present.
Indianapolis was driving downfield when Adams jumped the route on Matt Ryan’s pass to Parris Campbell and ran up the right sideline for the touchdown that gave the Titans a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. It was the longest interception return for Tennessee since Zach Brown had a 79-yarder against the Jaguars on Dec. 30, 2012.
David Long Jr. picked off Ryan’s pass on the next possession, and the Titans led 13-0 at halftime.
“Turning the football over has kind of been our Achilles’ heel,” Ryan said. “Again, today, disappointing. I thought our defense played well. Kept it tight, they really did, and we’ve got to do a better job offensively.”
Tannehill gave the Titans a scare when he went down after completing a short pass on the opening play of the fourth quarter. He stayed on the field, then limped off and went into the medical tent. After missing one play, he finished the game. The walking boot was visible on his right leg as he talked to reporters afterward.
“It doesn’t feel great,” Tannehill said of his ankle. “Yeah, I had to battle through it there at the end. Sometimes it comes with the territory, right? I’m going to be out there if I can at all possible. So I’m going to do everything I can do this week to get it right and feeling best I can for Sunday.”
Simmons hurt an ankle in the fourth quarter, defensive back Joshua Kalu went down on a kickoff return in the second quarter and center Ben Jones went down late in the first quarter when the Titans had to settle for a field goal, though he returned.
Adams is one of 20 defensive starters used by Tennessee this season. The Titans signed him off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad along with cornerback Terrance Mitchell off the New England Patriots’ practice squad on Sept. 21. Adams’ interception was his eighth as a pro, and Mitchell forced the third and final Colts’ turnover.
When he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019, Adams got in the end zone against the Titans on a fumble that was wiped out by a blown whistle. Adams said he was told the next day his play should have stood as touchdown. The ball for what will count as his first official NFL touchdown was in his locker, likely a gift for his father.
“I had to make sure nobody was chasing me or going to catch me,” Adams said. “I had to peek back just a little bit.”
The Titans were coming off an early open date, and now they must finish the regular season with 11 straight games — so any hopes of resting their way past injuries are gone.
Tannehill has never missed a start for Tennesee since taking over the top role in October 2019. He’s 36-18 in the role.
Jones called Tannehill one of the Titans’ toughest guys. Henry said he told the quarterback he’ll be texting him Monday morning to check on him.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Henry said. “His mentality is, if he can get out there, he’s going to go.”