The Indianapolis Colts (3-3) evened their record with a much-needed 20-17 win over the Tennessee Titans (1-4) on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Though it wasn't the most aesthetic victory, a win is a win. The Colts won't complain about how they get them, especially in a tough divisional matchup.
Both sides of the ball for the Colts experienced shaky play. There were some highs and lows throughout the game, and the Colts were able to make enough plays in the end to grab their first road and divisional victory of the season.
Studs and Duds from Colts' Week 6 win
Studs
WR Josh Downs
Downs continues to be a catalyst within the the offense on short targets, but his 22-yard touchdown was a beautiful catch downfield. The second-year wideout led the offense with nine targets, putting together seven receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. It clearly doesn't matter who is at quarterback, Downs is going to be a massive part of the passing game.
EDGE Dayo Odeyingbo
Even though Odeyingbo exited the game at one point with an injury, he eventually came back and was one of the better pieces of a struggling pass rush on Sunday. Odeyingbo had two quarterback hits (tied for the team lead) and a forced fumble.
S Julian Blackmon
The veteran defender had a big play late in the game with a crucial interception against Will Levis with just under five minutes remaining in the game. Blackmon also recorded another pass breakup in the game. The Colts secondary has some question marks, but Blackmon has been a steady presence on the back end.
WR Michael Pittman Jr.
We're giving Pittman a shout out here. He only finished with three receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown, but his score gave the Colts the lead late in the fourth quarter. The fact that he was expected to be placed on the Reserve/Injured list but decided to play through a back injury shows exactly why he earned the captain nod this season. It was a gutsy performance against an elite cornerback in L'Jarius Sneed.
Duds
RB Trey Sermon
Getting another start for Jonathan Taylor (ankle), Sermon struggled incredibly on the ground. He led the backfield with 18 carries but gained just 29 rushing yards, averaging 1.6 yards per carry. While last week he was extremely active in the passing game, Sermon didn't draw a single target.
LB Zaire Franklin
Too many times on Sunday did Franklin get washed out of the run game. The Colts as a unit allowed 146 rushing yards and 5.2 yards per carry. While that's not all on Franklin, he's the captain of the defense with DeForest Buckner out, and there were too many plays in which he failed to make an impact against the run.
