Honestly, the AFC South is the weirdest division in the NFL. You’ve got the Texans looking like the new kings of the hill, while the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans spent most of the Colts vs Titans 2024 matchups trying to figure out who they actually are. If you were expecting a high-flying aerial duel between the young guns Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, well, you probably didn't get exactly what you signed up for.
Football is funny like that. We spend all summer talking about arm strength and vertical threats. Then Sunday rolls around, and it's basically a contest of who can hold onto the ball and who can run through a brick wall. The 2024 series between these two was a messy, gritty, and occasionally explosive display of smashmouth football that reminded everyone why divisional games are just built different.
The Week 6 Slugfest in Nashville
The first time these teams met in mid-October, the vibes were... strange. Anthony Richardson was sidelined, which meant the Colts had to lean on the veteran "Uncle" Joe Flacco. Now, Flacco isn't exactly a dual-threat guy. He’s more like a statue with a cannon attached to his shoulder.
Tennessee, playing at home in Nissan Stadium, really should have taken advantage of an Indy team missing its star playmaker. Will Levis was under center for the Titans, but he just couldn't get the engine revving. He finished with only 95 passing yards. 95. In a modern NFL game, that’s almost hard to do.
The Colts scraped out a 20-17 win, mostly because Joe Flacco did Joe Flacco things. He threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns, including a clutch 10-yard strike to Michael Pittman Jr. late in the game to seal the deal. Tony Pollard was a bright spot for Tennessee with 93 rushing yards, but the Titans' offense felt stuck in the mud. It was one of those games that leaves you feeling like both teams need a long nap.
The Jonathan Taylor Show: Week 16 Madness
If Week 6 was a low-scoring grind, the rematch in December was a total fever dream. By the time Week 16 rolled around, the Titans were sitting at a dismal 3-12, and the Colts were desperately trying to keep their slim playoff hopes alive at 7-8.
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Mason Rudolph was starting for the Titans because, frankly, the Will Levis experiment was hitting some major speed bumps. But the story wasn't the quarterbacks. It was Jonathan Taylor.
You've heard of "redemption games," right? Taylor was coming off a rough patch, but he absolutely detonated against the Titans’ defense. He ran for 218 yards and three touchdowns. At one point, he broke off a 65-yard TD run where he just didn't stop running until he hit the tunnel. Then he came back out and did it again with a 70-yarder.
- First Half: Indy jumped out to a 24-7 lead.
- The Peak: The Colts led 38-7 midway through the third quarter.
- The Collapse (Almost): Tennessee actually scored 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
The final score was 38-30. It looked like a blowout, then it looked like the "classic Colts collapse," but Kenny Moore II saved the day with two massive interceptions. Anthony Richardson was back for this one, and while he only threw 11 times (completing 7), he added 70 yards on the ground. It was the blueprint Indy fans had been dreaming of: a terrifying run game that makes the defense's life a living nightmare.
Why the Ground Game Defined the Series
It’s easy to look at the stats and say the Colts just had better players. But there's more to it. The Titans' defensive line, usually their strength with guys like Jeffery Simmons, just couldn't handle the gap schemes Shane Steichen was drawing up.
Basically, the Colts decided they weren't going to let the Titans' pass rush affect the game. They ran the ball 50 times in that December game. 50. That's old-school, leather-helmet football. The Titans, for their part, showed some heart in that fourth-quarter comeback, with Tyjae Spears finding the end zone twice, but you can't fall behind by 31 points in this league and expect to win.
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What's kinda wild is that despite the Titans' terrible record, they actually outscored the Colts in the fourth quarters of both games. They have this weird "never say die" attitude, but they just lack the explosive playmakers to bridge the gap when things go south early.
Key Stats That Mattered
Looking back at the Colts vs Titans 2024 series, the numbers tell a story of two teams heading in opposite directions.
The Colts averaged 6.7 yards per carry in the second meeting. That is an absurd number. Usually, if a team averages 4.5, they're happy. 6.7 is basically like playing Madden on "Rookie" mode.
On the flip side, the Titans’ turnover issues were the anchor that dragged them down. They had three turnovers in the second game alone. You're not beating anyone, let alone a divisional rival, when you're giving the ball away like holiday gifts.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Matchup
There’s this narrative that the Titans are just "bad" and the Colts are "lucky." That’s a bit of a lazy take. Honestly, the Titans' defense was ranked fairly well for most of the season in terms of yards allowed. Their problem was the "sudden death" plays. They’d play great for five snaps and then give up a 70-yard house call to Jonathan Taylor.
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Also, people think Anthony Richardson can't pass. While his completion percentage wasn't elite in 2024, his presence changes the math. When he's on the field, the linebackers have to freeze for a split second to see if he's keeping the ball. That split second is why Taylor had holes the size of a semi-truck to run through.
Actionable Insights for the Future
If you're looking at where these teams go next, keep an eye on a few things.
First, the Colts have found their identity. They aren't a finesse team. They are a "we will run over you" team. If Richardson stays healthy and keeps the turnovers down, they are a problem for the AFC North and West too.
Second, the Titans need a total offensive reset. Mason Rudolph showed he’s a capable backup, but they need a dynamic threat at QB and better protection. The fact that their leading receivers in 2024, like Calvin Ridley, often went long stretches without a catch tells you the delivery system is broken.
If you're betting on or watching these teams next season, look for the "335" stat—that's the total rushing yards the Colts put up in that second 2024 game. Until Tennessee proves they can stop the run, the Colts own the trench warfare in this rivalry.
Monitor the health of Jonathan Taylor and the development of the Titans' offensive line in the upcoming draft. Those two factors will dictate if the 2025 series is another Indy sweep or if Nashville can finally fight back.