Surprising Colts look to keep rolling as they host Titans

By Canadian Press on October 23, 2025.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts have already exceeded expectations.

Seven games into the season, Indy has the NFL’s best record and highest-scoring offense and holds a two-game lead in the AFC South. Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in rushing, quarterback Daniel Jones is playing the best football of his career and Tyler Warren is setting new standards for rookie tight ends.

And yet the Colts (6-1) realize they haven’t really achieved anything yet.

“They’re playing together, but it’s about execution and staying on the details,” coach Shane Steichen said. “So I feel confident in our guys’ abilities. But like I said to those guys, we’ve got to go prove it every day, not just on Sundays, but every day we’re in this building.”

The fact Indy still hopes to show everyone the fast start and gaudy numbers are not a mirage, certainly could spell trouble again for reeling Tennessee (1-6). The Titans head to Indy on a two-game losing streak, the most recent loss coming in interim coach Mike McCoy’s debut, and trying to avoid a third consecutive season sweep in this series.

Not much has gone right for the rebuilding Titans during the first half of the season.

They’ve already made a head coaching change. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall draft pick has thrown at least one interception in five consecutive games, a streak that began during Tennessee’s 41-20 loss to Indy last month. The offense has produced the league’s fewest points while the scoring defense is ranked near the league’s worst.

Next up is a rematch against a foe that looks as if it’s kicked things into high gear.

“You can tell his confidence is high. Whenever your confidence is high, you trust the scheme,” Titans safety Amani Hooker said of Jones. “He knows where to go with the ball. He’s playing good ball.”

And the Colts have taken full advantage.

They scored on their first 10 possessions of the season, have scored 14 TDs in their past 15 red zone trips and still have the fewest punts in the league (12).

Can they keep playing this efficiently? Perhaps. But Indy promises it’s taking nothing for granted.

“I think with the group we have, guys understand the success we’ve had and putting up points,” Jones said. “But they’re also eager to improve and get better. I think that’s just a testament to the character of the guys we have in the locker room. Obviously, the result is important, but (it’s also important) to keep in mind where we’re going and where we want to be as a group.”

Taylor trouble

Tennessee held Taylor to 102 yards rushing in the first game with a good chunk coming on the highlight reel 46-yard, tackle-breaking TD run in the third quarter. He finished with three scores, the first of his franchise-record three such games this season. Taylor leads the league in TD runs with 10 and total TDs at 11.

The Titans run defense, meanwhile, has struggled — allowing 139.6 yards per game.

This time could prove even more challenging since the Titans could be missing three defensive starters. Three-time Pro Bowl DL Jeffery Simmons is week to week with an injured hamstring, OLB Arden Key (quadriceps) has missed two straight games and CB L’Jarius Sneed (quad) was placed on injured reserve Thursday.

The catalyst

When Taylor isn’t gashing defenses on the ground, Jones has played like the guy the New York Giants envisioned when they drafted him No. 6 overall in 2019.

He needs three wins to match his single-season career high of nine when he led New York to the playoffs in 2022. It’s not just the wins. His 71% completion rate is a career high while he’s thrown three interceptions and is on pace for a career-best yardage total and perhaps a new career high in TD passes.

Rookie time in Tennessee

The Titans have played plenty of rookies this season as Ward adjusts to life as a pro and now his receiving group is getting increasingly younger, too. Calvin Ridley (hamstring) missed the previous two games, Bryce Oliver (knee) has missed five games, and veteran Tyler Lockett was released Wednesday.

They still have veteran Van Jefferson, who made his first start last week. He has 12 catches for 140 yards.

Rookie Elic Ayomanor has started six of the first seven games and has 19 catches, 225 yards and two TDs. Another rookie, Chimere Dike, produced his best game as a receiver last week, catching all four passes thrown his way for 70 yards and a TD, all in the first quarter.

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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, contributed to this report.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Michael Marot, The Associated Press

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