Titans beat Colts 26-20 for first win of 2026 season
Tennessee ended its 0-5 start in Indianapolis after a blocked punt return touchdown, three defensive takeaways and two late field goals.
The Tennessee Titans beat the Indianapolis Colts 26-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday, October 18, ending their 0-5 start to the 2026 season. Three defensive takeaways and a touchdown on a blocked punt helped Tennessee secure its first win under coach Robert Saleh.
How a blocked punt changed the fourth quarter
The game was tied 13-13 early in the fourth quarter after rookie receiver Carnell Tate caught his first NFL touchdown pass for Tennessee. Julius Chestnut then blocked an Indianapolis punt, and Femi Oladejo recovered the ball and scored to give the Titans a 20-13 lead, according to WSMV. The station said it was Tennessee’s first blocked-punt return touchdown since 2011.
Jonathan Taylor answered with a four-yard touchdown run for the Colts. A long Tennessee kick return then set up the field goal that put the Titans back ahead. They added another field goal to make the final margin six points, NBC Sports reported.
Tennessee intercepted Colts quarterback Daniel Jones twice and recovered a Taylor fumble. The Titans also sacked Jones six times. Those plays proved costly for Indianapolis despite its 399-186 advantage in total yards and 24-11 edge in first downs, according to NBC Sports.
Quarterback numbers and what comes next
Jones completed 22 of 42 passes for 269 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions, and gained 30 yards on three runs. Taylor carried 21 times for 94 yards and a touchdown, adding 57 yards on two catches, NBC Sports reported. Indianapolis fell to 2-4.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward completed 11 of 22 passes for 102 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Tate led Tennessee’s receivers with six catches for 70 yards, while Tony Pollard ran 19 times for 76 yards, according to NBC Sports. Tennessee generated those contributions while the Colts held a substantial advantage in yards and first downs.
The result left Tennessee at 1-5 and gave the Titans their first win against an AFC South opponent since 2024, WSMV reported. The Titans are scheduled to host the Cleveland Browns on October 25.
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Sources and context
- Titans get first win of 2026, beat Colts 26-20NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk (report by Myles Simmons; republished by Yahoo Sports)
- Titans earn 1st win of season with 26-20 victory over ColtsWSMV
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.