When the schedule came out, chances are both the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans envisioned having Anthony Richardson and Ryan Tannehill in the lineup with both teams chasing a playoff spot in the AFC. Welcome to the NFL, where the unpredictable always happens.
Heading into Week 13, we knew it would be Gardner Minshwew vs. Will Levis, even if the circumstances for each quarterback were quite different. Minshew obviously got here due to injury. Levis also stepped into the starting lineup due to Tannehill’s injury, but he may have also stolen the job thanks to an impressive four-touchdown NFL debut.
Nevertheless, each team marched on, yet only the Colts began the day with any sort of chance of reaching the playoffs. In a game that featured plenty of crazy plays, including a very rare two-point conversion by the defense, both teams likely felt they played well enough to emerge victorious.
Yet, that’s not how the NFL works. After four quarters of play, with both teams tied at 25 points, the game went to overtime.
Tennessee won the coin toss, which gave them the first chance to send the Colts home fuming. While Levis did manage to lead a scoring drive, it wasn’t enough to get a touchdown to end the game. Instead, we saw Coach Vrabel settle for a 46-yard field goal from Nick Folk on 4th-and-11. Tennessee 28, Indianapolis 25.
Yet, the NFL OT rules have changed in recent years, giving the Colts a chance to strike back.
This meant Shane Steichen and his eighth-ranked scoring offense would get one last crack at defeating their AFC South rivals.
Minshew got under center and needed just five plays to ruin the Titans’ fans at Nissan Stadium’s day.
Much of their success came on a brilliant 55-yard connection to Alec Pierce, putting the ball at the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Minshew found a wide-open Michael Pittman for the four-yard walk-off touchdown. The rest, as they say, is history.
The win sends the Colts to 7-5, and only strengthens Steichen’s case to win NFL’s Coach of the Year.
