The Indianapolis Colts scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, coming from behind to knock off the Tennessee Titans in a 35-33 thriller. Here's what you need to know:
- Just when it appeared that the Colts were going to continue as a dysfunctional mess with Andrew Luck regressing in the pocket, their long-lost offense finally showed up when rookie Phillip Dorsett lit the spark with a leaping 35-yard touchdown in the middle of the fourth quarter. One play after a Dwight Lowery interception, Donte Moncrief outjumped Perrish Cox for an 11-yard score. Following a three-and-out for the Titans, Frank Gore reeled off a 25-yard run and a 6-yard touchdown. Within a four-minute span, the Colts had overcome a 27-14 deficit to lead 35-27. If they are still playing in January, they can point to those three possessions in their third game.
- Hotshot rookie Marcus Mariota shook off a first-down sack to lead an impressive two-minute drill, giving the Titans a chance to tie the game with under a minute remaining. After a Colts pass interference penalty on the two-point conversion attempt, fullback Jalston Fowler was pushed back on a broken play. It was a nice bounce-back performance for Mariota, who can't be blamed for a pick-six that Josh Evans caused by jarring the ball loose from Delanie Walker. Mariota joined Jay Cutler and Mark Rypien as the only quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era to start their careers with multiple touchdown passes in three consecutive games.
- We're reluctant to concede that the Colts have fixed their issues on offense. Andre Johnson was shut out of the box score, officially drawing just one target. He did have a 37-yard reception that was nullified by a holding penalty from an offensive line that continues to struggle. Although the Colts inserted Joe Reitz at right tackle and moved Jack Mewhort back inside to guard, it didn't improve Luck's backsliding pocket presence and decision making. Let's see if Luck can take that fourth-quarter momentum and use it to turn his season around versus the Jaguars in Week 4.
- One hallmark of the Ken Whisenhunt era in Nashville: The coaching staff can't decide on a backfield pecking order. Two weeks after an impressive season opener, Bishop Sankey was in the doghouse on Sunday, operating as a change-of-pace option behind Antonio Andrews and Dexter McCluster. The Titans seem to have an unhealthy obsession with Andrews, who moves more like a fullback than a tailback.
