The Indianapolis Colts (1-1) left Nissan Stadium on Sunday with a 19-17 win over the Tennessee Titans (1-1) in what was a physical battle from the start.
At times, the game was sloppy. There were moments in which the Colts looked like they were going to start the season 0-2. But they prevailed, and there were plenty of notes to take away from the Week 2 win.
Here are four things we learned from the Colts’ 19-17 win over the Titans:
Adam Vinatieri is potentially retiring?
The legendary kicker struggled again on Sunday, missing two extra-point attempts. He has now missed five kicks in the first two games of the season, and he told Stephen Holder of The Athletic that the media will see him on Monday despite the fact that he’s not scheduled to meet with reporters.
We could get an answer as soon as Monday afternoon on Vinatieri’s future, though it’s all speculation at this point. He’s in his 24th season and has been a beacon of consistency. However, the start of the season hasn’t been kind to him, and he’s become a liability.
Jacoby Brissett, T.Y. Hilton have a connection
Though there has been a notable drop-off in the passing game in terms of overall production, there is still a strong connection between Brissett and Hilton. The duo connected for four receptions on six targets for 43 yards and a touchdown. Brissett often looked Hilton’s way on third downs and did so on a fade route in the red zone for the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
The Colts haven’t eclipsed 200 passing yards yet in a game this season, but there is a real connection between Hilton and Brissett. If the offense is to thrive, the connection has to continue strengthening.
Run defense has its struggles
Not allowing a 100-yard rusher inspires optimism, but there are also concerns with how efficient opposing offenses have been when running the football against the Colts. Titans running back Derrick Henry took 15 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown. The Titans averaged 5.1 yards per carry on the ground in the game.
The Colts have a talented and athletic front seven. There is no denying that. But they have allowed 5.6 yards per carry on the ground over the first two games. Improvements must be made against the run if the defense is going to have sustained success.
Rock Ya-Sin steps into a bigger role
The rookie second-round pick will be seeing a larger role with veteran Pierre Desir suffering a bone bruise that is expected to force him to miss some time. Ya-Sin stepped in for Desir during the second half.
The Colts cornerback room has added some depth for this very reason. Ya-Sin might be inexperienced, but he will be stepping into a starting role opposite Kenny Moore and will likely see some heavy playing time as long as Desir is out.
