Colts Shut Down Derrick Henry, But Mistakes On…

1. Frank Reich shouldered blame for the loss.

When Carson Wentz got back to the Colts’ sideline after throwing a pick-six that put the Titans up, 31-24, with about 90 seconds left in the fourth quarter, head coach Frank Reich had a message for his quarterback.

“That’s 100 percent my fault,” Reich told Wentz. “That’s a terrible play call. Now just go make it right.”

Wentz did, leading a last-ditch touchdown drive punctuated by a 38-yard completion to Michael Pittman Jr. on third and 16 and a heave to Ashton Dulin that drew pass interference in the end zone. But instead of driving to win the game, Wentz drove to tie the game thanks to that interception.

With the Colts taking over possession at their own eight-yard line, Reich called for a tight end screen designed to go to Mo Alie-Cox. While the Colts were backed up near their own goal line, Reich’s thought was the Titans would sell out to try to get a safety. allowing Alie-Cox to leak free and pick up some nice yardage to start the drive. But Titans defensive end Harold Landry III didn’t bite and stayed right with Alie-Cox. Wentz didn’t have anywhere to go with the ball – there was nowhere to “dirt” a throw – and he floated a pass with his left hand that was picked off by Titans cornerback Elijah Molden for a touchdown.

“I screwed it up. That’s on me,” Reich said. “But they did, they went down and scored and tied it up. But the problem was, that drive could’ve been to win the game, not just tie it up and go into overtime. So that’s the problem with the mistake.”

Reich’s candid honesty also extended to taking responsibility for the Colts’ nine penalties, which accounted for 75 yards (the Titans were penalized 11 times for 161 yards).

“I think penalties, put that back on me,” Reich said. “We talk a lot about it, if we don’t execute in that regard, we don’t get too many penalties, I think that took away some points and that’s ultimately a reflection on me.”