Colts once again are too much for Titans to crack

INDIANAPOLIS – Streaks were on parade inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

Once again, the Indianapolis Colts did a number on the Tennessee Titans with a 24-17 victory. That’s 11 straight wins in the series for the Colts, which pretty much means that you can’t call the hookups between the AFC South teams a rivalry.

Andrew Luck, who has never lost to the Titans, was pretty streaky in his own right.

Luck (15 of 28, 262 yards, 2 TDs) came out on fire in the first half, and at one point completed 12 consecutive passes. That went a long way toward the Colts building the 21-0 cushion that they rode to set the tone of the game.

And Luck’s hot hand also provided a reminder of what’s possible when all other hands are on deck. For the first time since Week 2, the Colts had their entire starting offense intact. So, naturally, Luck the football around.

They opened up the playbook, too.

On three plays in the first half, the Colts went with the Wildcat formation. Frank Gore took the direct snaps, while Luck split out as a receiver.

On one occasion, Luck circled back to take the handoff on a reverse. After looking downfield for a target, he opted to check down to Gore in the flat and the result was for a 49-yard catch-and-run that was the equivalent of a deep heave.

Three plays after Luck’s streak ended in the second quarter, another streak was snapped as Adam Vinatieri missed a 42-yard field goal that stopped his NFL record for consecutive field goals made in its tracks. When the kick sailed wide right, Vinatieri’s record was cemented at 44 consecutive conversions.

The Titans, led by second-year quarterback Marcus Mariota, were game for a streak of their own.

Tennessee scored 17 unanswered points in the second half to make a game of it. But visions of a huge comeback win were squashed when DeMarco Murray was stuffed by Clayton Geathers on a fourth-and-short play deep in Indianapolis territory with less than three minutes to play.

Then the Colts closed out the victory when Luck, scrambled, set his feet and delivered on an 11-yard third-down completion to T.Y. Hilton to allow them to kill the clock.

The finish was so fitting. It was left to the Colts’ best player to make the play when his team needed him most – which is also a sure way for a streak to be extended.

Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.

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