By MIKE ROBERTS
They finally did it! The Tennessee Titans won their first game of the 2026 season, stunning the Indianapolis Colts 26-20 on the road this past Sunday. Heading into the game, it was considered pretty much a lock that the Colts would win. They weren’t going to let a struggling Tennessee squad beat them in front of their home crowd, right? Well, the Titans had other plans as they got the job done and head coach Robert Saleh picked up victory No. 1 with the franchise. Moreover, the Titans got that first dub while two other NFL teams remain winless. We’re looking at you, Chargers (0-6) and Dolphins (0-5).
Let’s recap the Indy game and look ahead to Week 7 against the Browns.
What Happened Against the Colts
Tennessee’s defense was on point, forcing three turnovers and recording six sacks. The special teams were awesome as well with Chimere Dike’s 58-yard punt return and Oluwafemi Oladejo’s 14-yard scoop and score of a blocked punt.
Plus, kicker Joey Slye made two field goals during the final 2 ½ minutes as the Titans rallied from a 13-0 halftime deficit.
Titans quarterback Cam Ward was … OK. He finished 11 of 22 for 102 passing yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Running back Tony Pollard rushed for 76 yards and rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate caught six passes for 70 yards, including the first touchdown reception of his career.
The Colts, who dropped to 2-4 on the season, looked absolutely horrible. You shouldn’t lose a game when you’re up 13-0 at halftime and have a 232-64 edge in total yards during the first half. How bad was it? The Colts fired their general manager, Chris Ballard, the following day and reportedly have star running back Jonathan Taylor on the trade block as the November 10 deadline approaches.
What’s Next?
In Week 7, the Titans return home to Nashville to take on the Cleveland Browns. Cleveland was expected to be one of the NFL’s worst teams this season. But instead, the Browns have emerged as one of the league’s biggest surprises, leading the AFC North with a 4-2 record. Cleveland hasn’t been in first place this late in a season since 2014. For a little perspective, Titans QB Cam Ward was 12 back then.
Cleveland is coming off a 13-10 victory over the Lamar Jackson-less Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 as Andre Szmyt kicked the game-winning field goal.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson has revived his career in Cleveland after almost two years on the sidelines. While he isn’t the same three-time Pro Bowl star that he was with the Houston Texans, Watson leads the league this year with four game-winning fourth-quarter drives.
Cleveland has averaged only 267 yards of total offense over the last three games, which ranks among the bottom seven teams in the league during that span. Yet the team boasts a solid defense, surrendering only 20 points per game, and opponents are converting just 43% of their red-zone trips into touchdowns.
Expect a Big Day from Jeffery Simmons
Cleveland’s offensive line definitely isn’t the greatest in the world. This season, the unit has allowed 19 sacks, which is the second-most in the NFL behind the Detroit Lions (20). The Browns allowed a ridiculous eight sacks during Week 5’s loss to the New York Jets and five on Sunday against Baltimore.
The Browns’ offensive line struggles open the door for Simmons to have a huge day in Week 7. Tennessee’s All-Pro defensive tackle is easily one of the best defenders in football. This season, Simmons has had 21 pressures, four sacks, and a position-leading 18 run stops. Against the Colts, he had seven pressures, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Here’s Simmons recovering the fumble (via Bluesky):
https://bsky.app/profile/
Look for Simmons to dominate Cleveland’s offensive line, consistently winning his battles, getting multiple sacks, and putting a ton of pressure on Watson all game long.
Prediction
Will the Titans upset the Browns on Sunday? Cleveland is expected to win, but anybody who watches sports knows the team with the better record doesn’t always win.
Look for the Titans, who carry a ton of momentum from the Colts comeback win, to go on a two-game win streak and knock off the Browns at Nissan Stadium. While it will likely be a low-scoring game, I expect Simmons and the defense to come through big time.