Getty Wide receiver Parris Campbell revealed what he thinks the Indianapolis Colts need to do to get back on the winning track.
The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the best fourth quarter teams in the NFL this season. But that’s only after they’ve been one of the worst starting teams in the league.
The Colts followed that formula again in Week 7 versus the Tennessee Titans — falling behind early and attempting to come back late. Only this time, quarterback Matt Ryan didn’t have enough for a comeback. The Titans defeated the Colts, 19-10.
It’s safe to say wide receiver Parris Campbell is tired of his team’s slow starts.
“We gotta stop having to play catch-up,” he told the media after the loss.
“We gotta stop having to play catch-up.” — Parris Campbell
The Titans outscored the Colts 13-0 in the first half. In the two matchups versus Tennessee this season, the Titans held a combined 37-10 advantage in the first two quarters.
Slow Starting Colts
Indianapolis has not held a lead at halftime in any of its seven games this season, and the Colts have led after the first quarter just twice in the first seven contests of 2022.
That right there speaks to what Campbell is talking about with his “catch-up” comment.
Opponents have outscored the Colts 98-39 in the first half this season.
In Week 7, the Colts outgained the Titans in the first half and averaged more yards per play, yet they were behind by nearly two touchdowns thanks in large part to a Tennessee pick-six.
Halftime: Titans 13, Colts 0.
Indianapolis has more yards, and more yards per play.
But they’ve come up very small in the big play department.
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The Titans didn’t eclipse the 150-yard mark on offense until late in the fourth quarter. Yet, Tennessee led the entire game and held a two-score lead for most of the afternoon.
Losing the turnover battle will do that, which the Colts did again in Week 7. Ryan threw two interceptions, which the Titans scored 10 points off of in the first half. The Colts also lost a fumble late in the fourth quarter, which Tennessee could have scored off of if the game didn’t end.
Indianapolis was ranked in the bottom five of turnover margin coming into Week 7. Through seven games, the Colts now own a minus-7 turnover differential.
Last season, the Colts were tied for the best turnover margin with a plus-14 differential.
In the two matchups against the Titans this year, the Colts posted a minus-5 turnover margin.
Indianapolis’ Fourth Quarters Against Titans
The other glaring team stat for the Colts versus the Titans this season was their two fourth-quarter point totals.
In both of the matchups versus Tennessee, Indianapolis fell behind in the first half, played well enough in the third quarter to make the contest competitive, but then failed to complete the comeback in the fourth.
The Colts scored three points in two fourth quarters against the Titans this year.
That’s not all that different than last year’s matchups against Tennessee. The Colts scored 10 fourth-quarter points in the rivalry series during 2021.
Ryan came into Week 7 with a league-leading 4 fourth-quarter comebacks and 3 game-winning drives. That’s quality work, but Ryan’s comeback attempts both times against Tennessee fell short.
Of course, this all comes back to Campbell’s point — the Colts can’t be in the situation where they always have to erase a lead. That’s not the recipe for winning the AFC South.
Neither is losing to a division rival twice. The Titans have now swept the Colts in consecutive seasons and have won six of the last seven matchups in the series.