Colts fend off challenge by Young, Titans

Tennessee's final rally falls short as Indianapolis holds on for two-point win

Chris Graythen / Getty Images Colts QB Peyton Manning looks to throw a pass against the Titans on Sunday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Vince Young and the Tennessee Titans have run out of magic, at least against the Indianapolis Colts.

Peyton Manning threw for 312 yards and a touchdown, and the Colts held off Tennessee for a 22-20 victory Sunday when the Titans couldn’t pull off a final-drive comeback.

This time, the Titans (1-1) trailed by 13 points instead of 14.

But unlike last December, when Rob Bironas capped a similar comeback with a 60-yard field goal, the Colts collapsed around Young on fourth-and-4. That forced him to lob the ball away in the final seconds.

Manning kneeled down to run out the final seconds as champion Indianapolis (2-0) reminded Tennessee which team remains atop the AFC South.

Adam Vinatieri had one of his worst days in years despite making field goals of 22, 39 and 20 yards.

He had an extra point blocked and a field goal partially blocked that bounced off the crossbar before going over. He also missed a 36-yarder to the left after the Colts recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter.

The Colts had every reason for a letdown in their first road game after unveiling their title banner in the season opener with a 41-10 rout of New Orleans. And they played without starting linebackers Freddy Keiaho (right elbow) and Rob Morris (ribs).

Indianapolis allowed Tennessee 313 yards, including 141 yards rushing. That was well below the 282 yards the Titans had in their opener.

The defending Super Bowl champs nearly blew a 16-6 halftime lead with Vinatieri’s struggles and the Titans picking off Manning and sacking him twice in the second half.

The Colts twice had the ball at the Tennessee 8 and had to settle for field goals. They even came up with a fumble when linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, starting in place of Keiaho, recovered at the beginning of the fourth period.

But Tennessee, which gave up more yards than any other NFL defense in 2006, held the Colts to a three-and-out. Vinatieri, the kicker signed last year for his accuracy in the clutch, missed a 36-yarder.

Young, who stopped a drive himself with a taunting penalty just before halftime, drove the Titans 74 yards and pulled them within 22-20 with a 2-yard pass to Roydell Williams with 6:02 left.

Manning had his own chance to seal the victory. But Titans cornerback Nick Harper, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Colts in February, leaped up and tipped away a pass intended for Harrison at the goal line. Then Kyle Vanden Bosch sacked Manning on third down, forcing the punt.

Young, who looked so poised in becoming the first rookie quarterback to lead two comebacks of 14 points or more in 2006, finally showed his youth.

The Titans had 98 seconds left and needed a field goal to win and improve to 2-0 for the first time since 1999. Young was sacked on the first play. He overthrew Brandon Jones on third down, then the Colts collapsed around Young on fourth down and he fumbled.

Left guard Jacob Bell grabbed the ball for the Titans, but that was it.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20808377/

    Cool and poised experience will nearly always win out over fiery and impetuous inexperience. Such was the case in the youthful Tennessee Titans two point loss to the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. The competitive young warrior Vince Young probably probably contributed to the Titan loss by his  own taunting penalty that killed a crucial drive by the Titans. Experience will teach him to curb that fiery competitiveness. The Titans and the Colts are both "never say die" teams. Today the clock ran out on Vince Young and the Titans. Just remember Indianapolis Colts; "pay back is hell".

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