The Indianapolis Colts pulled off one of the rarest feats in the NFL this season as their special teams unit showed up in a huge way against the Titans in the second half on Sunday. Late in the third quarter, the defense forced the Titans into a punt and the entire left side of the Colts punt block unit broke through to pick the ball off the foot of Ryan Stonehouse, scooping it up for a touchdown.
COLTS BLOCK PUNT TD!
📺: #INDvsTEN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/xvCjbLUIcN pic.twitter.com/ChCtbaisGz— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2023
Naturally, because this game could not be normal, the Colts went for two to go up 7 points and instead ended up leading by just three after Gardner Minshew threw a pick-two.
Pick-2 for the @Titans! Wow.
📺: #INDvsTEN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/xvCjbLUIcN pic.twitter.com/JjmkpNQbOF— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2023
On the next drive, the Titans went three-and-out and, once again, the punt block unit failed miserably as the Colts brought their gunner off the edge on a beautiful design, as he knocked the ball away as Stonehouse dropped it to his foot — with Stonehouse taking another big hit and suffering an injury.
COLTS BLOCK ANOTHER PUNT 😱
📺: #INDvsTEN on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/xvCjbLUIcN pic.twitter.com/3KPTFjn8HD— NFL (@NFL) December 3, 2023
However, because they couldn’t return that for a touchdown, the offense stalled out and could only get a field goal to push the lead to six. It’s not often we see punts getting blocked in the NFL, but it’s especially rare to see two in one game, much less on back-to-back possessions. To make matters worse for the Tennessee special teams unit, the Titans would march for a touchdown on the next drive but missed the extra point to remain tied at 25-25.