The Colts may not have been in the game without him, but Carson Wentz's two late-game interceptions proved costly in Indianapolis' 34-31 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans.
"Beating myself up over those ones at the end of the game there, for sure," Wentz told reporters afterward.
Wentz's downfall began late in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 24. The Colts quarterback found himself under duress after a Titans pass rush thwarted an intended screen play. Wentz simply panicked with Titans defenders breathing down his neck, and his effort to keep the play alive was a ghastly mistake after lobbing the ball with his left hand. The ball fell into Elijah Molden's arms for an easy pick-six.
"They had it covered up pretty good, obviously," Wentz said. "Terrible play, terrible play. One-on-one, trying to find a way to just get rid of the ball and next thing you know I'm about to go down. So, yeah. One I definitely want back. That one hurts a little bit."
Colts coach Frank Reich lamented the play-call itself and wish he hadn't put Wentz in that dicey situation.
"That was 100 percent my fault," said Reich. "It was a bad call. It was a screen to Mo (Alie-Cox) and they were sitting right on it. We hadn't thrown that. Didn't think they would ever be thinking that at that point in the game. I've been around too long to know that you don't call a screen backed up in that situation. I told Carson right after that play, he came over to the sideline, I said, 'That's 100 percent my fault. That's a terrible play call. Now, just go make it right. Go make it right.'"
Wentz proceeded to make up for that mistake by leading the Colts on a 5-play, 75-yard scoring drive (aided by a 42-yard defensive pass interference penalty) to send the game into overtime, but another late INT from Wentz would soon seal the Colts' fate.
After both teams exchanged punts to start OT, Wentz dropped back on play-action and was picked off by Titans safety Kevin Byard, who read the throw perfectly before undercutting Michael Pittman's route. Byard's 14-yard return set up the Titans at the Indianapolis 32-yard line.
Titans kicker Randy Bullock ended the game four plays later with a 44-yard field goal.
"Probably tried to do too much," Wentz said of his turnover in OT. "Tried to force that one there to Pitt, he had a step on the underneath coverage but Byard came out of the sky and make a heck of a play. I'm sure, in hindsight, I had the checkdown -- probably wide open. Thought I had Pitt, Byard made a great play. Those two definitely hurt for sure."
The Colts squandered an early 14-point lead after Wentz concluded their first two drives with TD passes. Yet, his inaccurate throws persisted as the game went on, ending several drives (one of which a turnover on downs) with long incompletions. Wentz's day ended completing 27 of 51 pass attempts for 231 yards (4.5 yards per completion) with three TDs and the two INTs.
Losing such a winnable game is costly for the 3-5 Colts with the Titans (6-2) now holding a commanding lead in the AFC South.
