The best thing that happened to the Tennessee Titans Sunday night in Indianapolis might have been when quarterback Vince Young left the game with a pulled right quad injury.
As cruel as it may sound, when back-up Kerry Collins took over at quarterback the Titans got a boost and a 16-10 that put the club in the playoffs and the Cleveland Browns home for the winter.
Coach Jeff Fisher bragged on Collins to NBC's Andrea Kremer following the game, "This is why we have him, he's a veteran."
Young left the game with 6:26 left in the third quarter and the Titans trailing 10-7.
Collins stepped in and completed passes of 10, 14 and 8 yards to get kicker Rob Bironas close enough to boot a 40-yard field goal to tie the game at 10-10.
The 13-year veteran completed 10-of-13 passes for 106 yards and no interceptions He led the Titans to three second-half field goals, including a 54-yarder from Bironas to retake the lead.
Fisher said Young could have returned to the game, "but Kerry was managing the game well."
Collins said life as a back-up means you have to be ready at all times to come in and do your job.
"We knew we had an opportunity to come in and make the playoffs and that doesn't happen every year," Collins said.
The Titans will now travel to San Diego for a rematch with the San Diego Chargers at 4:30 Sunday.
Titans/Colts game notes
• Sunday's victory gave the Titans their fifth playoff berth in nine seasons.
• Sunday's victory gave the Titans a 5-3 road record in 2007.
• Sunday's victory gave the Titans a 4-2 division record for the second consecutive season.
• Sunday's victory improved Tennessee’s all-time record against the Colts to 12-15.
• Sunday's victory improved Jeff Fisher’s career record as head coach to 120-103.
• Sunday's victory improved Vince Young’s career record as a starting quarterback to 17-11.
• Chris Brown scored his 5th touchdown of the season and the 16th of his career on an 8-yard run, giving the Titans a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
• The Titans scored on the game’s opening drive for the fifth time this season (third touchdown).
• LenDale White went over 1,100 rushing yards for the season in the first quarter.
• Michael Griffin forced the first fumble of his career against Reggie Wayne in the first quarter.
• David Thornton recovered the first fumble of his career in the first quarter.
• Antwan Odom posted his 7th sack of the season and the 11.5th of his career when he took down Jim Sorgi in the third quarter.
• Antwan Odom posted his 8th sack of the season and the 12.5 of his career when he took down Jim Sorgi in the fourth quarter.
• Antwan Odom matched his career-high with two sacks (at Houston 10-9-05)
• Roydell Williams set a career-high with six receptions.
• Justin Gage matched his career-high in receptions and set a career-high in receiving yards (7 catches for 104 yards)
• With his 40-yard field goal in the third quarter, Rob Bironas moved past Al Del Greco into third place in team history with the most points (127) in a season.
• Rob Bironas connected on a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. It was his 4th field goal of 54 yards or longer this season. He is now 4-of-5 from 54 or beyond this season.
• Keith Bulluck continued his team-best active streak of 96 consecutive starts.
• Keith Bulluck made his 100th career start.
• Peyton Manning was 14-of-16 passing for 95 yards, reaching the 4,000-yard passing yard mark for the eighth time in his career.
• Reggie Wayne recorded his first 1,500-yard receiving season.
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