The Titans came up short in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday falling 35-3. One day later we take a look to see what the Indianapolis sportswriters have to say about the Colts knocking off the Titans.

''While the Indianapolis Colts were celebrating their 35-3 lacing of Tennessee on Sunday at the RCA Dome, the vanquished Titans were grumbling about questionable tactics.

Center Justin Hartwig accused the Colts' defensive line of ''going out of their way'' to leg-whip quarterback Steve McNair.

''They were using some shady tactics,'' Hartwig said to reporters in the Tennessee locker room.

McNair agreed. He went down on two of the Colts' four sacks, including one by Dwight Freeney that resulted in a fumble and a 60-yard TD return by Larry Tripplett, and was hit on several other occasions.

McNair left the Dome with shin and ankle injuries. He temporarily was forced from the game in the third quarter after a hit by tackle Corey Simon.

''I think there was a couple of illegal hits, not only (on) me, but when three guys have Ben Troupe standing up and you have guys coming 10 yards and going straight for his legs, that is uncalled for,'' McNair said. ''I think there were a couple of shots they did that were illegal.''

The Titans' accusations came to light after the Colts had departed their locker room and were unavailable for a response.

After the Colts defeated Jacksonville at the RCA Dome on Sept. 18, CBS analyst Boomer Esiason questioned the tactics of the defensive line, which sacked Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich six times.

''I got leg-whipped on one (play) and kicked,'' McNair said. ''The guy rolled twice and rolled right into me and rolled up on one ankle.''

Hartwig said the Titans will remember how they were treated.

''You don't forget stuff like that, when they were intentionally trying to injure our players, not only on offense but special teams for sure,'' he said.''
Mike Chappell
Indianapolis Star

''It wasn't quite as loud for Sunday's Indianapolis Colts game at the RCA Dome as last Monday, at least not from where season ticket holder John Koke sat in the 11th row of the upper deck.

The fifth-grade teacher from Smoky Row Elementary School in Carmel brought a Sper Scientific sound meter from his class to measure decibels for the ''Monday Night Football'' game against Pittsburgh. Then he brought it back for Sunday's game against Tennessee.

The noise difference between first-quarter touchdown catches by Marvin Harrison -- last Monday's 80-yarder compared to Sunday's 10-yarder -- was four decibels, the longer pass being louder at 108. Sunday's readings were consistently around 100, whereas the readings last Monday were usually two to four decibels higher.

''It's been a little bit less,'' Koke, 54, said of Sunday's game.

Colts fans know when to make noise. As Colts quarterback Peyton Manning worked behind center, noise from a respectful sellout crowd measured 72 decibels. When the Titans' Steve McNair called plays, the meter's needle reached 104, which was consistent with the Steelers' play calling on Monday, Koke said.

Experts suggest that continual exposure to sounds 85 decibels and higher can cause hearing damage.

The Colts and Dome personnel were accused by some media of piping in more noise through the public address system for the Steelers game, an assertion they denied. Dome director Mike Fox said on-field microphones for the Steelers game were part of ''Monday Night Football'' picking up ambient sounds at field level.

The only microphones on the field Sunday were pregame for the national anthem.

Koke noticed the music blaring on Dome speakers registered at 90 decibels, four less than last Monday.

''It's like they turned it down half a notch,'' Koke said. ''Either that or my battery is dying.''
Phillip B. Wilson
Indianapolis Star

''Indianapolis clamped down on Tennessee with such unyielding force Sunday that defensive tackle Larry Tripplett outscored the Titans in a 35-3 Colts romp at the RCA Dome.

Colts defenders reveled in keeping their AFC South foe out of the end zone while the 285-pound Tripplett rumbled 60 yards on a fourth-quarter fumble return for the final touchdown, his first in four NFL seasons.

''About the 20-yard line, I looked up at the (video screen) and didn't see anybody behind me. I was like, 'Thank goodness,' because I was getting a little winded,'' Tripplett said of his touchdown, caused by Dwight Freeney's sack of Titans quarterback Steve McNair.

The Colts' defense didn't tire. Even in the end with reserves playing, Colts linebacker Rob Morris knocked the ball loose from Titans receiver Drew Bennett in the end zone on a fourth-down pass with 7:26 remaining.

''We were joking around that the junior varsity came in and did a good job on their varsity,'' Morris said. ''We have pride, too. When we get out there, we want to play well just like anybody else.''

The regulars celebrated the stop as if it decided the outcome.

''You want to dominate for 60 minutes,'' said starting middle linebacker Gary Brackett, who had a game-high 11 tackles. ''Until the final whistle gets blown, you want to go out and dominate the other team.''

It was just the second time in 78 games, counting the playoffs, that the Titans failed to score a touchdown. The last time was a 20-3 loss at Minnesota on Oct. 24, 2004.

The Titans continually came to a halt on third and fourth downs, converting just 3-of-17.

The Colts didn't allow a drive into field goal range until early in the second quarter. On third-and-3 at the Colts 20, defensive end Robert Mathis cut down Titans rookie Adam ''Pacman'' Jones for a 13-yard loss on a surprise pitch play. Jones is usually a starting cornerback and kick returner. With the Titans pushed back, kicker Rob Bironas was wide left on a 51-yard field goal attempt.

The Colts knocked McNair out of the game for four plays on the Titans' initial third-quarter drive. Facing fourth-and-1 at the Colts 31, backup quarterback Billy Volek threw incomplete to Tyrone Calico.

Once more, the Titans faced fourth-and-1, this time at their 39 on the first play of the fourth quarter. Linebacker David Thornton and Brackett stuffed McNair on a sneak for no gain.

Later came Tripplett's dash as Freeney recorded his second sack. The ball popped into the air to Tripplett, who was a fullback in high school and accustomed to scoring touchdowns. Tripplett's head was snapping back and forth as he easily outran the closest Titans in pursuit.

''This is way better than high school,'' Tripplett said.

But when he mentioned his fullback days, Morris needled, ''Come on, Trip. Fullback? I've got to see the film on that one.''

Teammates couldn't resist piling on.

''Maybe we should put him in the backfield, like 'the Fridge,''' Colts defensive end Raheem Brock said, referring to retired Chicago Bears defensive tackle William ''Refrigerator'' Perry.

Morris joked that Tripplett was claiming to be the Colts' fastest defensive lineman. That prompted the Colts' heaviest player, 300-pound defensive tackle Corey Simon, to weigh in.

''Let's not get ridiculous,'' Simon said. ''Trip is not going to win any 100-yard dash competitions. He's still a lineman. Did you see the form? He was done.''

Asked if Tripplett could have scored from 70 yards, Simon said, ''I don't know. He may have crawled into the end zone.''
Phillip B. Wilson
Indianapolis Star

''With Tennessee consistently running the play clock down to one or two seconds and quarterback Steve McNair completing 11 consecutive passes during one first-half stretch Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts had little choice. When they got the ball, they had to do something with it.

''You can't have penalties. You can't have sacks,'' Colts right guard Jake Scott said. ''You can't have small mistakes, the unforced errors. You know you have to be efficient; you're not going to get very many chances.

''I think that was probably their game plan going in: slow the game down, limit our possessions.''

The Colts were up to the challenge. They scored 35 points despite having only 48 offensive snaps to whip Tennessee 35-3 at the RCA Dome. The Titans controlled the ball for 32:57 to the Colts' 27:03 but never reached the end zone.

Quarterback Peyton Manning was a model of efficiency. He threw only 17 passes, the puniest total of his eight-year career except for a game at Denver last season when he played only one series. He completed 13 passes Sunday for 187 yards and three touchdowns.

His passer rating was 151.2.

The Colts faced just one third down while charging 80 yards on their opening possession. Manning hit wide receiver Marvin Harrison for a 10-yard touchdown.

After a three-and-out, the Colts got back in order. Manning ended a 59-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Bryan Fletcher. It was 14-0.

The only other time the Colts had the ball during the first half came with 24 seconds to play. Manning knelt for a 1-yard loss that killed the clock.

Excluding that play, the home team scored touchdowns on four of its first five possessions.

''Being efficient has been our goal all year,'' left tackle Tarik Glenn said. ''Don't have any negative possessions, no three-and-outs. Give our defense a chance to rest so when they go in there they can do some damage.''

The Colts did that during the fourth quarter.''
Phil Richards
Indianapolis Star