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'I Don't Blame Them for Booing': Colts Hit Rock Bottom in 26-20 Loss to Winless Titans — and Fans Want Everyone Fired

2026-10-18

Indianapolis ColtsNFLTennessee Titansviral sports

 

The short answer

The Indianapolis Colts lost 26-20 at home to the previously winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday, October 18, after leading 13-0 at halftime. Fans booed the team repeatedly, chanted "Fire Ball-ard" at general manager Chris Ballard, and flooded social media calling for head coach Shane Steichen and quarterback Daniel Jones to go as well. Steichen's response is the line going viral: "I don't blame them for booing one freaking bit."

Every NFL fan base has a breaking point. For Indianapolis, it arrived on a Sunday afternoon when a team that was supposed to contend lost — at home — to the last winless team in its division, and its own coach publicly agreed with the boos.

What happened in Colts vs. Titans?

Indianapolis led 13-0 at halftime and still lost. Tennessee came back to win 26-20, helped by a blocked punt returned for a touchdown that Pro Football Network called a huge difference-maker in the game.

Daniel Jones finished 22-of-42 for 269 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, according to IndyStar's live coverage. He was sacked six times by a Tennessee defense that had recorded only 10 sacks in its first five games. Through six games this season, Jones has thrown for 1,290 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions, per Bleacher Report — a sharp drop from his career year in his first season with Indianapolis in 2025.

Indianapolis had two late chances to take the lead. Trailing by three with just over two minutes left, the offense turned it over on downs after five plays. After Tennessee pushed the lead to 26-20, the Colts' final attempt also ended on downs. Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward threw for just 102 yards with a touchdown and an interception — and still got his first win of the season. The Titans are now 1-5. The Colts fall to 2-4.

Why is the Colts loss going viral?

The boos were relentless, and the coach agreed with them. IndyStar reported that the Colts were booed repeatedly during the loss and that a brief "Fire Ball-ard" chant broke out late in the game, aimed at Ballard, who is in his 10th season running the team. Asked about it afterward, Steichen said: "We've got to give them something to cheer about. I don't blame them for booing one freaking bit." Jones echoed him: "We didn't play well enough today. We've got to play better and give them something to cheer about. That's on us."

The social reaction was instant and brutal. One widely shared post listed the demands in order: Ballard fired, Steichen fired, Jones benched — "What else am I missing?" Another fan called it "officially rock bottom" and argued neither Ballard nor Steichen should survive another week. James Boyd of The Athletic called it the "worst loss of the Shane Steichen era" and wrote that "jobs being lost feels like a matter of when not if." As Tennessee's final field goal made it 26-20, cameras and reporters noted thinning stands — and the fans who stayed were chanting for the general manager's job.

The opponent makes it sting. Tennessee had started 0-5 and won just six games combined over the previous two seasons, according to Pro Football Network. Losing to a rival is one thing. Being the team that gives a winless rival its first win — at home, from 13-0 up — is the kind of loss that defines a season.

Key facts

  • Final score: Tennessee Titans 26, Indianapolis Colts 20, on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium.
  • The collapse: Indianapolis led 13-0 at halftime.
  • Daniel Jones: 22-of-42, 269 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, sacked 6 times.
  • Cam Ward: 102 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception — and the Titans' first win after an 0-5 start.
  • Records: Colts 2-4; Titans 1-5.
  • The chant: Fans chanted "Fire Ball-ard" for GM Chris Ballard late in the game.

What's next for the Colts?

Steichen's own summary was blunt: "We've got a lot to fix, and we've got to fix it in a hurry." Whether "in a hurry" means lineup changes, a quarterback change, or front-office changes is now the only question in Indianapolis. No firings had been announced as of Sunday evening — the viral story, for now, is the demand, not a decision. But when a head coach tells reporters he does not blame his own fans for booing, the pressure stops being background noise. The Colts' next game will be played under a microscope, and every early three-and-out will be heard in the stands.

FAQ

Why did Colts fans boo their own team?
Indianapolis blew a 13-0 halftime lead and lost 26-20 at home to the previously winless Titans, with two interceptions, six sacks allowed and two late drives ending on downs.

What did Shane Steichen say about the booing?
Steichen said the team has to give fans something to cheer about and added, "I don't blame them for booing one freaking bit."

Who were fans calling to be fired?
Posts and chants targeted general manager Chris Ballard first, with many fans also calling for head coach Shane Steichen to be fired and Daniel Jones to be benched.

What are the Colts' and Titans' records now?
The Colts are 2-4 after the loss. The Titans are 1-5 after earning their first win of the season.

Sources