Some wins are uglier than others

Colts fans had to love the sight -- finally -- of Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne catching their first touchdown passes of the season in the Colts' 14-13 win over the Titans on Sunday at the dome. Finding other enjoyment wasn't so easy.

To say the win was a struggle might be the understatement of the season. The Titans were destroyed a week earlier by the Cowboys, a team that shouldn't be in the Colts' league, yet the Titans had the Colts on the ropes for most of three quarters. There seemed to be a feeling among the Colts that they would win this game at the end no matter what happened before. It's good to be that confident. But the truth is, this is a team the Colts should have destroyed. And the Titans showed the probable game plan for upcoming Colts opponents.

Here's my Monday morning breakdown:

Passing game: Peyton Manning couldn't seem to find his rhythm in the first half. Pac-man Jones did a nice job of covering Harrison for the most part. Harrison had only three catches, and his TD came when Jones was hurt and out of the game. Manning locked into the passing game in the second half, and probably would have had three touchdowns if Wayne hadn't had one pass slip through his hands for an interception. It was good to see Brandon Stokley back in action (5 catches, 57 yards), but he hurt his knee and is questionable again.

Running game: Tennessee dared the Colts to run, and Indy did a decent job. Both Dominic Rhodes (13-62) and Joseph Addai (20-84) averaged over four yards per carry, which should be the type of numbers necessary to keep teams honest. Both of them are running with authority now. An encouraging sign.

Pass defense: I've been surprised how strong the secondary has looked without Bob Sanders. Mike Doss has stepped in and played well. Nick Harper would have had a pick on Vince Young late if Antoine Bethea hadn't stepped in front of him. "I'm counting that one," Harper said. The pass rush can't get off the ground at times because of the Colts' struggles with the run defense.

Run defense: Tony Dungy insists he can get this problem fixed, but allowing 214 yards to the Titans (100 in the first quarter) showed this weakness is serious. If Dungy and defensive coordinator Ron Meeks resolve this problem down the stretch, it'll be the biggest step to post-season success.

Special teams: For the second week in a row, poor coverage on the kickoff nearly caused defeat. Upcoming opponents such as the Redskins, Broncos and Patriots won't let opportunity slip like the Jets and Titans did.

Coaching: They were prepared for the Titans' tricks. But, the offense seemed stagnant and lack inventiveness in the first half. I like how the Colts' defense adjusts late in the game, but they're going to get burned if they continue their slow starts.

The bye week comes at a good time. For all of the Colts' question marks, they are 5-0. Their will to win may be stronger than the last couple years. The positives outweigh the negatives, but the road gets significantly tougher ahead.