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 He led the Titans to three second-half field goals, including a 54-yarder from Rob Bironas to retake the lead in a 16-10 victory that left Tennessee celebrating and Cleveland grimacing. The Titans visit San Diego next Sunday.
The Titans (10-6) had to win to make the playoffs for the first time since 2003. A loss would have given Cleveland its first playoff berth since 2002.
And when Peyton Manning left after two series, things looked good for the Titans.
Instead, the offense bogged down after a touchdown drive on the game's opening series. When Vince Young left in the third quarter with a right quadriceps injury, Tennessee appeared to be in trouble.
Collins replaced Young in the middle of a 13-play, 56-yard drive that ended with Bironas' tying 40-yard field goal late in the third quarter.
"That's life as a backup. You never know when you'll go in," Collins said. "I hope Vince is all right."
He moved the Titans 58 yards in 12 plays, setting up Bironas for the go-ahead field goal. Like last December, when Bironas hit a 60-yarder to beat Indy in Nashville, Bironas curled the 54-yarder inside the right goal post for a 13-10 lead. He finally sealed the win with a 33-yarder with 2:56 to go.
It was enough to end Indy's 10-game home winning streak against AFC South foes, although it came primarily against Colts backups.
Coach Tony Dungy used the game as a tuneup for Indy's playoff opener Jan. 13, benching most of his offensive starters after two series and his defensive starters in the second half.
But Manning and Reggie Wayne played just long enough to reach their milestones.
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Manning entered the game needing 55 yards to extend his NFL record of most 4,000-yard seasons to eight. That took one series.
Pro Bowl receiver Wayne needed eight catches to become the second Colt with 100 receptions in a season. That took two series. Wayne also needed 71 yards to pass Randy Moss for the league title in yards receiving. He did that on Indy's third series.
Manning finished 14-of-16 for 95 yards, while backup Jim Sorgi was 11-of-24 for 68 yards.
But without the usual offensive stars, the Colts' offense looked pedestrian.
Adam Vinatieri made a 37-yard field goal early in the second quarter to get the Colts within 7-3. Sorgi converted a Tennessee turnover into a 3-yard TD pass to Craphonso Thorpe early in the third quarter to give Indy a 10-7 lead.
That was all the Colts could muster, and it gave Collins a chance to work his magic after throwing just 69 passes all season.
"This is why we got him here," coach Jeff Fisher said. "He's done a great job for us since he got here."
Young was 14-of-18 for 157 yards, and Collins was 10-of-13 for 106 yards.
[Associated Press; By MICHAEL MAROT]
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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