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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In the second quarter, Steve McNair sprained his left ankle. Even though he was also playing with a partially torn right calf muscle, McNair didn't want to stay on the sidelines.

The Colts, however, left him no choice. During Sunday's 29-27 victory over the Titans, the Colts ran 34 consecutive plays and at one point ran 49 of 54 plays.

"It was very frustrating," McNair said of being on the sidelines. "I think all the guys stayed mentally prepared and stayed loose on the sidelines, so when we did go back out there, we were still able to move the ball. We were still able to execute well.

	McNair

"When you have a team that goes out there and gets it done like Indianapolis did and make first downs and get turnovers that kept us off the field, it's very frustrating to just sit there and watch things happen and unfold right in front of you."

What unfolded stunned Titans fans. Kickoff returner Eddie Berlin lost two fumbles. Justin McCareins killed a last-minute comeback opportunity by McNair when he fumbled during a punt return, allowing the Colts to run out the clock. And tight end Shad Meier fumbled after a reception. In total, four fumbles left McNair on the sidelines even though he was playing with injuries that could have kept him there anyway.

"A guy came back and hit me on my knee and kind of rolled off my left ankle," McNair said. "It got a little stiff and sore as the game went on because of the weather with the temperature dropping. It got a little stiff, but I managed to finish the game and continue to play. But it was disappointing."

McNair limped noticeably at different points of the game, in part because of the right calf injury that limited him during the Monday night loss to the Jets. While he mostly stayed in the pocket against New York, he made three second-half runs to try to get first downs against Indianapolis.

"I aggravated the calf a little bit, too," McNair said. "So I don't know which way I should hop today."

McNair is fearless. No one was surprised to see him bring the Titans from a 16-point third quarterback deficit with two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to put the team within two points.

"I think we really wanted to get into a good rhythm with Steve," halfback Eddie George said. "I think he is capable of doing anything you ask him to do. The more banged up he gets, the better he plays … but I don't want him getting any more banged up than he is. He's our MVP. He's our leader. We need him as healthy as possible for the next couple of months."

McNair completed 22 of 38 passes for 235 yards, but wasn't as sharp with his passes for the final three quarters.

"On some of those, either I was outside of the pocket trying to make something happen downfield or either I got a little pressure and I had to sidestep and I couldn't get my feet right," McNair said. "But as I said, that's going to happen in the course of the many times you throw the football."

Through sheer will and blocking out the pain, McNair directed a 12-play 69-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass to fullback Robert Holcombe with 9:24 left in the fourth quarter. McNair carried the two-point conversion into the end zone to cut the Colts lead to 29-21.

He got the ball back with 2:40 left and drove 48 yards in seven plays and got a 2-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason. His two-point conversion pass to Mason was deflected at the line by Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney, saving the Colts from what would have been an interference penalty.

"It was there if it wasn't tipped," McNair said. "You practice it all week. If I had something to go back on, that would probably be the one that I would want to take back. We had two plays called in the huddle, one that I checked to a pass. If I had it do it all over again, I wouldn't have checked it to a pass. But those are the things you live and die with."

Once again, McNair will undergo a painful week of treatment for two leg injuries. The tougher part is that he will be doing it one game behind the Colts in the AFC South race.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.