Colts @ Jags

[Vin+ 3,121]

The swift progression of rookie Andrew Luck and the courageous spirit of ailing coach Chuck Pagano have helped turn the Indianapolis Colts into a playoff contender.

 

Mired in a five-game skid, the Jacksonville Jaguars are simply trying to get a win.

 

Luck looks to lead the visiting Colts to a fourth consecutive victory Thursday night when they try to avenge an earlier loss to the Jaguars, who hope to avoid a franchise-record fifth straight home defeat.

 

Few knew what to expect with top overall pick Luck guiding Indianapolis (5-3) this season, but since dropping to 1-2 with a 22-17 loss to Jacksonville on Sept. 23, the Colts have surged into the thick of the playoff race.

 

Indianapolis last won four in a row when it closed the 2010 regular season with four victories.

 

Luck powered the latest win with a spectacular performance. He went 30 of 48 and broke Cam Newton's single-game rookie record with 433 yards Sunday, also throwing two touchdowns in a 23-20 win over Miami.

 

The Colts received an emotional and inspiring postgame speech from Pagano, whose leukemia has gone into remission. It was Pagano's first visit to Lucas Oil Stadium since being diagnosed with the disease Sept. 26.

 

"His presence is felt every day in the facility," Luck said. "But to see him in the flesh, in the locker room, to hear him speak I think gave all the guys a boost."

 

So too, has Luck's presence.

 

Despite a 79.0 passer rating, his 2,404 yards passing match the total of predecessor Peyton Manning. Sunday's game was Luck's fourth with at least 300 passing yards, tying Manning's rookie record.

 

He's also thrown one pick over the last three games after being intercepted seven times in the first five.

 

The Colts rank fourth in the league with 390.9 yards per game, a huge improvement from last season when they were 30th at 286.8.

 

"The kid, he continues to amaze," said receiver Reggie Wayne, who has an NFL-leading 835 yards on 61 catches. "Hopefully I can help, you know, add on to his legacy that he's about to build."

 

Luck remains focused on team success rather than personal glory.

 

"The victories are what I judge things on," said Luck, who gave himself a midseason grade of C.

 

Indianapolis wasn't able to get one in its first matchup with the Jaguars despite totaling 437 yards. The Colts appeared to be in control with a 14-3 halftime lead before getting dominated in the final two periods.

 

Luck threw for 313 yards, two TDs and an interception, but Maurice Jones-Drew ran for 177 yards and a score to lead Jacksonville to its third straight win in the series.

 

The season has since gone downhill for the Jaguars (1-7), who will be without Jones-Drew for a third straight game because of a foot injury. Jacksonville has not lost six in a row since a slide of that length spanning the 2002 and '03 seasons.

 

The Jaguars managed 279 yards and didn't score until the fourth quarter of a 31-14 home loss to Detroit on Sunday. They have been outscored 126-34 in going 0-4 in Jacksonville.

 

"I'm disappointed that we are where we're at," coach Mike Mularkey said. "I know the players are. I certainly know the fans are. I just want them to know how they feel, we feel the same way. We're mad, too, very disappointed we're in this position.

 

"But we have to get over that emotion and get ready for this next game and these next eight games and know that we are going to battle to try to get this thing right."

 

That won't be easy for a team that's last in the NFL in total offense (254.4) and scoring (14.6). Second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert had two interceptions and threw a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns against the Lions with the game all but decided.

 

Gabbert has a 78.4 passer rating in 2012, but he's 3-0 against the Colts despite completing 57.4 percent of his passes for an average of 121.7 yards. He threw a TD in each of those contests while being intercepted once overall.

 

Rashad Jennings has gained 148 yards on 50 carries in the last three games minus Jones-Drew.

 

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press.

 

Nothing would make me happier than for the Jags to complete the sweep of the Colts, but really all I ask for is that we not embarrass ourselves.

Edited November 17, 2012 by Vin

[Thanatos 2,847]

28

16

 

Indy all over Jacksonville.

[Dutch 874]

27

 

17

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Wow, what a shitty TNF game lol. But yea, I like Indy in this one too.

[Bay 2,003]

You better not force me to watch NBA because of your horrid play, Jax.

[CampinWithaMissingPerson 2,025]

Colt killer MJD not playing, Colts win.

 

[housemd 338]

31

20

[Bay 2,003]

3 matchups to focus on:

Jaguars Run Game vs. Colts Run Defense

In Week 3, Maurice Jones-Drew ran the ball 28 times for 177 yards and a touchdown to control the game. He is out indefinitely with a foot injury, however, so Rashad Jennings has been serving as the feature back. In his three games as a starter, Jennings has carried the ball 50 times but has only 148 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line was part of the reason the Jaguars dominated in Week 3, but they have yet to play as well as a unit since then.

 

While the Colts run defense has been far from dominant, they have allowed just 251 yards on 60 carries the past three weeks — a respectable average of 4.2 yards allowed per run. Inside linebacker Kavell Conner had his worst game of the year against the Jaguars when he was held without a stop, but he has three stops or more in each of his last five games. If Jacksonville can't run the ball as well, it will need to rely more on Blaine Gabbert, who had only 10 completions in Week 3.

Jaguars Offensive Tackles vs. Colts Outside Linebackers

Over the last two years, Eugene Monroe has been one of the better left tackles in the league. When he has played anyone but the Colts in 2011 and 2012, he's allowed a pressure on 4.6 percent of his pass blocks. But in his last three matchups against Indianapolis, that figure has more than doubled to 9.5 percent of his pass blocks. Right tackle Cameron Bradfield has yet to start against Indianapolis, but over the last three games he has not allowed a sack or hit, and an average of one hurry per game.In the first matchup it was Robert Mathis and Jerry Hughes who shined with a combined sack, hit and three hurries.

 

The Colts showed they had more depth at the position last week when Dwight Freeney became one of the few players to say they got the best of Jake Long with a sack, a hit and two hurries. Backup Justin Hickman also had two hits in his nine pass rushes last week. Freeney, who missed the first matchup, lines up on the defense's left side on 79.4 percent of his snaps and will frequently be up against Monroe, whom he played well against in the past. While Gabbert doesn't have much drop off in his statistics when he is under pressure, he has been sacked 18 times. The winner of this matchup will be measured in sacks.

Reggie Wayne vs. Jaguars defense

Reggie Wayne had eight catches for 88 yards in Week 3, but that came on 15 attempts including a dropped pass, and an Andrew Luck interception when Wayne was the target. One of the biggest trouble areas was the middle of the field when the ball was in the air for 10 or more yards. When Wayne was targeted in that area, he had just one catch on five targets for 13 yards. But in the last five games, Wayne has caught 13 passes on 16 targets for 253 yards in the middle of the field on intermediate or deep passes.On 63.1 percent of his pass routes, Wayne lines up in the slot. In Week 3 that put him against Aaron Ross, but Ross has been playing outside corner because of injuries.

 

That leaves Mike Harris as the slot cornerback who has allowed a high 76.9 percent catch rate. Derek Cox and Rashean Mathis are both questionable as of Wednesday morning, and if one can't play it will be Harris' responsibility to stop Wayne most of the time. In the first matchup, safety Dwight Lowery had a strong performance with two passes defended. But Lowery is out with an ankle injury, and although Chris Prosinski has played adequately in his place, he hasn't quite matched the play of Lowery. All signs point to a bigger day out of Wayne.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Jaguars declared RB Maurice Jones-Drew, FB Greg Jones, WR Anthony Armstrong, C Steve Vallos, CB Rashean Mathis, DT Jeris Pendleton, and S Dwight Lowery inactive for Thursday night's game against the Colts.

 

No real surprises here, aside from Rashean Mathis (groin). Aaron Ross will get the start at left corner. Maurice Jones-Drew is still out indefinitely with the foot injury, but he did say on NFL Network this week that he plans to start running next week. Rashad Jennings will get the start once again.

 

 

Colts OLB Robert Mathis (back) is inactive for Thursday night's game against the Jaguars.

 

Jerry Hughes will get the start in Mathis' place. Mathis leads the teams with six sacks, but Hughes is second with three.

 

The Colts also declared CBs Vontae Davis and Jerraud Powers, C Samson Satele, RT Winston Justice, DE Clifton Geathers, and TE Coby Fleener inactive.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

So, no Mathis for either team.

 

I see Derek Cox is active which is good for Jax.

[Bay 2,003]

Chad Henne got the Jags only TD. Jesus.

[KiLaSix9+ 398]

God the Jaguars are terrible. Gabbert and Blackmon both look like busts. I figured this would be the breakout game for Jennings and their o-line against a Colts run D that hasn't stopped anyone this year.

 

How much leverage does this give MJD in contract talks?

[Vin+ 3,121]

The amount of things that go wrong for the Jags in games is crazy. The Robinson "fumble", the Knighton hit that took away Ross's pick (It seems that any time Ross gets a pick it's always called back due a penalty), the catch by Shorts that was ruled a non-catch, Scobee missing his first FG since November of last year. It's nigh impossible to win when this happens when you're not a good team, but then part of the reason you're not a good team is because this BS constantly happens.

 

I thought Blaine was alright last night from what I saw. (The downside of having to stream the game since FSU was playing at the same time). The Colts DBs were all over the WRs since they all suck with the exception of Robinson and Shorts.

 

As for MJD, unless there's some miracle turnaround by us over the rest of season, I think we're going to trade him and attempt to stockpile picks for our new GM to use.