NFL Nation: AFC South

A weekly examination of the Colts’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 10 | Last week: 9 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

The five remaining undefeated teams are the only things standing between the Indianapolis Colts and a top-five ranking. So an argument can’t be made that the Colts aren’t getting any respect in this week’s rankings. I was a little surprised the Dolphins are ranked a spot behind the Colts since they beat Indianapolis on the road in Week 2. Voters John Clayton and Dan Graziano feel the same way because they had the Dolphins ranked higher than the Colts. The Colts are the fourth-best team in the AFC based off this week's rankings. They should move up even higher if they beat the undefeated Seattle Seahawks at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday. With a win against Seattle, the Colts should move past at least Kansas City because the Chiefs are playing Tennessee, which is without starting quarterback Jake Locker (hip).

Here’s where each voter ranked the Colts this week:

Ashley Fox: 6

Mike Sando: 6

Kevin Seifert: 5

John Clayton: 7

Dan Graziano: 8

Jamison Hensley: 6

Upon Further Review: Jaguars Week 4

September, 30, 2013
Sep 30
12:30
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A review of four hot issues from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 37-3 loss to Indianapolis:

[+] EnlargeBlaine Gabbert
Phil Sears/USA TODAY SportsThe Jaguars are sticking by starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert -- at least for the time being.
Staying with Gabbert: Blaine Gabbert has thrown five interceptions and has led the offense to just three points in two home games this season, but Jaguars coach Gus Bradley is sticking with him as the team’s starting quarterback. Gabbert has a 5-21 record as a starter and has shown little progress since he was selected 10th overall in the 2011 draft, but Bradley wants to see more of Gabbert in the team’s current system before making any judgments about his future with the team. “I know you say, ‘Gus, we’ve waited to see,’ but I’ve got to see it,” Bradley said. He said some of the issues on Sunday may have been receivers not finishing routes, plus all three interceptions came after receivers bobbled passes.

No help: With Marcedes Lewis’ return lasting just the first series before he had to leave the game after reinjuring his calf, the Jaguars were again without any complementary playmakers to receiver Cecil Shorts. It’s one of the offense’s main problems because teams are able to roll coverages toward Shorts and force Gabbert to beat them with the other receivers -- two of whom were signed from the practice squad on Saturday. It didn’t work, obviously. Gabbert completed just five passes to other wide receivers (four to Ace Sanders, one to Jeremy Ebert). Justin Blackmon returns this week from a four-game suspension, so that should help, but Lewis’ absence is still significant.

TE troubles: The Jaguars again struggled to cover the tight end. Coby Fleener caught five passes for 77 yards and one touchdown, a 31-yarder in which he was wide open. Depending on the defense called, responsibility for the tight end falls to a linebacker, safety or nickel back. Regardless of which player had responsibility, there have been mistakes that resulted in big plays. As good as he is against the run, linebacker Paul Posluszny sometimes struggles in coverage, and the Jaguars started a pair of rookies at safety against the Colts. Through four games, tight ends have caught 20 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks' and Colts' tight ends combined to catch 14 passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns.

Discipline problem: It’s not the fact that the Jaguars committed nine penalties for 65 yards that’s troubling. It’s the kinds of penalties that are the issue. Eight of the nine were discipline penalties: four defensive offside/encroachment, one illegal substitution, one false start, one roughing the passer, and one unsportsmanlike conduct. Those are mental mistakes that are avoidable. Jason Babin committed three, including lining up offside twice. The Jaguars aren’t close to being talented enough to be able to overcome mistakes like that, especially against a quarterback like Andrew Luck. “We cannot have that as part of our game,” Bradley said. “Obviously our players aren’t getting the message, and that’s on me.”
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck didn’t need anybody to tell him how he played during the early part of the Colts' 37-3 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He went ahead and owned up to it at the start of his postgame news conference.

“It wasn’t an ideal start,” Luck said. “It was more of a terrible start to the game offensively for us.”

Luck
Luck couldn’t have said it better.

It looked like Luck was going to have a long afternoon against the Jaguars.

On one interception, Jaguars cornerback Will Blackmon didn’t have to move because receiver TY Hilton went to the outside, and Luck threw to the inside. Luck was bailed out by the Jaguars because they were offsides on another interception. There were more miscommunication issues with Hilton in the half.

The two interceptions happened on the Colts' first two offensive series.

“It was the wrong throw for me,” Luck said. “TY ran the right routes and everything. I put it in the wrong spot. We know we can’t survive on our mistakes like that every week. I’ll hopefully improve, get better and we’ll continue to roll.”

You just knew Luck wasn’t going to struggle all afternoon against Jacksonville’s secondary. He finally got it going to finish 22-of-36 for 260 yards and two touchdowns to go with his one interception.

“Listening to him talk and talking to him, he did get off to a slow start, but he is an even-keeled guy,” coach Chuck Pagano said. “We go back to the process, 60 minutes, one play at a time, and judge. He is one of those guys who can put things behind him and move on.”

Luck got rolling on the first two offensive possessions of the third quarter. He found tight end Coby Fleener wide open for 31-yard touchdown on a play where it seemed like playing defense was optional for Jacksonville. Then Luck led the Colts on a 12-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne on their next possession.

“We know they’re tough physical guys, but coming out of halftime we said let’s put a scoring drive together,” Luck said. “I think guys sort of relaxed a little bit. I know I did, and just played football.”

Things were going so well for Luck in the second half that you forgot he started slow because he sat out the final 4:49 of the game, ending his string of taking every regular-season snap since the Colts selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2012.

“I think we knew we were a better offense than what we showed,” Luck said. “It’s a credit to Jacksonville. They really put us in some tough spots.”

Colts avoid the mousetrap

September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
8:05
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano had every intention of running to a local Lowes to purchase enough mousetraps to go in each player’s locker last week.

Pagano joked that he decided not to go because he didn’t want somebody to take a picture of him in the store and put it on any social media sites.

Pagano
The traps were eventually purchased, because the coach was determined to get his message across that they were not going to have a letdown against the winless Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday after they beat the San Francisco 49ers the week prior.

A loss to the Jaguars couldn't happen if they expected to continue to gain momentum and have a chance to win the AFC South.

Message received.

The Colts were never really threatened in their 37-3 victory against the Jaguars.

“We talked after the 49ers game that human nature is hard to fight,” Pagano said. “You start reading all the nice things, you start patting yourself on the back and you get complacent, then you get your tail kicked. You have to prepare and you have to focus and you have to grind and you have to stick to the process. I’m going to keep beating it and beating it with these guys, that we’re not going to get complacent and we’re going to stay sharp and we’re going to stay focused.”

The win set the stage for next week’s game against the undefeated Seattle Seahawks at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts are tied with Tennessee atop the AFC South with a 3-1 record.

“It was great that coach did that,” cornerback Greg Toler said. “Don’t buy into the hype, don’t be overly confident. You can be confident, but don’t be cocky.”

The Colts refused to look ahead at the schedule. The only thing they would talk about heading into Sunday was the Jaguars, because they knew there was a possibility they could be beaten.

It didn’t take long to realize they were focused strictly on Jacksonville.

The Colts led 20-3 and limited Jacksonville to 69 yards in the first half. The Jaguars were held to minus-2 yards and trailed 34-3 at the end of the third quarter.

“We are a team that never panics,” receiver Reggie Wayne said. “We just work the process and continue to play ball. We never get too high or too low. Hopefully we can keep riding this wave and keep playing ball. It is exciting, and especially the way we are winning in all three phases of the game, playing pretty good.”
Cecil ShortsAP Photo/Phelan M. EbenhackThe Jaguars need Cecil Shorts to bounce back from a rough day against the Colts.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It was a rough day for Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts on Sunday, and that’s something the Jaguars can’t afford.

Shorts is the Jaguars’ only playmaker in the passing game, so when he struggles it virtually dooms their chances of having any kind of success. Shorts led the Jaguars with seven catches for 61 yards but he also had three drops, including one in which the ball bounced off his hands and was intercepted.

"It’s frustrating," said Shorts, who was targeted 12 times in the Jaguars’ 37-3 loss to Indianapolis. "I didn’t have the day I wanted today, but bad days happen and that’s just part of the game. So I’m going to come back with my head high and ready to go this week and get ready to go to St. Louis Sunday."

The Jaguars were hurting at receiver on Sunday because of injuries to Mike Brown (back) and Stephen Burton (concussion-like symptoms) and the suspension of Justin Blackmon. That left the Jaguars with just two healthy receivers: Shorts and rookie Ace Sanders. The team signed Jeremy Ebert and Tobais Palmer from the practice squad on Saturday and used fifth-round pick Denard Robinson at receiver as well.

Sanders, Ebert, Palmer and Robinson entered the game with a combined 11 career receptions. Other than Sanders (10 catches), the only other player with a catch was Ebert. Palmer was making his NFL debut.

Shorts had to carry the load, and he pretty much had to be perfect, too. That’s a lot of pressure for a third-year player who had only started nine games entering the 2013 season, and it’s a role he has been forced into maybe before he was ready because of the Blackmon suspension.

"He’s competing and going out there and made some plays," Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. "I think that he’s going to feel like teams know who I am and they’re going to say, ‘One thing we know is we need to know where Cecil Shorts is,’ but he’s up for that.

"I think he has to understand when you do well in games in the NFL that’s going to come, and it can’t slow you down. That’s the challenge for him and to be consistently playing high at that level."

Shorts wasn’t sure if he was trying to do too much, but he admits that he knows how much pressure he was under to perform because of the limitations at receiver.

"That’s a good question," he said. "That’s something I have to sit back and think about. Not sure. I need to watch the film.

"I don’t necessarily feel like I’m pressing, but I could be. I could be."

That’s something the Jaguars offense can’t afford, even when Blackmon returns next week.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Observed in the locker room after the Jacksonville Jaguars' 37-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Shanahan
Bradley
Foolish penalties: Jaguars coach Gus Bradley has remained upbeat and positive through the first three weeks, but Sunday he showed just a hint of frustration when he talked about the Jaguars’ nine penalties for 65 yards. “To not execute, to jump offsides, to have nine penalties, all those things are in our control,” he said. “We can no longer do that. A lot of them were foolish penalties.”

Confusion: The Jaguars have traditionally run the ball well against the Colts. Maurice Jones-Drew has averaged 106.8 yards per game in 13 games against Indy, but the Jaguars managed just 40 yards Sunday. “It’s the Colts,” guard Uche Nwaneri said. “I don’t care who they have at quarterback. I don’t care who they’ve got on defense. It’s the Colts, and for us to come out and not be able to run the ball on the Colts, it’s mind-boggling.”

Gabbert is the guy: Bradley said he’s sticking with quarterback Blaine Gabbert, despite a 17-for-32, three-interception performance. Some of the mistakes were on receivers for breaking off routes, Bradley said. “I’m staying strong with Blaine because he competed and he’s doing what we asked him to do,” he said.

Locker Room Buzz: Indianapolis Colts

September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
5:50
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Observed in the locker room after the Indianapolis Colts’ 37-3 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars:

Luck
No need for Luck: Quarterback Andrew Luck had taken every snap under center for the Colts in his young career. The streak -- 20 games counting the playoffs -- ended in the fourth quarter Sunday. Veteran Matt Hasselbeck replaced Luck for the final 4:49 of the game with the Colts leading 37-3.

Werner hurting: Colts rookie linebacker Bjoern Werner left the game in the first half with a sprained foot. Colts coach Chuck Pagano said the rookie out of Florida State is scheduled to get an MRI.

Wayne keeps rolling: Receiver Reggie Wayne had five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Wayne caught a second touchdown pass, but it was nullified because left guard Jeff Linkenbach was called for illegal use of his hands. Wayne now has nine 100-yard receiving games against the Jaguars.

Rapid Reaction: Colts 37, Jaguars 3

September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
4:15
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A few thoughts on the Jacksonville Jaguars' 37-3 loss to the Indianapolis Colts:

What it means: This is beginning to sound like a recording, but it was another dismal offensive performance by the Jaguars. The return of starting quarterback Blaine Gabbert made no difference, and in fact, things were probably worse. But it’s unfair to put it all on Gabbert’s shoulders. He was saddled with only four healthy receivers. Two of them -- Jeremy Ebert and Tobais Palmer -- were on the practice squad on Saturday. And Jacksonville lost tight end Marcedes Lewis early in the game. One of the interceptions came after Cecil Shorts bobbled a catchable ball. The running game continues to be an issue, especially up the middle. The interior trio of Brad Meester, Will Rackley and Uche Nwaneri played better than in the first few weeks but still couldn’t generate much push. Maurice Jones-Drew ended up with only 23 yards, and the team's longest run all day was 6 yards.

Stock Watch: Shorts is the Jaguars’ only reliable receiver right now, but he didn’t have a good day -- and that was a recipe for disaster. He dropped at least three passes, including one that he bobbled that was intercepted. He had caught 16 passes in the past two games, 13 of which came when the game was well in hand. He was more productive in the first half against the Colts, but it still didn’t make any difference.

Quick return: The Jaguars’ hope that Lewis would add some spark to the offense disappeared in the first quarter, when he left the game because he aggravated a calf injury. It’s an injury that caused him to miss the first three weeks of the season -- as many games as he had missed in his previous six seasons -- and it was the third time he had hurt the calf.

What’s next: The Jaguars next play at the St. Louis Rams.

Rapid Reaction: Colts 37, Jaguars 3

September, 29, 2013
Sep 29
4:14
PM ET

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A few thoughts on the Indianapolis Colts' 37-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars:

What it means: The Colts smothered the Jaguars all afternoon and held Jacksonville to 67 yards of total offense through the first three quarters. No, that's not a typo. There weren't any long runs by Maurice Jones-Drew or Blaine Gabbert scrambling to make something to happen. The Colts had two interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown by Darius Butler, and four sacks. Jones-Drew, who's averaged more than 106 yards a game in his career against the Colts, had only 23 yards on 13 carries.

Stock watch: Linebacker Robert Mathis had three sacks to move into 29th place on the all-time sacks list with 99. He has recorded at least one sack in every game this season and has 7.5 on the season. Mathis needs one more sack to become the 30th player in NFL history to have at least 100 sacks. Mathis finished with five tackles to go with his three sacks.

Brazill returns: Receiver LaVon Brazill returns to the Colts on Monday after being suspended the first four games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Brazill will be the team's fourth receiver behind Reggie Wayne, Darrius Heyward-Bey and T.Y. Hilton. The Colts didn't have anybody step up as the fourth receiver in Brazill's absence.

Brown shines: With Ahmad Bradshaw inactive with a neck injury, Donald Brown backed up Trent Richardson and ran for 65 yards on only three carries. Brown had a 50-yard run that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Richardson, his second as a Colt.

What's next: The Colts return home for the first time in three weeks when they host the Seattle Seahawks at Lucas Oil Stadium on Oct. 6.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Ace Sanders to be the team’s punt returner. Now he’s finally getting a chance to do so.

Sanders
Coach Gus Bradley confirmed on Friday that Sanders will return punts in Sunday’s game against Indianapolis. Bradley had held him from that role through the first three games because he didn’t want to over-burden the 5-foot-7, 178-pounder from South Carolina.

But Bradley decided to give him a shot this week.

"I’m pretty excited," Sanders said. "Another opportunity to get the ball in my hands [and] try to make a big play for the team."

Sanders averaged 15.3 yards per punt return in South Carolina in 2012, set a single-season school record with 429 punt return yards, and was named the SEC’s co-Special Teams Player of the Year. He averaged 11.2 yards per return in his career (53 for 594) and returned three for touchdowns.

The Jaguars haven’t had a punt returned for a touchdown since Rashean Mathis took one back 72 yards against Pittsburgh on Oct. 5, 2008. They drafted Sanders to be more explosive in the return game, which is why not getting a chance to do it the first three weeks was a bit frustrating, Sanders said.

"That was the hype coming in and stuff so, yeah [he was somewhat frustrated], because I enjoy doing it," Sanders said. "I was doing it the whole time [in the preseason] and then we got to the games and then [Bradley said]: 'I have to sit you down for a couple weeks.'

"I understood why. I was like, ‘All right, that’s fine. I’ll just wait and my time will come.’"

That will be Sunday.

Jags have shortage of healthy WRs

September, 27, 2013
Sep 27
10:30
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars practice squad quarterback Matt Scott has been busy this week.

So have several various ball boys and equipment assistants.

But instead of doing their normal jobs, they’ve had to substitute as wide receivers with the scout team. Injuries have made the Jaguars thin at the position, and the team heads into Sunday’s game against Indianapolis with only four healthy receivers -- two of which are on the practice squad.

Both of those players -- Jeremy Ebert and Tobais Palmer -- likely will end up on the active roster, provided they clear waivers, and on the field on Sunday.

[+] EnlargeJacksonville's Cecil Shorts
Bob Stanton/USA TODAY SportsCecil Shorts leads the Jaguars in catches and yards this season.
"Those guys become very realistic guys that could be active so [general manager] Dave [Caldwell] and I will have to talk about that," coach Gus Bradley said after Thursday’s practice. "That would require some changes and things like that so we’ll discuss what we need to do, but those guys got a lot of reps today. That’s what you have a practice squad for, so you can develop guys through it for opportunities like this."

The Jaguars are in this situation because of Justin Blackmon's suspension and injuries to Mike Brown (lumbar transverse process) and Stephen Burton (concussion-like symptoms). Blackmon will serve the final game a four-game suspension this week and Brown has already been ruled out. Burton is in the NFL’s concussion program and has yet to practice this week so it’s unlikely he’ll play against the Colts.

That leaves Cecil Shorts and rookie Ace Sanders the only healthy receivers currently on the active roster. Shorts is the Jaguars’ leading receiver (19 catches for 276 yards) while Sanders has 10 catches for 103 yards. Ebert was a seventh-round draft pick by New England last season but has been with the Jaguars since May 22. He has been active for the past two games and has caught one pass for 5 yards. Palmer is an undrafted rookie out of NC State who has yet to be active.

"It’s just part of the game," Shorts said of being short-handed at receiver. "Being a professional, being in the NFL, you get hurt, things happen. You’ve got to be able to bounce back from it and those are the guys that have to be able to step up and play. We’re definitely confident in Ebert and Tobias. They’ve been with us since April so they definitely know the system. I’m excited for them to go out there and get an opportunity

"It’s something you have to embrace and when the opportunity comes make the most of it."

That’s what Ebert, whose lone catch came against Oakland, is hoping to do -- even if it doesn’t pay off in Jacksonville.

"It’s a huge opportunity for me," he said. "I‘ve just got to prepare myself for this game on Sunday and go out there and perform and put it on tape and wish for the best."

That’s what the Jaguars are hoping for this Sunday, too.
Maurice Jones-Drew and Trent RichardsonUSA TODAY SportsMaurice Jones-Drew and Trent Richardson will square off Sunday in Jacksonville.
The winless Jacksonville Jaguars return to EverBank Field after spending more than a week on the West Coast -- they played at Oakland on Sept. 15 and remained in California to prepare for this past Sunday's game at Seattle -- for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts had a much better trip out West than the Jaguars. They routed host San Francisco 27-7 on Sunday by shutting down 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The Jaguars, meanwhile, fell to 0-3 after the Seahawks routed them 45-17. Sunday presents another tough task for the Jaguars. Colts reporter Mike Wells and Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco take a look at this week's matchup.

Michael DiRocco: Mike, Peyton Manning was such an iconic figure in Indianapolis. With all the success he's had in his first 20 games, has Andrew Luck come close to that level yet?

Mike Wells: Manning may be on his way to his fifth MVP trophy out there in Denver, but the Colts could be set at quarterback for the next decade with Luck. It’s only natural to compare the quarterbacks because they both carry themselves in the same manner. They’re humble, perfectionists and, best of all, damn good quarterbacks. Luck isn’t at the same level as Manning, but the goal in Indianapolis is for him to reach that status or beyond. Speaking of quarterbacks -- or maybe it’s not a good idea -- what’s going on down there in Jacksonville with that situation? When do the Jaguars officially throw in the towel and say Blaine Gabbert is not the answer for them?

DiRocco: That is the general belief around Jacksonville, but that's not yet the case for new general manager Dave Caldwell and coach Gus Bradley. They have given Gabbert a clean slate and will evaluate him based on what they see from the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder this season. They have to find out whether Gabbert is the player around whom they can build the franchise, so this season is essentially a pressure-packed tryout for him. He has not performed well since being taken with the 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft. This year he's dealing with a pretty porous offensive line, and two of his top three weapons -- tight end Marcedes Lewis (calf) and Justin Blackmon (suspension) -- have yet to play this season. By the end of the season Caldwell and Bradley will know whether Gabbert is the answer. The Colts obviously have one piece of their foundation in Luck, but they recently traded for Trent Richardson to fulfill the role Edgerrin James had for years. My question is this: Who's the next Marvin Harrison?

Wells: They don’t have that receiver yet. Reggie Wayne is obviously a future Hall of Famer, and he’s still playing at a very high level. But he’s also 34 years old. The Colts are hoping that Darrius Heyward-Bey could be that receiver. He was the No. 7 overall pick in 2009, so he has the potential to complement Luck and Richardson. But Heyward-Bey has to get over his case of the drops. Playing well in spurts isn’t good enough. In fact, T.Y. Hilton, the Colts’ third receiver, outplayed Heyward-Bey in the preseason. I hate to do this to you -- and probably a lot of NFL fans -- but is there any possibility that the Jaguars would even think about bringing in Tim Tebow? There are fans down there rallying for him. And if anything, it’ll help in the attendance department.

DiRocco: Not going to happen, no matter how much noise Tebow’s supporters make. The Jaguars are moving forward with Gabbert, and if it turns out he’s not the player around whom they can build the franchise, they’ll look to the 2014 draft to find a quarterback. I covered Tebow at Florida, and he was fantastic, one of the best collegiate players of all time, but he’s just not able to make the leap. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t diminish what he did at Florida in any way. As for attendance, the Jaguars actually ranked 20th in that stat last season, drawing an average of 64,984. That’s ahead of teams such as Chicago (62,329), Minnesota (60,725) and Miami (57,379). That was for a 2-14 team that didn’t have Tebow. Sometimes young, talented teams that make the playoffs take a step backward the following season before really taking off a year later. Do you see that being the case with the Colts in 2013?

Wells: The Colts are a better team this season, but they will take a step back with their record by a game. Good fortune was on their side in more ways than one last season. They caught some breaks and Luck led them to seven fourth-quarter comebacks. They're still a playoff team, and if Houston slips up, the Colts will take advantage of it and win the division. The Jags are ranked last in this week's Power Rankings. Will they stay there all season?

DiRocco: I think they'll battle the Browns and -- I can't believe I'm writing this -- the Steelers for the last spot all year. Right now no team is playing worse than the Jaguars, especially on offense. But I do think things will get a little better with the return of Lewis and Blackmon. The offensive line has to play much better, though. Cleveland's victory last week was surprising, but I see that as more of a byproduct of emotion and anger after the Richardson trade than anything else. The Steelers have looked horrible, and the loss of Maurkice Pouncey has them reeling. Plus, we all know it's a matter of time before Ben Roethlisberger gets hurt.

A day Chuck Pagano will never forget

September, 26, 2013
Sep 26
8:30
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INDIANAPOLIS – Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano stopped to kiss his wife, Tina, goodbye on his way out the door to the team facility Wednesday morning when she told him what day it was. It was the one-year anniversary of Pagano being diagnosed with leukemia.

Pagano
“She reminded me and said, ‘Just a year ago today was the day that we had to take that ride downtown and find out what we had,’” Pagano said on a conference call with Jacksonville reporters. “It’s hard to believe. It almost seems surreal, to be honest with you. It’s been a year already and we’re sitting here back to normal. I’m very, very lucky.”

Pagano ended up only coaching four regular-season games and the one playoff game as he battled the leukemia. He attended three games and also visited the team facility at different times while he was out receiving treatment.

“It was a bye week, so my wife coaxed me into having some tests run and thank God she did,” Pagano said when he asked what made him go to the hospital.

Ricky Jean Francois out against Jaguars

September, 25, 2013
Sep 25
6:50
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INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts will be without starting defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Jean Francois injured his groin in the second half of their win over San Francisco last weekend.

“Groin injury looks to be a little bit worse than anticipated,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “(He) might be out a week or so.”

The Colts gave an indication that Jean Francois’ injury would cost him some time when they re-signed defensive lineman Lawrence Guy on Tuesday.

Jean Francois wasn’t the only Colt not to practice Wednesday. Safety Antoine Bethea (toe), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (neck) and safety LaRon Landry (ankle) also missed practice. Bradshaw’s injury is surprising because Pagano didn’t mention him when he ran down the list of injured players during the media session.

Linebacker Pat Angerer (knee) and center Samson Satele (elbow) both were limited in practice after missing the 49ers game. Satele will start with Mike McGynn moving back to guard if he’s able to play against the Jaguars.

The Colts signed receiver Da’Rick Rogers and running back Kerwynn Williams to the practice squad Wednesday. Both players were released from the 53-man roster Tuesday. To make room for Williams and Rodgers, the Colts released receiver Danny Coale and running back Miguel Maysonet from the practice squad.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis is on track to make his season debut on Sunday after missing the first three games with a calf injury.

His return will certainly boost the passing game by giving quarterback Blaine Gabbert a reliable target in the middle of the field. But it also will be a huge help in the run game, as well, and that’s where the Jaguars have really struggled so far in 2013.

"Everyone knows what he can do in the passing game," running back Maurice Jones-Drew said. "What a lot of people underestimate about him is his ability in the run game to block defensive ends and linebackers. He is a guy that we’ve missed."

The 6-foot-6, 272-pound Lewis has caught 272 passes for 3,224 yards and 21 touchdowns in the first seven years of his career. He has a pair of 50-catch seasons and his most productive season came in 2010 when he caught 58 passes for 700 yards and a team-record 10 touchdowns.

His work as a blocker, however, is just as significant. He is regarded as one of the league’s best blocking tight ends and was an integral part of the success that Jones-Drew had in 2011, when he led the league with 1,606 yards rushing.

The Jaguars have struggled to run the ball this season, ranking 30th in yards per game (52.0) and last in yards per attempt (2.4). Jones-Drew has gained only 115 yards in three games and is averaging just 2.6 yards per carry -- a full two yards shy of his career average.

The main reason is the play of the interior of the offensive line. Guards Uche Nwaneri and Will Rackley and center Brad Meester have been pushed around and failed to consistently open holes. Lewis’ return will help because he can seal the edge and also move around to assist on either side.

"Obviously we’re going to do some things to where I’m able to help out a little bit," Lewis said. "But we’re still going to get me out there so I can make some plays down the field."

The Jaguars have had a little more success through the air, although most of the damage has come in the second half when the games have essentially been decided. Lewis, who was limited in practice on Wednesday, will help take some attention away from receiver Cecil Shorts, who has 13 of his 16 receptions in the last two games in the second half.

The other Jaguars receivers -- Ace Sanders, Mike Brown and Stephen Burton -- have a combined 24 career catches. They haven’t developed a level of trust with Gabbert yet, but Lewis has and his return should boost the passing game production.

"He’s another target and he’s a familiar target," offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said. "Sometimes there is some benefit to having that familiar target and a trustworthy target.

"…I think for sure he’ll help our running game. I don’t think there’s been any doubt about his ability to run block and I think that in itself will help us."
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