Colts vs. Jaguars: Complete Week 3 Preview for Indianapolis
The Indianapolis Colts head into Week 3 of the NFL season with an 0-2 record and are already two games behind the Houston Texans in the AFC South. But they'll have a good chance at getting their first win of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, as long as the coaching staff doesn't get in the way.
A lot of heat is starting to be put on both Pep Hamilton and Ryan Grigson, especially with how the season has played out so far. Hamilton is calling run plays during two-minute drills while keeping Andrew Luck from doing what he does best, while depth issues at safety and the offensive line are already a huge concern after an offseason where Grigson did little to add talent at either spot.
Fortunately, things should start turning around for the Colts over the next few weeks. This week, they're taking on an 0-2 Jaguars team that lost its first two games to the Eagles and Washington by a combined score of 75-27.
There have been some positives for Indianapolis so far, but there have also been a lot of questions that need to be answered this week. Having said that, here's a complete team preview for the Colts heading into Sunday's game against Jacksonville.
Colts Week 2 Recap
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In the first half of Monday night's game, it really looked like the Colts were a legitimate contender in the AFC. They were shutting down the Eagles while keeping the offense moving despite an off night from Luck, who was missing on multiple throws he usually makes without effort.
The running game looked terrific early on, with both Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw breaking off multiple runs of at least 10 yards. The team finished the game with 169 rushing yards, including 70 from Bradshaw on only 13 carries.
Many were blown away with Richardson's production, as he put up 79 yards. But fans were disappointed him once again after he fumbled twice, including one that was recovered by Philadelphia 26 yards away from the end zone to help the Eagles tie the game at 20-20 near the end of the third quarter despite the Colts being up 20-6 earlier in the period.
Things kept going downhill from there. Up a touchdown and driving down the field once again, Luck ended up throwing an interception to Malcolm Jenkins after it seemed quite clear that Brandon Boykin had pushed T.Y. Hilton to the ground. The refs messed up another call shortly after, calling LaRon Landry for a horse-collar tackle after it looked like he had tackled the runner down by the shoulder.
The Colts were able to get the ball back with plenty of time to take a lead. Unfortunately, some strange play-calling from Hamilton caused the Colts to punt it away after a three-and-out. The Eagles then drove down the field and won on a game-winning field goal.
It was a gut-wrenching loss for the Colts, especially since they have yet to win this season. After such a tough second half, it's quite likely we see a more focused team on the field on Sunday.
News and Notes
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Trent Richardson Not in Doghouse
For a lot of running backs, fumbling twice in one game is a great way to get benched. Then again, most teams don't drop a first-round pick for a running back and then do whatever it takes to make him relevant in the offense.
It seems that the Colts are determined to keep giving Richardson the ball, although Bradshaw should see a good amount of playing time on Sunday after last week's solid performance. According to ESPN.com's Mike Wells, Richardson is not in the doghouse after struggling to hold onto the ball.
I understand why the Colts are continuing to call on Richardson, but I don't agree with it. He may have had a couple of big running plays this past week, but some of the holes he hit were wide enough that Josh Chapman could have at least picked up five yards.
Expect the Colts to keep feeding Richardson this week, but look for them to continue to work Bradshaw more and more as long as he can stay healthy.
Arthur Jones Out At Least a Couple of Weeks
Before he went down on Monday, Arthur Jones looked like a key addition to the Colts defensive line, making some huge stops in the running game on a consistent basis. Unfortunately, he went down against the Eagles, and fans were quite nervous when they saw the defensive lineman being carted off the field.
The news regarding Jones' injury isn't great, but at least he will return before the halfway point of the season. According to Ian Rapoport from NFL Network, Jones suffered a high ankle sprain and will reportedly miss two to four weeks.
At 28 years old, Jones started his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens when Chuck Pagano was the defensive coordinator. He was a big run-stopper before going down, and the Colts clearly missed him on Monday once he left, as the Eagles finished with 127 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
The Colts won't play another legitimate starting running back until October 9 against the Texans, so hopefully Jones will be ready to play by then. If not, their defense might have a hard time containing Arian Foster.
Colts Not Panicking After 0-2 Start
Obviously, no one in the locker room is happy about starting the season with an 0-2 record, but unlike the fans, it doesn't seem like anyone has started to panic.
Even with all of the injuries and disappointing plays, the veterans continue to keep the Colts motivated, including Cory Redding.
“You want to take it as a learning experience,” Redding told Kevin Bowen from Colts.com. “All our dreams are still out there. There’s nothing to say pack our bags, the season is over. Bull crap. We’ve got a lot of football left. We’ve got a lot of guys in this locker room with a lot of pride, lot of fight.”
This hasn't been the best start in Indianapolis, but the good news is that the team plays in the AFC South. The Texans are already 2-0, but their wins came against Washington and the Oakland Raiders. By the time the two teams play each other in a few weeks, no one would be surprised if the Colts could take the division lead with a win.
Injury Report
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| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Vontae Davis | CB | Rest |
| Jerrell Freeman | ILB | DNP |
| Ricky Jean Francois | DT | Limited |
| Arthur Jones | DT | DNP |
| Hakeem Nicks | WR | DNP |
| Joe Reitz | OG | Limited |
| Greg Toler | CB | Limited |
Note: All injury statuses are from Thursday's practice via Colts.com.
Jerrell Freeman is consistently missing practices for the second straight week, and that's not good news considering he wasn't active for Monday's game. He'll have another day to come back for practice, but I wouldn't be surprised if Josh McNary gets the start again. McNary struggled in pass coverage while trying to keep up with Darren Sproles, so he should be more effective if he has to play against the Jaguars.
It's a bit concerning to see Ricky Jean Francois limited in practice with the depth on the defensive line already in question with the injury to Jones. He's one of the guys who are expected to step up with Jones gone for a bit, so hopefully he'll be ready to play Sunday.
Seeing Joe Reitz back at practice, even in a limited fashion, is good news for an offensive line that needs some bench players back. So far, the offensive line has been pretty solid, and if someone goes down, Reitz is probably the most reliable option on the roster.
Hakeem Nicks is dealing with an illness, while Greg Toler is once again limited in practice with a rib injury, although he played on Monday. I would expect both guys to be ready to play; Nicks should be able to get over whatever he has, while Toler played through the pain last week.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Bjoern Werner vs. Luke Joeckel
I continue to put Bjoern Werner and whatever left tackle he's going against as the matchup to watch, but that's only because we still haven't seen anything from him. Through the first two games, he has yet to register his first sack of the season, hitting the quarterback just once.
It gets worse. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Werner currently has the lowest pass-rush grade of anyone on the Indianapolis defense. Considering he's the go-to guy to step up after the injury to Robert Mathis, this start has not lived up to expectations.
Now, Werner will try to get his first sack of the year going against Luke Joeckel, the No. 2 overall pick from the same draft in 2012. He's struggled so far in Jacksonville, so it will be an issue if Werner can't generate any pressure.
Colts Linebackers vs. Clay Harbor or Mickey Shuler
Tight ends have had their way with the Colts through the first two games, with Julius Thomas and Zach Ertz imposing their will constantly. That needs to change quickly, and this is a good game for them to prove they can shut down the tight end when needed.
According to ESPN, the Colts have given up 198 yards and three touchdowns to tight ends so far. Clay Harbor hasn't made his season debut and did not practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco. That means the Jaguars could be down to their third-string tight end in Mickey Shuler with Marcedes Lewis on short-term injured reserve.
These linebackers have gotten beaten up so far, so it would be nice to see them be able to shut the tight end down in the passing game.
Gosder Cherilus vs. Red Bryant
There isn't much top-tier talent on the Jaguars defense, but Red Bryant was a free-agent acquisition that they were very excited to show off this season. So far, he's done a solid job and has been the veteran presence that their defensive line needed.
Still, Bryant is probably one of the only players on the defensive line the Colts should be planning around. He'll be spending most of his time lined up against Gosder Cherilus, the veteran right tackle. This could end up being a difficult matchup for Cherilus since he tends to struggle enough in run blocking, but I expect him to shut down the 323-pound defensive end in the pass rush.
Colts' X-Factor of the Week: Ahmad Bradshaw
One of the interesting things to keep an eye on during Sunday's game will be how much of a workload the Colts give Ahmad Bradshaw. He had a terrific game last week, putting up 96 total yards and two receiving touchdowns on just 18 touches.
This week could be even easier on the ground for Bradshaw, who is currently averaging 5.3 yards per carry. So far, the Jaguars have given up 336 rushing yards, although that was going up against LeSean McCoy's Eagles along with Washington and Alfred Morris.
While the Colts have made it clear they won't bench Richardson, I do expect Bradshaw to get even more work. The concern, however, is that Bradshaw could get hurt again and force Richardson to be the clear No. 1 back once again. So far, Bradshaw has looked great; hopefully, it can stay that way.
Prediction
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It's the first division game for a team that's upset about losing its first two games of the year, and Indy is playing a Jaguars team that has been synonymous with losing for a while now. So, if the Colts somehow lose this game, then fans will have a right to panic.
In the meantime, Colts fans should just enjoy this game. The Jaguars rank last in the league with 227 yards of offense and 37.5 points allowed per game. Neither of those numbers is going to help their cause against Luck, even if Hamilton wants to keep running the ball.
Offensively, the Colts should be able to have their way regardless of what Hamilton calls. The Jaguars rank 25th in the NFL with 534 passing yards allowed and 28th with 336 rushing yards.
The Colts players are all probably frustrated right now, so hopefully a win (and some sunshine) will do them some good in Jacksonville.
Prediction: Colts 31, Jaguars 14
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