AFC South: Indy's reign of glory appears to be over
Sports Network | October 28, 2008
(Sports Network) - As the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. It happened with the Ming dynasty, the San Francisco 49ers, Seinfeld, the Chicago Bulls, and now the Indianapolis Colts.
How could this happen so fast to such a talented roster? Can the Colts blame a lack of production running the football or the sloppy play of Peyton Manning for the downfall?
The reason is simple. Teams are starting to catch up to Indianapolis, which dropped to 3-4 on the season following Monday night's 31-21 loss to the new masters of the AFC South, the 7-0 Tennessee Titans. The Colts are now tied for last place in the division with Jacksonville and Houston.
No longer are teams fearful of Manning and the once-dominant Indy offense. Teams were never really that wary of the Colts' defense, a unit that has allowed 30-plus points in back-to-back road losses to Green Bay and Tennessee. The Titans were able to fight back from a 14-6 deficit on Monday by scoring 25 straight points.
Indianapolis is still alive for a shot at the postseason, but time is starting to run out on head coach Tony Dungy's bunch. Manning has been brutal the past two weeks, having thrown two interceptions in each loss, although he did manage to throw a pair of touchdown passes to now-healthy tight end Dallas Clark in Tennessee.
Manning, an eight Pro Bowl selection, is the main reason why the Colts have won the last five division titles and have made six straight postseason appearances. Right now those days seem to be dwindling away like dead skin, and a new leader is beginning to emerge in the Music City.
"It's disappointing, but we have to get over it fast," said Dungy, whose team is below the .500 mark in October for the first time since 2001, one year before he became head coach. "We have a tough game in six days. In the grand scheme of things, it probably means the division title is probably going to be tough to do, but I think we still have a lot in front of us."
Dungy wasn't speaking lightly about the remainder of the season, because it's possible Indianapolis may not win a game in November with New England, Pittsburgh, Houston, San Diego and Cleveland on the slate.
Indy must be able to keep running the football consistently even though starter Joseph Addai is out with a hamstring problem. Dominic Rhodes is the best the Colts have to offer with Addai sidelined, and he rushed for 70 yards on 17 carries on Monday. It was Rhodes' third consecutive game with at least 70 yards on the ground, but it still didn't open up the offense.
As mentioned earlier, Indy's defense doesn't strike fear into opponents until it showed signs of life on Monday. The Titans have perhaps the best running back tandem in the NFL in LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson. The duo, which helped record a franchise-record 332 rushing yards a week before, was held to a combined 90 yards on 29 touches but still hurt the Colts with a total of three touchdowns. White scored a pair of one-yard touchdown runs after Indianapolis blew a few pass coverages. That must not happen this week versus the Patriots, otherwise the hard road ahead will get even tougher for Indianapolis.
The Colts are in unfamiliar territory right now, and that can only be resolved by learning and adapting to the circumstances. If they stick to what's brought them glory over the past few years, protecting the football and stretching out defenses with a strong passing attack, that would help as well. Wide receivers Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison are both healthy and must be more involved with the offense. The two combined for four catches for 41 yards on Monday.
Middle linebacker Gary Brackett opted to look at the brighter side of things.
"There's still a lot of football left. There are still a lot of games left in the season," said Brackett, who had nine tackles and a tipped pass against the Titans. "We just have to go back next week at home, against another AFC opponent, and try to get a victory. We're going to stick together, obviously, and we just have to make those plays when we have to. It's three or four plays in a game that really could turn this thing around."
NOTES: Brackett leads the team with 69 tackles this season...Clark had a pair of touchdown receptions on Monday after not reaching the end zone at all this season. He finished the game with seven receptions for a team-high 94 yards...Manning has five interceptions and seven TD passes over his last four games...Wayne has dropped off the last two weeks, having totaled 24 and 29 receiving yards, respectively.
INJURIES: There were no significant injuries in Monday's game, but there were some key Indianapolis players missing. Addai missed his second straight game with a hamstring injury and safety Bob Sanders remains out while recovering from knee surgery. He has missed five straight games. Cornerback Kelvin Hayden did not play for the third straight week due to a knee problem. Tim Jennings started for Hayden and Melvin Bullitt recorded his fifth straight start in place of Sanders. Offensive tackle Tony Ugoh returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Week 2. He missed a Week 3 loss to the Jaguars with a groin strain and played as a reserve the past three contests.
WEEK 9: The struggling Colts will host nemesis New England this Sunday at brand new Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis will face a Tom Brady-less Patriots team, but that means nothing in terms of gathering a victory. New England still has wideout Randy Moss and a veteran defense that can make life miserable for Manning and the Colts. Indianapolis had a three-game winning streak in the series snapped with a 24-20 loss on November 4, 2007.
WHITE, JOHNSON KEEPING TITANS UNBEATEN AT 7-0
Their last names sound more like Presidential candidates than one of the best running back tandems in the NFL. So far LenDale White and rookie Chris Johnson have been serving as the commanders-in-chief for the undefeated Tennessee Titans. Their contributions have given the Titans a four-game lead over Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Houston in the AFC South.
Entering the 2008 campaign, many critics speculated whether White would be dedicated enough to keep his weight down and carry the load in the backfield. After the Titans selected Johnson in the first round of last summer's draft, White's job got a little easier. He has kept his body at a perfect weight so far and will most likely keep the pounds off with the way he has been running lately.
Head coach Jeff Fisher jokingly said after Tennessee's 34-10 romp at Kansas City on October 19, in which White ripped off an 80-yard touchdown run, that his big back probably had a salad the night before the game.
White set the tone for that win with 149 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. He has rushed for five touchdowns in the past two games and has scored in every game but one this season. He currently has 327 yards and an NFL-high 10 touchdowns.
"I'm trying to be the best at something. If that's what [the Titans] want, then I'll do it," said White. "I would love to lead the league in rushing, but we're winning football games, so I can't complain. Touchdowns are awesome."
Johnson appears to be eating salads at a rapid pace, as he is by far one of the fastest players in the game. Just like White, Johnson went off at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 7, producing a career-high 168 yards and a score on 18 touches to help the Titans record a franchise-record 322 yards on the ground. The superstar in the making can shift gears and make cuts like a veteran and currently leads the AFC with 626 rushing yards. Johnson, who has four touchdowns this season, is averaging 89.4 rushing yards per contest.
No matter what White and Johnson are eating, they're getting results and keeping Tennessee out of the loss column. The Titans have won 10 straight regular-season games dating back to last season, and their ground attack is keeping pressure off of quarterback Kerry Collins. The veteran is not the most dynamic and elusive signal-callers in the league, but Fisher has invested trust in the former Penn State star.
Maybe Collins is feeding off the energy his alma mater is currently producing in the college ranks. Whatever it is Collins is doing to stay on track, Vince Young had better beware.
Young, the one-time face of the franchise, is still holding a clipboard and sporting a baseball cap on the sidelines despite being at full strength. His story has been well-documented, and the question still remains as to when he will he get a chance to redeem himself and prove his injured knee is fine. As far as Fisher is concerned, Collins will be the starter until further notice. He outplayed Manning on Monday by passing for 193 yards on 24-of-37 attempts, without a touchdown or interception. It also helps the when the offensive line has not allowed a sack in five consecutive games like the Titans have done.
"Obviously, when you start off like we did, the potential is there to have a great year," said Collins. "Having said that, there is a lot of football left to be played. We've got a tough team coming in this week. It's a short week. It's going to be a little bit of a challenge to prepare."
The AFC South-leading Titans will welcome the Green Bay Packers on Sunday for a showdown at LP Field. White and Johnson should have another solid day on the ground, since the Packers are just 25th against the run at an average of 141.9 yards allowed per contest. Green Bay has won two straight and is coming off a bye week, however, and Collins may be in trouble against the Packers' ninth- rated pass defense.
NOTES: Safety Chris Hope picked off Manning twice on Monday...The Titans honored former stars Steve McNair, Eddie George and Frank Wycheck into their Ring of Honor at halftime of Monday's win...Kicker Rob Bironas has made 20 consecutive successful field goals, tying Al Del Greco's franchise record. Del Greco made 20 consecutive field goals from 1998-99...The Titans have won five straight at home...Titans Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Bulluck started his 104th consecutive game on Monday.
INJURIES: Tennessee did not lose any players on Monday, but it did play without Pro Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. He was out because of a groin injury, ending a streak of 54 starts in a row. Vanden Bosch went down with the injury in a win at Baltimore on October 5. Second-year defensive lineman Jacob Ford made his first career start in his place.
WEEK 9: Green Bay is headed to Nashville for a showdown at LP Field this weekend. The Titans/Oilers franchise is 5-4 all-time against the Packers and have won two straight in the series, including a 48-27 victory at Lambeau Field in the teams' previous meeting on October 11, 2004.
SCHAUB, OFFENSE LIFT TEXANS TO THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
The Houston Texans never had much relevance in the AFC South division before, but are finally starting to earn the credit they deserve. A doormat to Indianapolis, Tennessee and Jacksonville for years now, the Texans are catching steam and some national attention with their third straight victory after a miserable 0-4 start.
Behind the right arm of quarterback Matt Schaub, Houston improved to 3-4 and is tied with the Jaguars and Colts for second place in the division. Schaub scorched the Cincinnati Bengals in Sunday's 35-6 rout at Reliant Stadium and has thrown for five touchdowns with no interceptions in his last two games. He was pleased with his most recent effort, and understands he's not alone in this battle.
"I feel good about my performance today, but for me to do that, there's 10 other guys in that huddle that have to be doing that as well," said Schaub, whose 144.0 passer rating for the game was a team record "So as an offense, we functioned really well today. (The offensive line) dominated the line of scrimmage for us, and they kept the pocket real clean and allowed me to step up and make those throws to those open receivers."
Those open receivers, in particular Andre Johnson, are the main reason why the Texans have ripped off three straight wins in one season for the first time in franchise history. Johnson enjoyed an excellent October with four straight 100-yard receiving games, including Sunday's 11-catch, 143-yard effort versus the Bengals. He posted 41 receptions for 593 yards and a pair of scores for the month, and has five 100-yard receiving games this season.
After the previous week's victory over the Detroit Lions, Johnson stated how he and Schaub have yet to click much like the way they did early last season. It's fair to say now that the two are on the same page.
"It just seems like everything is working. You know, we're communicating better. We're just playing smarter, you know, as a team," said Johnson. "It just seems like everything is moving off for us."
Texans No. 2 wideout Kevin Walter is reaping some of the benefits as well and burned Cincinnati for 70 yards and a pair of scores on five catches on Sunday. Walter, a former Bengal, earned praise from head coach Gary Kubiak for his strong work ethic and desire to succeed ever since he was brought in a few years ago.
Walter was one of six different Houston receivers to catch a pass on Sunday, as was rookie running back Steve Slaton, who has carried the ball at least 10 times in every game this season and has scored a touchdown in back-to-back contests. Slaton has rushed for 53 yards or more in each of the previous four weeks and ripped off 53 yards and a score on 15 touches versus the Bengals.
Kubiak has to be feeling good now that his young offense is starting to click on all cylinders. Even the defense is starting to come around, especially under the leadership of defensive end Mario Williams, who has five sacks over the past four games and posted one in the win over Cincinnati. Houston's defense allowed 105 yards rushing and 148 yards passing against the Bengals and did not allow a touchdown for the first time this season.
NOTES: Wide receiver Jacoby Jones returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown in the victory...Cornerback Dunta Robinson set a team record with his 12th career interception in the fourth quarter...Williams leads all AFC defensive ends in sacks...Slaton owns six touchdowns this season, good enough for second place all-time among Texans rookies. Running back Domanick Williams scored eight touchdowns as a rookie in 2003...Texans long snapper Bryan Pittman recently tested positive for a banned substance, a violation of the NFL's steroids policy...Running back Ryan Moats was activated from the practice squad on Monday, while running back Darius Walker was cut to make room.
INJUIRES: There were no major concerns for the Texans on Sunday, but veteran running back Ahman Green aggravated a hamstring injury. He ended with 41 yards on nine carries.
WEEK 9: After getting to play four straight home games because of rescheduling caused by Hurricane Ike in September, the Texans will hit the road this week for a showdown with the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Minnesota won the only meeting between the teams, a 34-28 triumph in overtime at Reliant Stadium in 2004. The Vikings have a great ground attack led by running back Adrian Peterson and should be well rested after their bye week. Minnesota also has a stingy run defense and could make life hard on Slaton.
JAGUARS DROP ANOTHER TOUGH ONE AT HOME
Imagine having Eric Dickerson in the backfield and Jack Trudeau finishes the game with more rushing yards. Or watching Eli Manning scramble for 60 or more yards because Brandon Jacobs just couldn't get it done.
Those are all possible scenarios, but either one is almost impossible to believe. So when the Jacksonville Jaguars took the field this past Sunday versus Cleveland with top backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor in tow, who could have guessed quarterback David Garrard would end up with more rushing yards? Garrard had 59 yards on seven carries in the 23-17 loss to the Browns, while Jones-Drew and Taylor combined for 53 yards on 20 carries.
Jacksonville couldn't get anything started on the ground, as its offense ran through wide receiver Matt Jones. Jones, who is facing a possible league suspension due to an offseason drug arrest, hauled in eight passes for a season-high 117 yards and a touchdown. It will be the pass Jones didn't catch that will leave the biggest mark on the game, however.
In the waning moments of the game and the Jags trailing by six points, Garrard threw a perfect jump ball to Jones in the end zone only to watch the perfectly-placed pass bobble in and out of the receiver's hands before falling to the grass. Garrard's next attempt, also in Jones' direction, sailed out of bounds to end the game.
"It's like you're in a bad dream and you want to run and you can't run. It's a sick feeling," Jones said of his bobbled attempt. "You want to catch it. You want them to throw you the ball and then catch it."
According to defensive end Reggie Hayward, head coach Jack Del Rio ripped his players after the game in the locker room. The diatribe was likely worth it, since the Jaguars keep falling behind in the playoff picture and are only 1-3 as the host this season. To make matters worse, all four losses have come against AFC foes.
Jacksonville's games this season have all been decided by seven points or fewer, and its last one dropped the team to 3-4 on the season and. It's hard to believe this is the same Jacksonville team that went 11-5 a year ago and reached the Divisional round of the AFC Playoffs. Now they've lost two of three games and are just trying to stay afloat in the AFC South standings.
Del Rio's defense gave up too many big plays to keep the Browns in the game, and the head coach said there will be adjustments made internally. The secondary allowed a chunk of yardage through the air -- 236, to be exact -- and Cleveland took total advantage.
"There were a lot of stops," Del Rio said. "Then we've got some gimmes you just can have to be a really good defense. Big chunks of yardage, people not doing what they're supposed to be doing. There were a lot of positives. I'm just not in the mood to talk about them."
Whatever good came out of Sunday's game must be carried over into next week.
NOTES: Garrard has thrown 150 passes without an interception...Garrard, who was sacked three times, completed 25 of his 42 attempts for a season-high 283 yards and a pair of touchdowns on Sunday...Taylor needs 19 yards to reach the 11,000-yard rushing mark in his career...Jags kicker Josh Scobee tied his career-high with a 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
INJURIES: Jaguars guard Chris Naeole was expected to make his season debut after missing the start of the campaign with a leg injury. However, he injured his right hand in pregame warmups and was pulled from the starting lineup. Tutan Reyes then started at right guard in place of Naeole. In more promising news, center Brad Meester returned to the starting lineup on Sunday after missing the first six games with a biceps injury suffered during training camp.
WEEK 9: Up next on Jacksonville's slate will be the winless Cincinnati Bengals. The Jaguars had three supposedly "easy" games following the bye week, with Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit on the docket. Now that the Browns were able to steal a win at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, the Jags will make sure they don't fall victim to the lowly Bengals this time. The Bengals have two solid wideouts in Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, so it's vital for the Jaguars to apply pressure on the quarterback. Jacksonville has won four straight from Cincinnati and 11 of the 16 all-time matchups in the series.
