JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are perfect on the road this season after winning at Houston and Baltimore. That small measure of success away from home should give players and coaches a little extra confidence heading into what’s become the team’s toughest place to play. The Colts will turn to backup quarterback Gardner Minshew as they try to end an eight-game road skid to Jacksonville and take sole possession of first place in the AFC South. The Jaguars haven’t dropped a home game in the series since 2014. They’ve won seven in a row at EverBank Stadium and another one at Wembley Stadium in London.
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Who: Jaguars vs. Colts
When: 1 p.m. ET Oct 15.
Where: EverBank Stadium
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Colts turn to QB Minshew as they try to end an 8-game road skid against the London-weary Jags
By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are perfect on the road this season, having already notched wins at Houston and Baltimore.
Albeit a small sample size, that success away from home gives players and coaches a little extra confidence heading into what’s become the team’s toughest place to play.
The Colts (3-2) will turn to backup quarterback Gardner Minshew as they try to end an eight-game road skid to Jacksonville and take sole possession of first place in the AFC South.
The Jaguars haven’t dropped a home game in the series since 2014, winning seven in a row at EverBank Stadium and winning another at Wembley Stadium in London.
“It’s a new week, new situation, new team,” Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin said. “I don’t care about what it was. I only care about what it is.”
It is a chance for Indianapolis to catch the Jaguars (3-2) in a fog after spending 10 days in London and then several nights trying to recover from an overseas trip that rearranged body clocks and left coach Doug Pederson searching for ways to refresh his team.
Pederson and his players are admittedly weary about a “London hangover.” They played a home game after playing in London in 2022 and found themselves trailing 17-0 in the first 20 minutes to the Las Vegas Raiders. They stormed back to win, but the game has been a reminder — and a rallying point — this week.
“We can’t lose what we gained over in London,” receiver Christian Kirk said. “We have some momentum now.”
Jacksonville beat Atlanta 23-7 at Wembley and then moved across town and stunned red-hot Buffalo 25-20 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“Going away for 10 days was good for us, but we’ve got to bring that energy back,” Pederson said. “We can’t leave it in London. That’s a big part of this week but playing a divisional opponent can help that.”
The Colts, who put Anthony Richardson (shoulder) on injured reserve this week, expect to get running back Jonathan Taylor more involved after he carried just six times in his season debut last week. Taylor could help alleviate some pressure on Minshew, who is facing the team that drafted him for the first time.
He also could be key in ending one of the oddest current skids in the NFL. Indy has lost in Jacksonville in close games and blowouts, in warm weather and cold, in shootouts and low-scoring matchups.
The Jaguars have beaten quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck, Andrew Luck (twice), Jacoby Brissett (twice), Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan along the way.
Heck, Minshew has two wins and six TD passes in the series. They also shut out the Colts twice during the slide — Indy’s only goose eggs on the road since 1993 — and won as favorites and underdogs.
The Jaguars are 4 1/2-point favorites this week, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
“I think you have to treat every week as a new week, and you’ve got to have the same preparation and the same mindset going into every week,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “No matter what’s happened in the past, it’s a new year, it’s a new game and we’ve got to be ready to go.”
BALANCING ACT
Steichen intends to give Taylor a heavier workload than he did in his season debut (6 carries for 18 yards). But with Zack Moss ranked No. 3 among NFL rushers with 445 yards, the Colts might try a tag-team approach.
“You’ve got two really good backs,” Steichen said. “Obviously, Zack is running at a high level and getting JT back with his explosive ability — to use both those guys in the backfield will be good.”
STOUT DEFENSE
Jacksonville might not be easy to run against even with Taylor back. The Jaguars rank fifth in the league in run defense, having allowed 408 yards on the ground in five games. Those numbers would be even better without long runs from Kansas City’s Isiah Pacheco (31 yards) in Week 2 and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson (38 yards) in Week 4.
“We’re tackling better on the perimeter; there’s a sense of urgency there,” Pederson said. “Guys are flying around and making plays. … I just think there’s a confidence level with the defense right now that they pride themselves on that.”
QB CAROUSEL
With Richardson out and Minshew taking over, former Texas standout Sam Ehlinger becomes Indy’s backup. Ehlinger went 0-3 as the Colts starter last season. Indy also signed another college star, Kellen Mond, to the practice squad this week. Mond has previously played for Minnesota and Cleveland.
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AP Sports Writer Michael Marot contributed from Indianapolis.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Colts QB Gardner Minshew gets the start against his former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars
By The Associated Press undefined
INDIANAPOLIS (3-2) at JACKSONVILLE (3-2)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS
OPENING LINE: Jaguars by 4 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Indianapolis 3-2; Jacksonville 3-2.
SERIES RECORD: Colts lead 27-18.
LAST MEETING: Jaguars beat Colts 31-21 on Sept. 10, 2023, in Indianapolis.
LAST WEEK: Colts beat Titans 23-16; Jaguars beat Bills 25-20 in London.
COLTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (8), PASS (15), SCORING (11).
COLTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (28), RUSH (19), PASS (28), SCORING (22).
JAGUARS OFFENSE: OVERALL (10), RUSH (15), PASS (11), SCORING (T20).
JAGUARS DEFENSE: OVERALL (20), RUSH (5), PASS (27), SCORING (12).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Colts plus-3; Jaguars plus-4.
COLTS PLAYER TO WATCH: Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s 2021 rushing champion, managed just 18 yards in his first game in 10 months. He had offseason ankle surgery and was involved in a contract dispute before signing a three-year, $42 million deal last week. The Colts kept him on a snap count in his season debut, but his workload should increase.
JAGUARS PLAYER TO WATCH: Veteran DE Dawuane Smoot is expected to make his season debut and play for the first time since tearing an Achilles tendon last December. Smoot had five sacks in 15 games last season and should boost Jacksonville’s pass rush.
KEY MATCHUP: Colts QB Gardner Minshew versus his former team. A sixth-round pick by Jacksonville in 2019, Minshew started 20 games over two seasons with the franchise. He went 7-13 in those games and helped ignite the short-lived “Minshew Mania” phenomenon. The Jaguars eventually traded him to Philadelphia after rookie and No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence became the starter in 2021.
KEY INJURIES: Colts QB Anthony Richardson (right shoulder) is on injured reserve and won’t play in the game closest to his hometown in Gainesville, Florida. Three-time All-Pro LB Shaquille Leonard (groin), LT Bernhard Raimann (concussion protocol) and DE Kwity Paye (concussion protocol) practiced Wednesday after missing last week’s game. TE Mo Alie-Cox (concussion protocol) and RT Braden Smith (foot and wrist) sat out Wednesday. … Jaguars WR Zay Jones (knee) and LG Walker Little are considered day to day.
SERIES NOTES: The Jaguars have won three of the past four meetings. They have won eight consecutive home games against Indy, including seven in a row in Jacksonville and one in London.
STATS & STUFF: Minshew will make his second start this season. He won his first, in overtime at Baltimore, and is now 2-3 since leaving Jacksonville. Minshew went 7-6 with the Jags before losing his final seven starts and playing a role in getting Lawrence to the Jaguars. … Taylor needs 18 yards rushing to pass Randy McMillan (3,876) for ninth on the Colts career rushing list. … Indy has scored 20 points on its opening possessions of the second half, tied for fourth in the league. … LB Zaire Franklin leads the NFL with 69 tackles and has had 12 or more tackles in each game this season. … The Jaguars are trying to avoid a “London hangover” after playing consecutive games overseas and returning without a bye. … RB Travis Etienne had a career-high 184 yards from scrimmage (136 rushing and 48 receiving) and two TDs last week. He ranks second among RBs with 540 yards from scrimmage this season. … Evan Engram is the only TE in the league with four or more catches in five games this season. He has five or more receptions in each of his four games against the Colts.
FANTASY TIP: Taylor should get more work, but the Jaguars rank fifth in the league against the run. Colts WR Michael Pittman has 21 catches for 231 yards and a TD in his past two games against Jacksonville. … Etienne, Engram, QB Trevor Lawrence and WRs Christian Kirk and Calvin Ridley should be safe starts for the Jaguars.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
The Associated Press contributed to this article
