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INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts watched film of their last game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a 44-17 loss on Dec. 10, 2006, and they understandably felt sick to their stomachs.
“The big thing was our self-destruction,” Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney said.
Then Freeney made sure to point out the Jaguars played a good game, but there was a decided feeling in the locker room that the loss was a result of horrific play by the Colts more than anything the opposition did in the game.
With the teams set to play tonight, the Colts are looking to avoid a similar fate.
“We watched the film, and it’s tough to watch,” Colts linebacker Freddy Keiaho said. “It’s one of those things where we made a lot more mistakes – not to take anything away from them – but we made a lot more mistakes as a defense than they (made plays) as runners.”
The Jaguars got 375 rushing yards in that game; 166 and two touchdowns from Maurice Jones-Drew, plus 131 and one touchdown from Fred Taylor.
But it was the wake-up call for the Super Bowl champion Colts, who have won 11 of their 12 games since, including all five this season. Jacksonville, a division rival in the AFC South, is 4-1.
The Jaguars are averaging 154.8 rushing yards per game, fourth most in the NFL, with Jones-Drew compiling 307 yards and three touchdowns on 54 carries, and Taylor gaining 297 yards on 61 carries.
“They just make you miss and they run really hard,” Keiaho said.
“And rarely do they go down on first contact.”
Which means the Colts’ defense, which ranks 13th against the run allowing 105.4 yards per game, must tackle well.
Keiaho said that’s not the easiest thing to do against the Jaguars, especially since the explosive, 5-foot-7 Jones-Drew “is a little solid brick of muscle and is hard to bring down … and can get lost (from you) between the linemen because of how big their offensive line is.”
The good news for the Colts is they will likely have the services of Keiaho and safety Bob Sanders, both of whom missed the Colts’ 33-14 victory over Tampa Bay on Oct. 7.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison, running back Joseph Addai and wide receiver Aaron Moorehead should also be back from their injuries, and the bye week has given them time to prepare for a team that gets particularly pumped up to take on the Colts.
“I’m pretty sure no matter what, (the Jaguars) are going to be hyped up, they’ll have their black uniforms on and be dancing around, doing mascot tricks and that type of stuff,” Colts linebacker Gary Brackett said.
“It’s going to be a whole lot of fun out there. I’m anxious and ready to do.”
So is Jaguars quarterback David Garrard, who has completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 1,069 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in his first season as a starter.
Garrard has rushed for 134 yards this season, giving the Colts’ defensive front even more to think about.
“I think every quarterback wants to eliminate interceptions,” said Garrard, who came into this season with 18 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions over five seasons as a backup.
“It’s just sometimes that defenses make plays or sometimes crazy things happen like tipped balls or interceptions, but for me personally, I’m just going through my reads and trying to put the ball in the right hands. … I’m just trying to make smart decisions.’
The Colts would like to do the same tonight, so as to avoid another self-destructive game.
jcohn@jg.net
