AFC South: Colts still winning, but where's the offense?

Sports Network | November 10, 2009

(Sports Network) - Even on a day when the Indianapolis Colts effectively wrapped up the AFC South, the penetrating questions came.

Even as they moved to 8-0 with their 20-17 victory over the pesky Houston Texans, joining the New Orleans Saints as one of only two unbeatens in the NFL in 2009, the Colts could be found almost apologizing for their play.

Such are the expectations that come with carving out a reputation as one of the league's most prolific offenses, one led by perhaps the greatest signal-caller of all-time, one Peyton Manning.

The reporters on hand, and a healthy portion of fans, wanted to know exactly what was wrong with an Indianapolis attack that has scored just 38 points in the first two contests of a three-game homestand, including a mere three touchdowns and - gasp! - one touchdown pass from Manning.

They wanted to know about the team's sudden red-zone difficulties, which have necessitated six Matt Stover field goals over the past two games, including a pair against the Texans. The Colts' two touchdown drives on Sunday came roughly 44 minutes apart.

"I think it's execution," said tight end Dallas Clark, who found himself trying to explain on a day when he hauled in a whopping 14 passes for 119 yards. "We had some run plays, we had some passes, we called [a] timeout where we were kind of mixed up on assignments. Just everything. When you come out and put points on the first couple drives and kind of hit that lull...we did last week against San Francisco. We just can't keep doing that."

Indianapolis has been able to win close games despite a case of red-zone inefficiency over the past two weeks thanks in large part to a defense that continues to operate well, even in the shadow of the team's famed offensive attack.

The Colts, who had suffered through a horrible week in which they had lost safety Bob Sanders (elbow), linebacker Tyjuan Hagler (biceps) and cornerback Marlin Jackson (knee) for the season, forced three turnovers from the emerging Houston offense, held Texans running backs Ryan Moats and Steve Slaton to a combined 55 yards on 22 carries, and limited the ability of Houston's talented receivers to make big plays down the field.

Though few seem to be noticing, Indy will enter a much-anticipated Week 10 showdown with the Patriots boasting the NFL's eighth-ranked defense (303.4 yards per game) and having surrendered the fewest points (13.5 per game), touchdowns (10), and touchdown passes (4) in the league. Indianapolis is one of just six teams that ranks in the top half of the league against both the pass and run.

"Our defense is playing tough, getting us great field position," said Clark. "We have to take advantage of that. I think that is kind of the disappointment. We had the ball on the 40 [yard line] probably two times [against Houston] and just weren't able to get points and that is on us. Those are things we need to improve on."

The unspoken locker room sentiment, of course, is that the hated Patriots are not going to be nearly as forgiving of the Colts' sins on either side of the ball as the 49ers and Texans were. Given the talent New England possesses offensively, Indy's total of 38 points in its last two games might not be enough, even if Manning and company match the figure in one game.

"Obviously we would like to score more than twenty points," said Manning. "We would like to not kick field goals. Those are obviously our goals.

"[We] would like to be a little better on third-down and be able to stay on the field and obviously be able to finish drives. That is what you are always looking for; to score enough to win, but we obviously had to have some help from our defense [against the Texans]. Obviously we want to do our part better and score more points."

JAGUARS: Though no one seems to be talking about the Jacksonville Jaguars as a viable playoff contender, they want you to know that they're in this thing to win it.

Even at 4-4 and one game out of the final wild card spot, an objective observer might be tempted to dismiss Jack Del Rio's team, given the body of work that has produced that record.

A pair of three-point home wins over the one-win St. Louis Rams (23-20 in overtime) and, just this past Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs (24-21). A home- and-home split with the last-place Titans, including a 30-13 loss that handed Tennessee its first win of the season just two weeks ago. Blowout losses to the Cardinals (31-17) and Seahawks (41-0), and a reasonably impressive win at Houston (31-24) that seems like it took place eons ago.

But, no matter the details, the Jaguars would like to make the point that they've kept themselves in the mix. That has to be good for something, right?

"We've left ourselves in a spot where we can continue to fight," said Del Rio on Sunday. "We had tremendous [offseason roster] turnover. This is a group of men who are willing to work at it. I believe we will improve. Being at 4-4, we are still alive."

Truly, the schedule is navigable for Jacksonville if it can avoid the stretches of listless, turnover-laden football that reared their ugly head at various times during the season's first-half.

There are no unwinnable games among the Jags' upcoming five-game stretch that begins with a trip to meet the Jets (4-4) this Sunday, and continues with the Bills (3-5), 49ers (3-5), Texans (5-4), and Dolphins (3-5). Win enough of those, and an ensuing two-game stretch against the Colts and Patriots becomes meaningful, for a Jacksonville team that is not widely being described as such in league circles.

"I said [to the team that] the Jets are 4-4 and in their bye week waiting for us, so let's get a win, get to 4-4 and go visit them," Del Rio said.

"We expect to win when we go out there. We're not settling."

TEXANS: The first-half of the 2009 season did not begin the way the Houston Texans would have liked, with a shocking 24-7 home loss to the New York Jets and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez.

And, though Houston subsequently righted the ship to finish a franchise-best 5-3 at the break, the second-half of the campaign began with similar disappointment.

The Texans, who were less than 15 minutes from making a statement win after Steve Slaton's 1-yard touchdown run put them ahead, 17-13, at the Colts, couldn't finish in their eventual 20-17 loss, allowing Peyton Manning to engineer an 8-play, 61-yard touchdown drive culminating in a two-yard touchdown run by Houston native Joseph Addai with 7:11 left in the fourth quarter.

A Matt Schaub interception in Colts territory with 2:20 to play provided a glancing blow to the team's comeback prospects, but Houston fought its way off the ropes and got in position for a makeable 42-yard field goal for Kris Brown with one second to play that would have sent the game to overtime.

Wide left. A two-word phrase Kubiak and company will be considering over and over during their Week 10 bye.

"I'm just disappointed for those guys in there," said Kubiak after the game. "Boy, they laid it on the line for each other. They're facing a bye week this week. They need it. We've been nine long weeks. I feel bad for them."

Houston will return to the field on Nov. 23 for a Monday Night battle with the suddenly-resurgent Tennessee Titans, before getting a second crack at the Colts, who visit Reliant Stadium on Nov. 29. Beyond that is the Texans' division finale, on the road against a Jaguars team that handed Houston a surprising 31-24 home loss back on Sept. 27.

Given the intense nature of those division contests, the Texans would be well- advised not to wallow in the misery of their near-miss at Indy for very long. If this Houston team truly is different from its mediocre-to-poor predecessors in franchise annals, it will recover just as it did after the Jets loss.

"I know they left it all on the line," said Kubiak. "There was no doubt about that. I feel for them. They came in and played well enough and hard enough and well enough in a lot, a lot of areas to have a chance for that to happen, but it didn't happen. But we're made of the right stuff. We'll come back battling."

TITANS: Just two games after they suffered arguably the most miserable loss in their franchise history, a 59-0 loss to the New England Patriots, the Tennessee Titans are beginning to think big again.

Following a quarterback change and the return of some key personnel on defense, the Titans are 2-0 following the bye, with Sunday's 34-27 upset win at San Francisco offering more tangible evidence that Jeff Fisher's club has not quit on 2009, despite its 0-6 start.

A Tennessee defense that had often looked punchless during the 0-6 stretch forced four San Francisco turnovers in the game, including an Alex Smith interception that was returned for a game-sealing touchdown by Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan late in the fourth quarter.

Apart from that spectacular moment, three of Tennessee's five scoring drives in the game went for fewer than 40 yards, and quarterback Vince Young (12-of-19, 172 yards, 1 rushing touchdown), running back Chris Johnson (25 carries, 135 yards, 2 TD) took full advantage. The Titans did not have a turnover to speak of on the day.

"I think for the second week in a row we showed what happens when you can go get the football, protect it and run it a little bit," said Fisher following the triumph. "That's what got us the first win last week and of course, that's what I think was the difference today was the turnovers and gaining points off the turnovers...The difference in the game was capitalizing off turnovers."

Following the victory, parallels have been drawn between this Titans team and the 2006 unit that surprisingly inserted itself into the playoff mix after starting the year 0-5. Tennessee was actually 2-7 at one point before embarking on a six-game win streak that made the team's season finale against New England (a 40-23 loss) a meaningful one.

That season, it was then-rookie Vince Young who gave the team a spark. Three years later, despite the many negatives that have subsequently taken place in Young's career and with respect to his relationship with the organization, it is the former first-rounder who has again led the Titans' attempt at a climb back into relevance.

With Sunday's win, Young moved to 20-12 in his career as a starter.

"Vince, he was really applying himself the past couple of weeks and it's paying off," said Fisher. "Doing the right thing and having fun, and it's good to see him have success.

"He was comfortable last week, and all [this] week and very much at ease and into the game plan. He's doing a lot more than throwing the football with accuracy. He's making adjustments on the line of scrimmage and the run checks. He's got a good feel for it."

Despite the modest win streak, Fisher hasn't made any grand pronouncements about a return to the AFC playoff mix, though the team's long-time head coach is clearly encouraged.

"It's just nice to get back," said Fisher. "These last two weeks were reminiscent of the team that played last year. It's just nice to get people healthy again and just keep playing. We're no different than we've always been. It's just one week at a time and we look forward to the next opponent, just trying to continue to improve."