–Quarterback Andrew Luck has always tried to spread his passes around, but it’s been even more obvious in Frank Reich’s offense. He’s thrown touchdown passes to 11 different targets, second-most in league history. Twelve of his TD passes have gone to four tight ends, most in the league. He’s completed passes to at least 15 targets. What’s his secret? Not overthinking each situation, always mindful that Pro Bowl wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle will get the most defensive attention. “You try not to make it too complicated in this game,” Luck said. “When things get a little stressful, just throw it to the open guy. Don’t overthink it. Keep it simple.”
–Hilton keeps his answers short and to the point on most subjects. When asked what this division game means, he said, “We’ve got to have it, at home. We’ve got a home stretch coming up (of three consecutive games at Lucas Oil Stadium) and with Jacksonville coming off a bye, so we’ve got to go out and play.”
–Rookie weak-side linebacker Darius Leonard is coming off a bye week and missed a game with an ankle injury, but still leads the NFL with 88 total tackles, five more than the next player. The second-round pick, twice voted NFL Rookie of the Week including last week as well as being the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September, was asked if he’s hit the “rookie wall,” which NFL newcomers often experience in playing longer seasons and more at a higher level than in college. “I have heard about it, hear it all the time, but I just try to take care of my body every week,” Leonard said. “I come in and just get in the hot tub, cold tub, make sure I get massages. Take care of the little things so I won’t hopefully reach that rookie wall.”
–Reich realizes the Colts have an opportunity to build on a modest two-game winning streak with three consecutive home games. After the Jaguars, the Colts host Tennessee (4-4) and Miami (5-4). “Yeah, we want to make a statement for our fans,” Reich said. “We want to make a great statement for our fans – that we are going to give them great football, we are going to give them a lot to cheer about, get some excitement in that building and climb back in to where we want to be.”
–Center Ryan Kelly is convinced the re-emergence of a potent rushing attack has helped the offensive line keep Luck from being sacked in three consecutive games. “We can run the ball,” Kelly said. “It is obviously helping us out a lot. We are not playing from behind as much. Even the Oakland game, even being tied up going back and back, touchdown, touchdown the game was back and forth but we kept running the ball. I think just consistently doing that. It’s obviously making the passing game a lot easier. You are not having the third-down exotics, the third-and-longs. So I think we are all just playing better as five together as well. There is a big test this week with a really good front. Just looking at their defense, third-and-long they are going to bring it. So we’ve got to stay out of that as much as possible.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 10 – Sacks allowed the last time the Jaguars visited the Colts in 2017, and the same number of sacks allowed this season by a vastly improved Colts offensive line. The Colts are No. 1 in lowest sack rate per pass attempt (2.92 percent) and the 10 sacks allowed are second fewest in the NFL.
