Colts Team Report

INSIDE SLANT

The Indianapolis Colts still a lot to play for.

Yes, the Colts are 11-0 and have already clinched a sixth AFC South championship. But Indianapolis can clinch a first-round playoff bye if they beat Tennessee and the other three AFC division leaders lose Sunday.

Then there’s the possibility of earning home-field rights throughout the postseason if the team continues to win.

First things first, according to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning(notes).

“(Indianapolis) coach (Jim) Caldwell has not stressed (the playoffs) to us. His points of emphasis this week have been the same as every week, especially when we’re playing a division game. It kind of counts double, as we always say,” Manning said.

“That’s been his approach every single team we’ve played, and that’s certainly the approach now. I think that has served us well, truly taking it one game at a time and not thinking about anything else besides trying to beat the Titans. I don’t see any reason to abandon that theory now. Hopefully, our players can keep that approach and somehow find a way to get a win Sunday.”

Tennessee has something to play for as well. The Titans have rebounded from an 0-6 start and have posted five straight wins under quarterback Vince Young(notes). Young replaced starter Kerry Collins(notes) after a 59-0 loss at New England. If Jeff Fisher’s team can run the table in December, Tennessee would still have an opportunity to grab a wild-card playoff spot.

“They’re a good team, and they’re playing very well right now, maybe playing as hot as any team in the league. It’s a division opponent. It’s a team we’re familiar with and they are familiar with us. It’s really hard to trick them. It comes down to execution. We’re glad to have them here at home. I know our crowd will be into it. It will be a tough game,” Manning said.

“It is impressive (what Young has been able to do). It’s hard to sit and sit and sit, and all of a sudden, come in and play. It’s certainly a lot different when you’re out there facing the bullets. What he’s done has been very impressive. Our defense, having played against him in the past, knows all the different challenges that he provides, the ability to use his legs, his athletic ability, as well as his arm. It’s a different kind of challenge for them. It’s really playing almost a different offense for our defense than the first time around, and they are scoring some points. So, we know we’re going to have to do our job on offense.”

Indianapolis has won 20 straight regular-season games dating back to 2008. The Titans are on a five-game winning streak. Which streak will be snapped?

“I think week-in, week-out, the game usually comes down to who executes better. That’s it plain and simple. Sometimes, you’re going to have crazy plays, breaks go one team’s way, breaks go the other team’s way. But, obviously, you have two teams that are playing well right now and two teams that are very familiar with each other, being division opponents,” Manning said.

“I think it will be a really good ballgame. We know what kind of challenge we are in for. Hopefully, we can play our best game of the year. That’s what we’re trying to do every week, but this would be a great week to do it.”

Series History:   30th regular-season meeting. Colts lead series 17-12. Indianapolis has won 11 of the last 16 meetings, including a 31-9 decision at LP Field on October 11. Colts QB Peyton Manning completed 36 of 44 passes for 309 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Indianapolis won seven consecutive meetings, sweeping the home-and-home AFC South series in 2003-05 and taking the first game of the 2006 series. The former Baltimore Colts and Houston Oilers first met in 1970 following the AFL-NFL merger, with the Colts pulling out a 24-20 win at the Astrodome. Tennessee and Indianapolis have also met in an AFC divisional playoff game, with the Titans pulling out a 19-16 decision at the RCA Dome on Jan. 16, 2000.

NOTES, QUOTES

—Indianapolis is 36-10 in AFC South play.

• The Colts clinched their sixth AFC South title last week, thanks to a 35-27 road win over Houston and a 20-3 loss by Jacksonville at San Francisco.

• Indianapolis was wire-to-wire divisional leaders during the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 seasons. The Colts have either owned or shared the lead in the AFC South in 106 of 130 weeks of the division’s existence.

• Indianapolis won five AFC South championships from 2003-07, the best divisional-title streak in franchise history.

• The Colts have registered the franchise’s sixth 10-plus game regular-season winning streak (20, 2008-09; 13, 2005; 11, 1964; 11, 1975-76; 11, 1999; 10, 2005-06). It’s the fourth such streak since the start of the 1999 season.

• The Colts have gotten off to an 11-0 start for the second time in five seasons (13-0, 2005). Indianapolis is the only NFL franchise to have three 9-0 starts in a five-year span (9-0, 2006).

• The Colts are the only NFL franchise to win seven or more consecutive regular-season games in six consecutive seasons.

• Indianapolis has posted eight consecutive 10-plus victory seasons, the second-longest such streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98).

• The Colts now have seven consecutive seasons with 11 or more victories, surpassing the NFL record that the franchise had shared with Dallas (6, 1976-81).

• Indianapolis is within reach of extending its league mark for consecutive seasons with 12-plus victories to seven.

• The Colts now have 112 victories for the 2000-09 decade, one win shy of tying the league record of 113 set by San Francisco from 1990-99.

• Indianapolis has the best regular-season record since the start of the 1999 season (125-46).

• The Colts are the only NFL team to earn 10 playoff appearances in the last 11 seasons, including a league-best eight consecutive postseason berths.

• Indianapolis is 80-20 over its last 100 regular-season games.

• The Colts have won 10 consecutive regular-season road games, extending the team’s franchise record.

• Jim Caldwell is the only NFL rookie head coach to win his first 11 games in a season. Caldwell has surpassed Wally Lemm (10, 1961, Houston Oilers/1962 St. Louis Cardinals) for the most consecutive wins to start a career.

• Caldwell is the 20th rookie head coach since the NFL moved to a 16-game season in 1978 to win 11 games.

• QB Peyton Manning has completed 333 of 466 passes for 3,706 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 15 career regular-season games against the Titans. Manning is 10-5 in those games. He is 5-2 in home games with Tennessee, completing 130 of 175 passes (74.3 percent) for 1,468 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. His passer rating in those games is 112.3.

Manning has completed 71.5 percent of his passes and has a career 101.7 passer rating against Tennessee.

Manning has had five games with 300 or more passing yards against the Titans (career high, 425, 12/05/04), and he has had two or more touchdown passes in seven of the 15 games (career high, 4, 10/02/05).

• Manning needs a touchdown pass to become first player in NFL history with 25 touchdown passes in 12 consecutive seasons.

• The Colts have won 13 consecutive games when Manning passes for 300 or more yards. Manning has thrown for 300 or more yards in eight of the Colts’ 11 games this season.

• RB Joseph Addai(notes) has three rushing touchdowns in his past four games.

• WR Reggie Wayne(notes), with 987 yards receiving, needs 13 yards to record his sixth consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season.

Wayne needs 108 receiving yards to reach 1,000 career receiving yards against the Titans.

Wayne has 65 career receptions for 892 yards and six touchdowns in 15 career games with Tennessee. He is averaging 13.7 yards per catch.

Wayne has caught five or more passes in seven of 15 career games with the Titans.

Wayne has two 100-yard receiving games against Tennessee (103, 12/08/02; 119, 9/19/04).

• TE Dallas Clark(notes) needs four more receptions to pass his seasonal career-best of 77 catches that was set in 2008.

Clark also needs 15 more receiving yards to pass his seasonal best of 848 in 2008.

• Clark can become the second Colts tight end with 4,000 career passing yards. He has 3,916 yards and trails former Colts TE John Mackey’s total of 5,126.

• DE Robert Mathis(notes) is tied for second in the NFL with five forced fumbles this season. Mathis has 35 career forced fumbles.

Mathis needs 2.5 sacks to surpass his seasonal career high of 11.5 in 2005 and 2008.

• DE Dwight Freeney(notes) has 11 sacks and four forced fumbles in 13 career games with the Titans.

By The Numbers:   20—Indianapolis is the second NFL franchise with a winning streak of 20 or more consecutive regular-season games (21, New England, 2006-08; 20, 2008-09).

Quote To Note:   “We don’t have to go back a couple of years. We can just go back and look at the last five games they’ve played. That gives us a pretty good picture of what he is capable, how he is playing and if there are any differences. He is playing awfully well. It’s a different time than we saw earlier than the year. He has added another dimension to (Tennessee’s offense). He played with a lot of poise. He threw the ball accurately. He did a nice job and that last play was a heck of a play stepping up in the pocket. Throwing that ball on the run was a heck of a feat.”—Colts coach Jim Caldwell on preparing for Vince Young at quarterback for the Titans.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

The Colts waived DE Josh Thomas(notes) for the third time this season. He had been re-signed last week.

Indianapolis also waived CB Anthony Madison(notes) from the active roster as well as WR John Matthews(notes) from the practice squad.

DE Ervin Baldwin(notes) and RB Mike Hart(notes), meanwhile, were both signed off the team’s practice squad to Indianapolis’ active roster. Added to the practice squad were C Keith Gray(notes), OG Andrew Radovich and QB Shane Boyd(notes).

Player Notes  

• DE Dwight Freeney (abdomen) returned to practice Thursday. Freeney had missed workouts all last week and did not take part in Wednesday’s practice. His availability for the Tennessee game won’t be known until Saturday at the earliest.

• RB Donald Brown(notes) (chest) did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. He has not been ruled out of the Tennessee game but a final decision isn’t expected until Saturday.

• LB Gary Brackett(notes) (foot) took part in Thursday’s workout. Brackett missed Wednesday’s practice. He is expected to play Sunday against the Titans.

• DT Keyunta Dawson(notes) (knee) did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Dawson did not play at Houston last week and may not be available for the Tennessee game.

• S Aaron Francisco(notes) (ankle) did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Francisco has not practiced or played for the past three weeks. He may not be available to play against the Titans.

• CB Kelvin Hayden(notes) (knee) has practiced Wednesday and Thursday. Hayden returned to full practice this week after being sidelined since the San Francisco game on Nov. 1. He may be given the green light to play Sunday against Tennessee.

• OT Charlie Johnson(notes) (foot) did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Johnson will most likely be a late-week decision on whether he will be able to play Sunday against the Titans.

• TE Tom Santi(notes) (hand) was able to return to a full practice routine on Thursday. Santi saw limited work in Wednesday’s practice. He may be able to play against Tennessee on Sunday.

• QB Jim Sorgi(notes) (right shoulder) has seen little practice for the last few weeks. Sorgi may not be available to suit up for the Titans game.

• S Antoine Bethea(notes) (rest) returned to practice on Thursday. He was given Wednesday off to rest old injuries. Bethea is expected to start Sunday against Tennessee.

Game Plan:   Finish offensive drives. Cut down on turnovers and mental errors, such as untimely penalties. Take advantage of scoring opportunities. Produce in the red zone when on offense. Force mistakes while on defense.

The Colts have continued to get off to slow starts, both offensively and defensively, over the past month. Indianapolis will need to match the Titans play-for-play on Sunday. The Colts need to control the tempo on both sides of the football.

Indianapolis will have to play well in order to defeat a hot Titans team. Scoring touchdowns instead of field goals on offense and limiting big plays while on defense will be the keys to success for the Colts.

Matchups To Watch:   Colts S Melvin Bullitt(notes) vs. Titans RB Chris Johnson. Johnson is the league’s leading rusher with 1,396 yards. Indianapolis’ defense, though, limited him to 34 yards in nine carries. That’s a season low for the talented and quick Tennessee running back. Bullitt is the Colts’ strong safety who will have to lead the Indianapolis’ defense in trying to slow Johnson down.

Titans QB Vince Young vs. Colts LB Gary Brackett. Young gave Indianapolis defenders fits earlier in his career with Tennessee. Brackett is expected to be one of several Indianapolis defenders charged with the job of trying to contain the elusive and athletically gifted Tennessee quarterback.

Colts QB Peyton Manning vs. Titans CBs Nick Harper(notes)/Cortland Finnegan. Manning threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in the last meeting between Indianapolis and Tennessee. Finnegan was sidelined for the game while Harper injured his shoulder midway through the game. They’re both healthy now.