INDIANAPOLIS — Well, that couldn't have gone much better for the Indianapolis Colts.
In a week in which the Colts would defeat the Green Bay Packers, 31-26, at Lambeau Field, they would see the two other active AFC South Division teams — the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Tennessee Titans — both lose, with the Houston Texans on their bye week.
So, by moving to 4-5 on the season, the Colts caught back up with the Titans for second place in the division — and just two games back in the loss column from the Texans — and continued to distance themselves from the 2-6 Jaguars.
So positives feelings all around for the Colts, who also get the chance to kick their feet up for a few days and heal up a little bit during their bye week before getting back to the grind to make what they hope is a big playoff push.
So before the next week of action — albeit Colts-less action — gets underway, let's take a comprehensive look around the AFC South action during Week 9 of the 2016 regular season, via the AP:
• Kansas City Chiefs 19, Jacksonville Jaguars 14
The Kansas City Chiefs stuffed the offensively inept Jacksonville Jaguars on fourth down with less than 2 minutes left deep in their own territory on Sunday, preserving a 19-14 victory despite finishing without five offensive starters.
Nick Foles threw for 187 yards and a first-half touchdown toss to Albert Wilson, and helped to set up four field goals by Cairo Santos, as Kansas City (6-2) won its 10th consecutive home game.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars (2-6) couldn't overcome four turnovers - including a fumble at the goal line in the fourth quarter - in their first game with quarterback coach Nathaniel Hackett directing the offense.
Blake Bortles threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns with a pick, showing little improvement after a week spent with his personal coach, Adam Dedeaux . His wide receivers hardly helped him, dropping several passes, including an early fourth-down throw that cost Jacksonville a chance at points.
Chris Ivory rumbled for 107 yards in the biggest bright spot for Jacksonville, but he fumbled going over the goal-line with 8:28 left in the game. The Jaguars quickly got the ball back, and Bortles hit T.J. Yeldon to get within 19-14 with 4:10 to go, but the extra time it took to score proved costly.
They got the ball back with 3:01 remaining, and a long scamper by Bortles gave them a chance. But his pass on fourth-and-3 at the Kansas City 32 was batted to the ground and the Chiefs ran out the clock.
They played the whole way without quarterback Alex Smith and running back Spencer Ware, who were out with concussions, and offensive guard Parker Ehinger, who went on injured reserve with a knee injury.
Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin hurt his groin on the Chiefs' first series and did not return, and tight end Travis Kelce was tossed from the game in the fourth quarter after arguing over a pass interference no-call, then tossing his towel at the official as if it was a flag.
Their lackluster offense didn't matter the way the Chiefs' defense was playing.
• San Diego Chargers 43, Tennessee Titans 35
Melvin Gordon ran for a career-high 196 yards and scored the go-ahead TD on a 1-yard run, and defensive backs Dwight Lowery and Brandon Flowers scored on turnovers by Marcus Mariota to lead the Chargers to a 43-35 victory Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, who still haven't won in San Diego since 1990.
The Chargers (4-5) won two days before the team will ask voters to approve a billion-dollar subsidy for a new downtown stadium to replace aging Qualcomm Stadium. The measure was polling well short of the two-thirds supermajority needed to pass.
Gordon, who leads the NFL with 11 touchdowns, scored on a 1-yard run with 5:28 left in the third quarter to give the Chargers a 26-21 lead. He ran 32 times, and broke a 47-yard run in the closing minutes. He also caught four passes for 65 yards.
Mariota, who led the Titans to a 21-19 lead by guiding two quick scoring drives on either side of halftime, helped the Chargers surge to a 12-point lead when he fumbled late in the third quarter. Lowery picked up the ball ran 43 yards for a touchdown and a 33-21 lead.
With the Chargers up by eight - and with a propensity to blow late leads this year - Flowers jumped a route, intercepted Mariota and returned it 33 yards for a 43-28 lead with 4:51 left.
Running the two-minute drill to perfection, Mariota threw a 7-yard scoring pass to Rishard Matthews with 14 seconds left before halftime. The Titans got the second-half kick and Mariota quickly moved them down the field, finishing the drive with a 14-yard run on which he held out the ball to touch the pylon.
The Chargers came right back with a drive aided by three crucial penalties by the Titans' defense to get Gordon's go-ahead score.
The Titans pulled to 33-28 with just less than 10 minutes to play when Mariota hit Delanie Walker on an 8-yard scoring pass.
The Titans (4-5) have lost seven straight in San Diego since 1993, when they were the Houston Oilers. The franchise's last victory in San Diego was in 1990.
Philip Rivers threw a 13-yard TD pass to Antonio Gates in the first quarter and a 6-yarder to Tyrell Williams in the second for a 16-0 Chargers lead.
Mariota, who passed for 313 yards and three TDs, also threw a 16-yard TD pass to Matthews in the second quarter.
San Diego held DeMarco Murray to 51 yards on 14 carries. He scored on a 1-yard run late in the game.
