Home Game, AFC South Game Make Sunday's Matchup Imant, Dungy Says
INDIANAPOLIS – For a September matchup, the Colts' game Sunday is big. Real big.
And if Colts players didn't know already, Head Coach Tony Dungy reiterated the circumstances when he spoke to the team Friday morning:
• A division game.
• A game in Lucas Oil Stadium.
• A chance to move above .500.
"We talked at our last team meeting today about the importance of this game," Dungy said Friday as the Colts (1-1) prepared to play the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) in a crucial, early-season AFC South game at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday at 4:15 p.m.
"An AFC South game, a home game for us – it's one where we have to come out and play well. I don't think there will be a lot of secrets or a lot of trickery. One team is going to execute better than the other. That's what we've worked on all week – just sharpening up our execution.
"Hopefully, we'll come out and play well."
Center Jeff Saturday and tight end Dallas Clark likely will be able to play Sunday, Dungy said. Saturday missed the first two games with a knee injury sustained in preseason and Clark missed last week's game against Minnesota after sustaining a knee injury against Chicago.
"I would say so," Dungy said Friday morning before the late-morning/early-afternoon practice. "They've had two good days of practice, and we'll get them their reps and normal turns today. We'll see how things go, but right now, I'd say it looks like they'll be ready to go."
Also on Friday, the Colts released their final injury report of the week, with wide receiver Roy Hall (knee), guard Mike Pollak (knee), safety Bob Sanders (ankle/knee), tight end Jacob Tamme (ankle) and offensive tackle Tony Ugoh listed as being out. None of the five aforementioned practiced Friday, according to the injury report.
Neither Saturday nor Clark were listed on the injury report this week, practicing on a full basis throughout.
Defensive tackle Keyunta Johnson (ankle), safety Matt Giordano (back) and defensive tackle Daniel Muir (knee) were listed as questionable on the injury report, with Giordano listed as not participating in practice and Muir and Dawson listed as participating on a full basis.
Cornerback Marlin Jackson is listed as probably after participating on a full basis Friday, according to the report.
Dungy said if Saturday plays, he expects rookie Steve Justice will remain at guard, where he played the second half of Sunday's game against Minnesota, replacing three-year veteran Charlie Johnson, who moved to tackle in place of left tackle Tony Ugoh.
Ugoh sustained a groin injury in the game.
In that scenario, Dungy said rookie center Jamey Richard – who started the first two games in Saturday's place – would back up at center and both guard positions.
"My inclination is it will be Steve Justice at guard and we'll kind of look at Jamey as being a backup guy at center and guard," Dungy said. "We'll see how Jeff makes it through today."
