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INDIANAPOLIS – With a bye week on the horizon and four days off beginning on Thursday, Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers' focus is squarely on the next two days of practice and getting back to work.
Powers and the Colts will take to the practice field on Tuesday and Wednesday to try and put away the sting of Sunday's 22-17 loss to the Jaguars.
"I'm actually excited about going to practice (Tuesday) just to get that taste out of your mouth," Powers said on the Chuck Pagano Radio Show on Monday night. "Once we start practicing, that's when we move on to the next game, next week."
Powers has excelled this season in the Colts new defensive scheme with 15 solo tackles and leads the secondary with four passes defensed.
Adjusting to a new system seemed to concentrate on those in the front seven of the defense this offseason but Powers and safeties Antoine Bethea and Joe Lefeged made a transition too.
What does Pagano credit for Powers' early success this season? Powers' offseason work ethic.
"Like a lot of the guys, (Powers) was here the whole time, didn't miss a day in the offseason, OTAs, minicamps, the whole nine yards," Pagano said. "He's a smart guy, a very talented guy that loves football. He's a gym rat and he's in here all the time watching tape."
On Sunday, it looked as if Powers might have made a game-changing interception early in the fourth quarter.
With the Jaguars facing a third-and-goal from the eight-yard line, Powers leaped in the back of the end zone to intercept quarterback Blaine Gabbert's pass intended for Justin Blackmon.
Powers was able to make the catch and get one foot down but his shoulder fell down out of bounds prior to securing his second foot in the end zone.
"He's a really instinctive football player. He's got great playmaking ability," Pagano said of Powers. "The play he made in the end zone yesterday, you're just fractions of getting out of there with that thing saving us three points. It was just a great read, great play on his part."
Heading into the 2012 regular season, Powers is the lone hold over from last year's cornerback position.
This marks the fourth straight season Powers has been a starting cornerback for the Colts and the high praise from his head coach also comes from a guy that was a secondary coach in the NFL for nine years.
The secondary, and specifically the cornerback position was asked to make some changes in regards to their technique this offseason and Powers is thriving in the new system.
"I love this scheme," Powers said. "It definitely gives you more opportunities to make plays on the outside. You can truly show your coverage skills and tackling skills. It's fun and attacking and I'm enjoying it so far."
Powers could be joined by some new faces when the Colts and Packers meet on Oct. 7.
Pagano announced on Monday that cornerbacks Vontae Davis (ankle) and Justin King (groin) would be week-to-week with their respective injuries.
While the Colts are expected to get back the services of several key players against the Packers, the time could be very soon for the services of cornerbacks Cassius Vaughn, Josh Gordy and D.J. Johnson.
"Those guys have been in the system, know what to do and have been waiting for that opportunity," Powers said. "It's a huge opportunity for somebody else to showcase their talents and we are going to expect the same production. We don't expect the production to slack off when somebody gets hurt."
It will be a long two weeks for Powers as he knows the repetition of getting back on the practice field can't mirror the chance to strap it up next Sunday.
The Colts practice the '24-hour' rule of having last week's win or loss out of your system the following afternoon but Powers admitted that it was not an easy Sunday night/Monday morning for him.
"I probably went to sleep (Sunday night) around 2-2:30 (a.m.), still watching film and seeing what happened and what we can do so that these things don't happen," Powers said.
"It just comes down to finishing ball games. We get off to a good start and play a good first half, a decent third quarter and we as a whole from top to bottom have to finish these games off. I think it's going to happen. We're right there in the thick of things and if we don't beat ourselves, we can definitely start putting these games away the way that we should."
