Closing the home portion of divisional action and with playoff implications in play, the Indianapolis Colts, 7-6, host the Jacksonville Jaguars, 8-5, on Sunday, December 19. Kickoff for the contest telecast by CBS Sports and broadcast nationally by Sports USA, is 1:00 p.m. (EST).
The Colts and Jaguars met on October 3 at EverBank Field, with Jacksonville taking a dramatic 31-28 last-second field goal. The clubs have engaged in spirited, close battles as members of the AFC South, with Indianapolis owning a 12-5 series record as division mates, 14-5 overall. The teams met in the 2009 opener in Lucas Oil Stadium, with the Colts earning a 14-12 decision. In sharing a division since 2002, 13 of 19 meeting have been decided by seven points or less, eight of those coming by five points or less. Indianapolis earned a 30-28 road victory last Thursday at Tennessee. Jacksonville earned a 38-31 home victory last Sunday over Oakland. Indianapolis can capture the AFC South division title with season-ending wins over Jacksonville, at Oakland and versus Tennessee. Jacksonville concludes seasonal play at Indianapolis, versus Washington and at Houston.
The Colts are owners of the NFL's best regular-season record (135-54) since the start of the 1999 season, while being the only team to earn 10 playoff appearances in the last eleven seasons, including a league-best eight consecutive post-season berths. Indianapolis has won 80 of its last 102 regular-season games. The Colts own a 105-35 record (counting the playoffs) since the start of the 2003 season and are 91-30 since 2004. From November, 2003 to December, 2009, the Colts produced a regular-season record of 81-19, tying New England (2003-09) for the NFL's best 100-game regular-season mark. Indianapolis' winning ways include a 40-12 record in AFC South play, while the club has owned or shared the lead in 120 of 150 weeks of the division's existence. The Colts won five AFC South championships from 2003-07, the best divisional-title streak in club history. The Colts were wire-to-wire divisional leaders during the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 seasons. The club's nine playoff berths in the 2000-09 decade tied the NFL record set by Dallas (9) in the 1970s. Indianapolis is the only team since 2002 Realignment to earn annual double-digit victory totals and playoff berths. From 2008-09, the Colts set an NFL record with 23 consecutive regular-season victories (21, New England, 2006-08). The streak was the sixth 10 -game regular-season winning streak in franchise history (23, 2008-09; 13, 2005; 11, 1964; 11, 1975-76; 11, 1999; 10, 2005-06), the fourth since 1999. Indianapolis extended its NFL record as the only franchise to win seven or more consecutive regular-season games in six consecutive seasons (8, 2004; 13, 2005; 9, 2006; 7 and 6, 2007; 9, 2008; 14, 2009). Additionally, the Colts posted their eighth consecutive 10 -victory season, setting the 2nd-longest such streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98). Indianapolis earned its seventh consecutive season with 11 victories, surpassing the NFL record it had shared with Dallas (6, 1976-81). The Colts extended their league mark to seven consecutive seasons (2003-09)with 12 victories. The Colts produced 115 victories for the 2000-09 decade, surpassing the league record of 113 by San Francisco from 1990-99. * *
PERSONNEL REPORT: RB-Joseph Addai (neck), WR-Austin Collie (concussion), RB-Mike Hart (ankle), DB-Kelvin Hayden (neck), LB-Clint Session (elbow) were out; LB-Gary Brackett (toe), RB-Donald Brown (ankle), TE-Brody Eldridge (rib), OT-Charlie Johnson (back), DT-Ricardo Mathews (back), WR-Taj Smith (hamstring), TE-Jacob Tamme (knee), WR-Reggie Wayne (knee) were questionable for the last game. Deactivated players for the last game were Addai, Collie, Hart, Hayden, Session, OG-Jacques McClendon, OG-Jaimie Thomas and DT-Ricardo Mathews.
TELEVISION/RADIO: CBS Sports telecasts with Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf. 1070-The Fan/HANK-FM, 97.1 broadcasts with Bob Lamey, Will Wolfordand Kevin Lee (field reporter). Sports USA broadcasts nationally with Larry Kahn, John Robinson and Troy West (field reporter).
NEXT WEEK: Indianapolis visits Oakland on Sunday, December 26 at 4:05 p.m. (EST).
WWW.COLTS.COM: Please check the official website of the Indianapolis Colts for the latest in team information and merchandise.
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HEAD COACHES
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* JIM CALDWELL* was named head coach of the Colts on January 13, 2009, and this marks his ninth season with Indianapolis. Caldwell joined the club in 2002 as quarterbacks coach before adding the title of assistant head coach prior to the 2005 season. Caldwell was promoted to associate head coach with the club prior to the 2008 season. From 2002-09, Caldwell has been a part of Colts teams that produced 10-6, 12-4, 12-4, 14-2, 12-4, 13-3, 12-4 and 14-2 records. Indianapolis is the only team to earn 12 victories in seven consecutive seasons, setting the NFL's all-time standard. Indianapolis has had eight consecutive 10 -victory seasons, setting the second-longest streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 7, Dallas, 1975-81), and the Colts have surpassed Dallas (1976-81) as the only franchise to earn at least eleven victories in seven consecutive seasons. The Colts also have earned an NFL-best eight consecutive playoff appearances, and Indianapolis is the only team to post double-digit victory seasons and playoff berths each season since the 2002 realignment. From 2008-09, Indianapolis set the NFL record with 23 consecutive regular-season victories (21 New England, 2006-08). Indianapolis also won 115 regular-season games from 2000-09, the most by a team in a decade in NFL history. From 2004-09, Indianapolis became the only NFL team to win at least seven consecutive games in six consecutive seasons (8, 2004; 13, 2005; 9, 2006; 7 and 6, 2007; 9, 2008; 14, 2009). In 2009, Caldwell became the 5th NFL rookie head coach to reach the Super Bowl. Caldwell joined Chuck Knox (L.A. Rams, 1973), Red Miller (Denver, 1977), Mike Martz (St. Louis, 2000) and Josh McDaniels (Denver, 2009) as the only rookie head coaches in the Super Bowl era to start 6-0. He became the fourth coach ever to start 6-0 when succeeding a head coach who won 100 games (Blanton Collier, Cleveland, 1963, succeeded Paul Brown, 111 wins; Jack Pardee, Washington, 1978, succeeded George Allen, 116 wins; Josh McDaniels, Denver, 2009, succeeded Mike Shanahan, 146 wins; Caldwell, Colts, 2009, succeeded Tony Dungy, 139 wins). Caldwell joined the Colts after serving as quarterbacks coach with Tampa Bay in 2001. Caldwell has more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. He spent 1993-2000 as head coach at Wake Forest. He served as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois (1978-80), Northwestern (1981), Colorado (1982-84), Louisville (1985) and Penn State (1986-92). Caldwell has coached in six bowl games and won a national championship with Penn State in 1986. In addition to serving on Joe Paterno's title staff, Caldwell tutored under three other coaches who won collegiate crowns (Rey Dempsey, Southern Illinois; Bill McCartney, Colorado; Howard Schnellenberger, Louisville). Caldwell was a four-year starter at defensive back at Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant for Iowa in 1977. He holds a bachelor's degree from Iowa. Caldwell was born on January 16, 1955 in Beloit, Wis.
JACK DEL RIO became the second Jacksonville head coach on January 17, 2003. He has guided the Jaguars to 5-11, 9-7, 12-4, 8-8, 11-5, 5-11 and 7-9 finishes. Del Rio joined Jacksonville after serving 2002 as defensive coordinator at Carolina. Del Rio started his NFL career as an assistant strength coach with New Orleans in 1997 before serving 1998 as LB Coach. He was LB Coach with Baltimore 1999-01 as the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV. Del Rio had an eleven-year playing career with New Orleans (1985-86), Kansas City (1987-88), Dallas (1989-91) and Minnesota (1992-95). He played in the Pro Bowl following the 1994 season. Del Rio was a four-year starting LB at USC 1981-84, and was drafted by baseball's Toronto Blue Jays. Del Rio is a native of Castro Valley, Calif.
COLTS/JAGUARS SERIES NOTES
The Colts lead the league series, 14-5, with the rivalry standing 12-5 in Indianapolis' favor since the clubs were paired in the AFC South prior to the 2002 season. Jacksonville took a 31-28 home victory of the Colts on October 3. K-Josh Scobee's 59-yard field goal at the gun provided Jacksonville with the dramatic win in this season's first meeting. Tied at the half, 14-14, Jacksonville twice took seven-point leads in the second half, with Indianapolis matching the scores both times. QB-Peyton Manning (33-46-352, 2 TDs/1 int.) tied the contest in the final minute with a 1t pass to WR-Austin Collie, but the Jaguars maneuvered for Scobee's final kick. Jacksonville rushed 35-174 and forced two red-zone turnovers to sway the game. Manning (51,493) moved past John Elway (51,475) into 3rd-place in NFL career passing yards. WR-Reggie Wayne (15-196) set a club single-game reception record. Collie tied the club marks of TE-Jim Mutscheller (1957) and Harrison (1999) with scoring receptions in the first four games of a season. Manning teamed with TE-Dallas Clark for a 44th career TD, 2nd-most in league history by a QB-TE duo (45, Drew Bledsoe-Ben Coates). RB-Joseph Addai was 16-63, 2 TDs rushing, while RB-Maurice Jones-Drew was 26-105, 1 TD and had an 8t reception. Indianapolis won two tightly-contested battles in 2009, earning a 14-12 home verdict in the opener, then capturing a 35-31 outcome at Jacksonville in a game that featured nine lead changes. In that second meeting, Indianapolis extended its NFL record with a 23rd consecutive regular-season victory, while also producing its league-record 115th victory of the decade (113, San Francisco, 1990-99). Indianapolis earned a 6-0 divisional record and earned the AFC's top playoff seed. Manning was 23-30-308, 4 TDs/1 int., while Clark (41) was 7-95, 2 TDs to set the club TE record for TD receptions (40, Jim Mutscheller). Wayne (9,339) was 5-132, 1 TD (65t) to surpass Raymond Berry (9,275) for 2nd-most reception yards in club history. In the season opener, with a last-minute defensive stand near midfield, Indianapolis topped Jacksonville, 14-12. Indianapolis led most of the way in a contest whose outcome was not settled until QB-David Garrard's final attempt fell incomplete. Jacksonville's final possession from its 35 came after holding Indianapolis on downs seconds earlier. Manning was 28-38-301, 1 TD/int., teaming with Wayne (10-162, 1 TD) on a 35t third-quarter pass to provide a 14-6 cushion. Jacksonville tallied with eleven minutes to go, but failed on a two-point rushing attempt to tie the contest. The teams split the series in 2008. Jacksonville won in Lucas Oil Stadium on September 21, 23-21. Indianapolis prevailed at the Jaguars on December 18, 31-24. In the second 2008 meeting, erasing a 14-point deficit and two 10-point deficits with 17 fourth-quarter points, Indianapolis posted a playoff-clinching victory. DB-Keiwan Ratliff's 35t interception return with 4:48 left gave Indianapolis its only lead. Manning's outstanding performance (29-34-364, 3 TDs) helped pace the Colts. Wayne (7-108; 1 TD; 41t), Clark (8-105, 1 TD; 1t) and RB-Dominic Rhodes (6-62, 1 TD; 10t) had scoring receptions, while the Colts defense had three sacks. Manning set a club record by completing 23 consecutive passes (including six straight from the previous week), and his total fell one shy of QB-Donovan McNabb's NFL record (Philadelphia, 2004). Jacksonville took the first meeting of 2008, 23-21 in Indianapolis. In that contest, K-Josh Scobee converted field goals of 26, 21 and 51 yards, the final one coming with :04 remaining for the win. The Jaguars controlled the ball for 41:35, including for 26 minutes of the second half. Jacksonville rushed 48-236 and totaled 403 yards. RBs-Fred Taylor (26-121) and Maurice Jones-Drew (19-107) paced the ground attack. Indianapolis had leads of 7-0, 14-10 and 21-20, with the final lead coming with 1:07 remaining on RB-Joseph Addai's (16-78, 2 TDs rushing) 2t burst. The Colts took both 2007 meetings, 28-25 in the RCA Dome on December 2, and 29-7 in Jacksonville on October 22. In that year's second meeting, the Colts jumped to 14-0 and 21-7 leads before having their margin trimmed to 21-17 in the final quarter. Manning (20-29-288, 4 TDs/1 int.) tossed his final scoring pass to RB-Luke Lawton (1t) with 8:26 left to provide the eventual winning points. Manning teamed with Wayne (8-158, 1 TD) on a 48t strike, and he hit Clark (7-60, 2 TDs; 5t, 14t) on two scoring strikes to offset a Jacksonville offense that netted 27 first downs, 411 net yards and 168 rushing yards, while controlling the ball for 35:45. Garrard hit 24 of 29 passes as the Jaguars failed to punt. In the 29-7 win in the first meeting of 2007, the Colts scored in the final minute of the first quarter and led the rest of the way. Indianapolis produced 384 net yards, including 141 yards on 33 rushes. Manning was 23-37-259, 1 TD/int., while Wayne was 9-131 and Clark was 4-66, 1 TD (35t). The Indianapolis defense surrendered 226 net yards. DE-Dwight Freeney had two sacks, two forced fumbles and a safety. Indianapolis took the first meeting in 2006, 21-14 in the RCA Dome on September 24, then dropped a 44-17 decision in Jacksonville on December 10. Indianapolis took both games in 2005, 10-3 in the RCA Dome on September 18 and 26-18 in Jacksonville on December 11. The series was split in 2003 and 2004. Indianapolis gained a 24-17 win in Jacksonville on October 3, 2004, then the Jaguars topped the Colts, 27-24, in the RCA Dome on October 24. The teams split the meetings in 2003, with each club winning at home (Colts, 23-13 in the RCA Dome on 9/21; Jacksonville, 28-23 in Alltel Stadium on 11/9). The teams met twice in 2002 as members of the new AFC South Division. Indianapolis took a 28-25 decision on September 8 at Jacksonville to open the season and a 20-13 win in the RCA Dome on December 29 to close the season. The two prior meetings came before the clubs were divisional foes. Indianapolis took a 41-31 road win on December 10, 1995, and a 43-14 MNF win in the RCA Dome on September 25, 2000.
