INDIANAPOLIS --A shortage of possession time in the third quarter and a hurtful sack and fumble in the fourth proved to be the difference Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts fell to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, 17-3.
Jacksonville's 16-play, 86-yard touchdown drive that consumed 9 minutes, 40 seconds of the third quarter put the visitors ahead, 10-3. It was the longest scoring march against Indy this season. The Colts had the ball for seven plays and a punt in the quarter.
In the fourth, after Dan Orlovsky replaced Curtis Painter as the Colts quarterback, Jeremy Mincey slammed into Orlovsky, who fumbled. Tyson Alualu recovered. Three plays later, Maurice Jones-Drew bolted in from the 3-yard line to give Jacksonville a 14-point edge.
The Colts dropped to 0-10 heading into their bye week. Jacksonville lifted its mark to 3-6.
"Disappointed but (have to) keep working," Painter said when asked his feelings afterward.
Colts linebacker Pat Angerer stated it explicitly.
"We're not going out pouting," said Angerer, who had seven tackles. "We're going to stay together. We're going to keep fighting and stay strong. You can either walk out mad or you can fight and keep working. That's what we're going to do."
Painter completed 13-of-19 passes for 94 yards with two interceptions. Orlovsky, who entered the game with 5:55 remaining, was 7-of-10 for 67 yards. Jacksonville rookie Blaine Gabbert hit 14-of-21 passes for 118 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Donald Brown led the Colts with 53 rushing yards on 14 attempts. Jones-Drew ran for 114 yards on 25 carries.
Defenses dominated the first half as each team scored only a field goal. The Jaguars struck first on a 44-yarder by Josh Scobee. Indy's Adam Vinatieri hit from 42 yards early in the second quarter, marking his 27th consecutive regular-season field goal at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Then, in the third quarter, Jacksonville took control of the possession time and the game. With runs by Jones-Drew eating up the clock and key passes by Gabbert gaining first downs, the Jaguars kept the Colts' offense on the sidelines. Gabbert's 11-yard pass to Jarett Dillard was good for the touchdown on Jacksonville's 16-play march.
"You make your own luck," Angerer said. "You can't make mistakes. They ran plays we could have stopped. We didn't. My hat goes off to win. They played good enough to win. It's a play here or there, every week. Me, personally, I'm making mistakes I shouldn't make. … Can't afford that in close games."
Indy had the ball for 3:24 of the third quarter. The Colts' possession time for the game was only 24:39 as they converted 4-of-15 third downs.
In the fourth quarter, after Orlovsky's entry, Jacksonville's defense staged the big play as the Colts quarterback retreated to pass. Mincey clobbered him from the blindside. The Jaguars recovered his fumble, took over at the Colts' 8-yard line and needed only 56 seconds to score.
"The team is sputtering," said Colts defensive end Robert Mathis, who had a third-quarter sack, lifting his total to 4.5 this season and 78.5 for his career. "It is not a blame game. We are not playing a blame game. We are in it together. We've just got to get out of this hole together."
Jones-Drew gave the Jacksonville perspective.
"It's a rivalry game for us," the Jaguars running back said. "We still feel like we're in this (AFC South) race and have to keep winning to get back to where we want to be. So we came out with a violent mindset to play great defense, which we did."
SCORING RECAP
FIRST QUARTER (2:44 remaining)
The Jaguars got on the scoreboard first with a 44-yard field goal by Josh Scobee. It came at the end of an eight-play, 35-yard drive. Maurice Jones-Drew carried three times for 27 yards. Jaguars 3, Colts 0
SECOND QUARTER (14:20 remaining)
The Colts answered with a 42-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri following an eight-play, 56-yard march. The big play was a 29-yard pass from Curtis Painter to Jacob Tamme. Jaguars 3, Colts 3
THIRD QUARTER (1:49 remaining)
The Jaguars scored the first touchdown of the game in methodical fashion, going 86 yards in 16 plays over 9 minutes, 40 seconds. It was the longest time of possession and most plays in a scoring drive against the Colts in 2011. The TD came on an 11-yard pass to Jarett Dillard from rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Jaguars 10, Colts 3
FOURTH QUARTER (3:52 remaining)
The Jaguars extended their lead by capitalizing on a Colts turnover after Dan Orlovsky replaced Painter at quarterback. Jeremy Mincey slammed into Orlovsky, who fumbled, and Tyson Alualu recovered. Three plays later, Jones-drew scored from the 3-yard line. Scobee added the extra point. Jaguars 17, Colts 3
