Bullz-Eye's NFL Game of the Week
09/21/2006
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We’ll be dissecting one big NFL match-up every week throughout the season, whether it's a long-standing rivalry, a divisional clash or a game with playoff implications.
Want to get in on the action? Visit our NFL Live Lines page to compare the spread from four major handicappers before picking your winner. Good luck!
This week’s match up: Jacksonville (2-0) at Indianapolis (2-0)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 24
Time: 1:00pm ET on CBS
RESULT: Colts 21, Jaguars 14
Why to tune in:
With Jacksonville’s 9-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Monday night, the Jaguars woke the NFL up to the fact that their 12-4 record last year was no fluke. This is the way it is supposed to be for fans: two undefeated division rivals going head to head. Not only that, but everybody also gets to watch a team that is all finesse and offense go up against the physical beast that is all defense. The Jags really took it to the Steelers physically on Monday while Peyton Manning rang up 400 yards passing and the Colts put 43 points on the scoreboard against Houston. The Colts swept the series last season against Jacksonville, but the Jags kept it close in both games and only allowed 10 points in the RCA Dome in week two.
When the Jaguars have the ball:
RB Fred Taylor is healthy and running hard again. Taylor was able to gain 92 yards against a stingy Pittsburgh defense and should have less of an uphill battle with Corey Simon being out for the Colts. Indianapolis has given up an average of 147 yards on the ground in two games, but most of that came from Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs running wild over the Colts in week one. Although the running game looks like the best option for success, the Jaguars won’t hesitate to throw against the Colts either. Byron Leftwich is really starting to come into his own as an all-round quarterback, and he uses all of his targets as well as any other signal caller in the league. Wide receivers Matt Jones, Reggie Williams and Ernest Wilford won’t blow you away, but each player has one thing that can give Jacksonville an edge in every game. Jones has exceptional height at 6’6” while Williams is a speed guy and Wilford gives the team its most polished wide receiver. Indy better not fall asleep on tight end George Wrighster either. Meanwhile, Simon isn’t the only Colts player banged up this weekend. Stud DE Dwight Freeney is listed as questionable with a strained gluteus muscle.
When the Colts have the ball:
Coach Tony Dungy has to be pleased with what he saw from the running game last weekend against the Texans. Joseph Addai didn’t run amuck in the Houston secondary by any means, but after only netting 55 total rushing yards in week one, Dungy will certainly take the 125 yards he got against the Texans. It’s no secret what Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne are going to do come Sunday, however. The Colts lead the league in passing yards and don’t shy away from who they are on offense. However, Jacksonville bullied Ben Roethlisberger on Monday night into throwing a couple of key interceptions late in the game and aren’t slouches against the pass. Cornerback Rashean Mathis and safeties Deon Grant and Donovin Darius are excellent in defending the pass, and Darius will hammer receivers coming over the middle. Even though the Jags are a little beat up after losing DE Reggie Hayward for the season in week one, they boast one of football’s best tackle duos in John Henderson and Marcus Stroud. And if for some reason Addai or fellow back Dominic Rhodes do break into the second level, Mike Peterson is one of the most underrated middle linebackers in the game and won’t allow the duo to get into the secondary.
Prediction:
Lets see, a physical team coming off an emotional shutout win over the defending champs, looking to exact revenge on a squad that beat them twice last year? Sign me up! I love the Jags in this game, but there are just too many variables going against J-Ville to pick them to win back-to-back high-pressure games. I predicted Jacksonville to beat Pittsburgh last week because I thought they could match up well with the Steelers physically. That’s exactly what the Jags did – beat the Steelers at their own game. But Indy isn’t like Pittsburgh in that the Colts receivers will get down instead of taking a big hit, they won’t try and run if its not there and there is nobody better than Manning at figuring out a defense’s weakness. The Colts won’t be able to run the ball, but it won’t matter because Dungy will let Manning throw the ball 60 times if he has to. It’s hard to get down off of cloud nine and prepare for another game on a short week.
The Jags will keep it close, but the Colts throw for their third-straight victory: Indianapolis 17, Jacksonville 13.
Questions or comments on the upcoming season? Send them to astalter@bullz-eye.com.