Colts fire coach Chuck Pagano after 4-12 season

By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- First, Chuck Pagano lost Andrew Luck.

Then the Indianapolis Colts started losing games.

And now it has cost him a job.

Six years after convincing Jim Irsay he could lead the Colts to a Super Bowl, and two years after convincing the team owner to give him a surprise contract extension, Pagano was fired Sunday less than two hours after the Colts' beat Houston 22-13 in their season finale.

The win ended a six-game losing streak but couldn't cloak the fact Indy missed the playoffs three consecutive years, the first time that's happened since a seven-year drought from 1988-94, or finished with its first losing record in six years.

"Chuck Pagano provided Colts fans with many exciting wins and memories as head coach of the Colts," team owner Jim Irsay said in the statement. "Throughout his tenure in Indianapolis, he impacted the lives of the players he coached, those who he worked with in the organization and Colts fans across the globe. Chuck's first season was one of the more inspirational stories in NFL history as he courageously battled and overcame leukemia. As a result, his CHUCKSTRONG Foundation has raised millions for cancer research. We are thankful for Chuck's contributions to our franchise and community and we wish him, Tina and the entire Pagano family nothing but the best moving forward."

It was the worst kept secret in town.

Almost from the moment the Colts (4-12) were eliminated from playoff contention, speculation ramped up about Pagano's ouster being only a matter of time.

Even Pagano hinted at the move Wednesday when he referred to Sunday's game as the "last rodeo."

And before his postgame meeting with Irsay, Pagano sounded more resigned to his fate than he did either of the last two years when his job status also was tenuous.

"Call me crazy, but I'm a believer to the core. You know, I don't know what tomorrow brings. I don't know what the next hour brings," Pagano said. "But I do know I'm very grateful to Jim Irsay and to the Irsay family. His unwavering commitment is second to none in football, and he's given us everything we needed to be successful. And I'm very grateful for the opportunity he gave me."

Pagano wasn't entirely at fault for this season's results.

The early successes and steady decline during Pagano's tenure coincided perfectly tandem with Luck's health.

When Luck started every game during his first three seasons, the Colts won 11 games each year, reached the playoffs three times and advanced one step deeper in the postseason each year.

When the injuries struck, Indy crashed. The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback missed 26 of 48 games since 2015, and the result was consecutive 8-8 finishes before this season's (4-12) debacle during which Luck never took a snap.

But to an owner who has grown accustomed to playing games deep into January, Luck's absence wasn't enough of a reason to give Pagano yet another chance - especially after essentially putting Pagano on notice last January that he expected a playoff appearance after firing general manager Ryan Grigson.

"He (Irsay) is like all of us. He wants to win," Pagano said in October after the Colts were shut out for the first time since 1993.

It wasn't just the playoff absences.

Fans became increasingly disgruntled with a long-promised defensive turnaround that never happened, a series of questionable play calls, and persistent penalties.

As the 2017 season wore on, the shrinking home crowds became a gauge of fan sentiment.

But there were plenty of good moments, too.

The 57-year-old Colorado native presided over one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in league history in 2012, turning a 2-14 team that was supposed to be the NFL's worst into an instant playoff contender while waging a courageous public battle against leukemia. When Pagano missed 12 games to undergo chemotherapy, the tag-team coaching tandem of Pagano and offensive coordinator Bruce Arians delivered a nine-game improvement before losing to eventual world champion Baltimore in the wild-card round.

Arians was voted AP Coach of the Year.

Pagano went on to win AFC South titles in 2013 and 2014 and led Indy to the AFC title game following the 2014 season.

He finished with a solid record of 56-46, 3-3 in the postseason.

For the most part, Indy dominated inside the division, going 25-11 while setting an NFL record with 16 straight wins over division foes.

But the rest of the league exposed Indy's flaws and Pagano's teams lost 22 times by at least two touchdowns.

The unraveling began in 2015 when many thought the Colts could make a Super Bowl run and Luck first got hurt.

Forty-year-old backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck filled in admirably for Luck, who missed nine games with injuries. Hasselbeck went 5-3 as the starter and somehow the Colts managed to finish 8-8.

After the season, Irsay gave Pagano a second chance and a four-year contract extension. But with Luck starting 15 of 16 games, the Colts posted another 8-8 mark.

A third bad season was just too much to keep the player's coach around.

Many talked about their reverence for Pagano and how he did important things, like showing up to weddings other coaches did not. At times, it made a difference on the field.

The first game Pagano missed after being diagnosed with leukemia, receiver Reggie Wayne risked an NFL fine by wearing orange gloves, the color associated with leukemia awareness, and almost single-handedly willing the Colts to a come-from-behind win over Green Bay.

When Pagano returned for the regular-season finale, Houston running back Arian Foster honored the Colts coach by tapping the "Chuckstrong" sign after scoring a touchdown.

"He always fights for you, he's a player's coach. You dream of playing for a coach like that," receiver T.Y. Hilton said. "He's a very emotional guy, that's what we love about him. He almost made everybody cry."

Eventually, though, it came down to business and Irsay made the call.

Ravens beat Colts 23-16 to edge closer to playoff berth

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Ravens didn't force a turnover, scored only two touchdowns and were dangerously close to going into overtime at home against lowly Indianapolis.

"We didn't play our best game," coach John Harbaugh readily acknowledged.

Though the Ravens' performance Saturday was not particularly artistic, they perceived the final result to be a thing of beauty: Ravens 23, Colts 16.

Baltimore (9-6) scored on its first two possessions and held off the skidding Colts (3-12) in a windy, rain-soaked second half.

The Ravens will reach the playoffs as an AFC wild card by defeating Cincinnati at home next Sunday. Striving for its first postseason berth since 2014, Baltimore has won five of six following a 4-5 start.

"We found a way to win it. That's the thing, it's a win," Harbaugh said. "It doesn't matter. You have to find a way to win in this league."

Joe Flacco threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns, Justin Tucker kicked three field goals and the Ravens did just enough to squeeze out a victory.

"I wish we had gotten into the end zone one more time," Flacco said. "It's not always pretty."

Indianapolis closed to 16-13 in the third quarter before Flacco threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Maxx Williams with 8:40 remaining.

It was 23-16 when Anthony Walker blocked a Ravens punt , giving the Colts the ball at the Baltimore 27 with 2:36 left. Indianapolis moved to the 10 before a third-down sack and a fourth-down incompletion ended the comeback bid.

"We had a great chance to win this game," Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett said. "We just didn't get it done down there."

Flacco, who went 29 for 38, has thrown for seven TDs with just one interception over his last four games.

"We're a very excited, a very confident football team," Flacco said.

The Colts have lost six in a row for the first time since 2011, when they opened 0-13. That was the year before they drafted quarterback Andrew Luck, whose absence this season with a shoulder injury contributed heavily to the team's slide into the AFC South cellar.

Brissett completed 16 of 33 passes for 215 yards and Frank Gore had 68 yards rushing and a touchdown catch for Indianapolis. More importantly, the Colts did not commit a turnover against a team that leads the NFL with 33 takeaways.

Adam Vinatieri kicked three field goals for the Colts, but he had one blocked and came up short on a 60-yard try at the end of the first half.

Flacco went 16 for 22 for 157 yards to help the Ravens take a 13-7 halftime lead.

After kicking a field goal on its first possession, Baltimore blocked a field goal try by Vinatieri. The Ravens then launched a 71-yard drive that ended with Flacco tossing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Michael Campanaro for a 10-0 lead.

Brissett answered with a 14-yard TD pass to Gore, and Tucker kicked a 39-yard field goal for Baltimore after the two-minute warning.

Tucker connected from 36 yards out to increase the lead to 16-7 with 5 1/2 minutes gone in the third quarter, but Vinatieri kicked a pair for the Colts to make it 16-13.

BLOCK THAT KICK

Baltimore's Tony Jefferson swatted away a 38-yard FG try in the first quarter, the 13th blocked kick by the Ravens since 2014 and their fifth over the past two seasons. It was the first time the Colts had a FG blocked since Nov. 3, 2013. Vinatieri later came up short on a 60-yard try before connecting from 48 and hitting the right upright on a successful 38-yarder.

INJURY UPDATE

Colts: WR Donte Moncrief (ankle), CB Rashaan Melvin (hand) and TE Jason Vander Laan (concussion) were among seven players on the inactive list.

Ravens: WR Jeremy Maclin (knee) was on the inactive list. ... CB Jaylen Hill (right knee) left in the third quarter and did not return.

UP NEXT

Colts: Wrap up this unpleasant season at home against Houston on New Year's Eve.

Ravens: Seek their first sweep of Bengals since 2012. Baltimore won the Super Bowl that season.

McCoy, Bills overcome Colts for OT win in snow

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- LeSean McCoy was the lead dog in conditions better suited for the Iditarod.

McCoy plowed through heavy snow for 156 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the Buffalo Bills' 13-7 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

"Being a Pennsylvania kid, I played in the snow before," McCoy said. "You knew it was going to be one of those games where we were going to run the ball and pound it."

McCoy set a career high with 32 carries, his last one a 21-yard touchdown with 1:39 remaining in overtime. The rushing total was his highest in three seasons with the Bills and put him over 1,000 yards in a season for the sixth time. He's 39 yards away from 10,000 for his career.

It wasn't the first time McCoy found traction in the snow. Playing for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, he rushed for a career-best 217 yards in similar conditions.

"I remember watching that game, actually, on film a few years ago," Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. "So I was just waiting for him to rip one off and he did. It was good to see."

The Bills (7-6) weathered relentless snow, swirling winds and near whiteout conditions at New Era Field to keep their playoff hopes alive. Long-time observers called it the worst weather conditions they have ever seen at the stadium.

Buffalo also won with third-string quarterback Joe Webb playing the fourth quarter and overtime.

Rookie Nathan Peterman started in place of the injured Tyrod Taylor and was 5-of-10 passing for 57 yards and a touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin before leaving the game late in the third quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.

Webb was 2-of-6 passing for 35 yards and also rushed for 27 yards. Webb connected with Deonte Thompson on a 34-yard pass, the longest play of the game, to set up McCoy's winning run.

Frank Gore rushed for 130 yards on a career-high 36 carries for the Colts (3-10). Jacoby Brissett completed 11-of-22 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Jack Doyle.

The Colts were scoreless until Brissett found Doyle for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:16 remaining at the end of a 19-play, 77-yard drive that took nearly 10 minutes off the clock.

Brissett then connected with Doyle for what would have been the go-ahead two-point conversion, but an offensive pass interference penalty on Kamar Aiken forced the Colts to attempt a tying extra point from 43 yards out. Adam Vinatieri's kick just cleared the cross bar.

Colts safety Matthias Farley intercepted Webb at the Buffalo 28 with 43 seconds left in regulation, but Vinatieri's 43-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide left.

"I'm so disappointed and sick for these guys. They played their butts off, they played their hearts out and they deserved better," Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said. "End of the game, that's on me. We should've won that thing. I've got to get the ball on the right hash for Vinnie."

The weather affected nearly every aspect of play. The passing game was minimized. Runners struggled to gain footing. Placekicking was a challenge that required several players to clear the turf before an attempt. Punts landed softly in the snow.

More than two dozen stadium workers scrambled to clear hash marks and yard lines during breaks in play. Moments later, the field was again blanketed in snow. There was little to no visibility of the scoreboard and play clocks throughout the first quarter.

"It was crazy," Brissett said. "I never played in this in my life or played in the snow. Every time it snowed, I was in the house. It was definitely a different experience."

Brissett did not throw his first pass until six minutes remained in the second quarter after 17 running plays.

Both teams trudged through the snow and failed to sustain drives for much of the first half before Peterman led the Bills 80 yards late in the second quarter. Benjamin made a leaping 21-yard reception along the sideline, then caught an 8-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone to give the Bills a 7-0 lead 27 seconds before halftime.

Snowfall was heaviest in the first quarter when Vinatieri missed badly on a 33-yard field-goal attempt.

"The only makes were the ones that had timeouts so you could clear some of that snow off and get a little bit better footing," Vinatieri said.

NOTES: Bills QB Tyrod Taylor was inactive after he was limited in practice during the week and listed as questionable with a bruised knee sustained in last week's loss to the New England Patriots. ... Colts C Ryan Kelly missed his second straight game with a concussion. ... Bills WR Kelvin Benjamin aggravated a right knee injury that had kept him out of the past two games, but was able to return.

Titans rally to beat Colts 20-16, snap losing streak at Indy

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry took it personally when Tennessee started slowly Sunday.

The two running backs made sure they finished with a flurry.

Henry delivered the body blows with five strong runs midway through the fourth quarter and Murray finally punched it in from 1 yard with 5:59 left, giving the Titans a 20-16 win and their first victory in 10 tries at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Derrick came in and made some good runs," Marcus Mariota said. "When you have a front like we do and you can lean on those guys, it's huge. Their abilities and the way they can dominate the line of scrimmage is huge."

This was far from a dominant performance, though.

The Titans (7-4) finished with 276 total yards, and the first half was a debacle.

Mariota was picked off twice, the league's No. 12 rushing offense produced 9 yards on 11 carries, and all Tennessee could muster was two field goals.

During a 30-minute stretch, from late in the first quarter till late in the third, the Titans managed just one first down. And for the second straight game against the Colts (3-8), Tennessee trailed by 10 in the third quarter.

But the defense came up with eight sacks, the key fumble recovery late in the third quarter and kept it close enough to let the Murray-Henry combination to make a difference late.

All those shots eventually wore down Indy's defense — as it did six weeks earlier in Nashville when the Titans snapped an 11-game losing streak in the series.

This time, Tennessee got its first season sweep since 2002 and its first win since the Colts' stadium opened in 2008 . And now they have their best 11-game record since going 10-1 in 2008, a share of the AFC South lead with Jacksonville, and the current tiebreaker courtesy of a 37-16 road win over the Jaguars in Week 2.

"They did an outstanding job of stuffing us," coach Mike Mularkey said, referring to the Colts' run defense. "We came in at halftime and made some adjustments. The guys took it personally that we didn't run the ball very well and it helped win the game for us."

The Colts have lost three straight at home and five of six overall in frustratingly familiar fashion.

They took a 13-6 lead on Frank Gore's 14-yard run late in the first half and extended the lead to 16-6 on Adam Vinatieri's 42-yard field goal with 6:05 left in the third.

Then things slipped away.

Rookie running back Marlon Mack lost the ball on a pitch and Kevin Byard recovered the ball at the Colts' 4-yard line. After an offside penalty moved the ball to the 2, Mariota connected with Delanie Walker in the corner of the end zone to cut the deficit to 16-13 with 1:50 left.

Indy only picked up only one more first down.

"These are 60-minute ballgames. They are not 30 minutes; they are not 45 minutes. They are 60-minute games," coach Chuck Pagano said. "Plenty of opportunities to put that team away, we didn't take advantage of those opportunities."

Instead Murray and Henry handled the ball on 13 of the Titans' last 15 plays, including the TD run, before Mariota dropped to his knee three straight times to close it out.

KEY NUMBERS

Titans: Tennessee ran 28 times for 92 yards. ... Mariota was 17 of 25 for 184 yards with one TD. ... The Titans came up one sack short of matching the franchise record, which had been achieved twice previously, most recently in 1971 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Colts: Frank Gore ran 17 times for 62 yards and one touchdown, the 77th of his career to tie Tony Dorsett for No. 22 on the league's career list. ... Tight end Jack Doyle had seven catches for 94 yards. ... The Colts have blown double-digit second-half leads four times this season. ... Indy has allowed 47 sacks this season, three more than it gave up all of last season.

INJURIES

Titans: Receiver Rishard Mathews missed the game with a hamstring injury. Walker, left tackle Taylor Lewan and linebacker Jayon Brown all left briefly but returned. Safety Da'Norris Searcy hurt his ankle in the second half and did not return. Mularkey said he believes it's not serious.

Colts: Cornerback Rashaan Melvin left after injuring his hand on the first Mariota interception and did not return after having an X-ray. Starting center Ryan Kelly was held out in the second half because of a concussion.

THEY SAID IT

Titans: "If you want to win the division, you have to win the division games, especially on the road," Mularkey said.

Colts: "I just took my eye off the ball," Mack said of the fumble. "I should have just locked in and squeezed it in tight."

UP NEXT

Titans: Continue their AFC march by hosting Houston next Sunday.

Colts: Can even the season series at Jacksonville next Sunday.

Hilton's 2 scores lead Colts over Texans 20-14

By KRISTIE RIEKEN
Associated Press

HOUSTON (AP) — An almost-empty bottle of purple Pedialyte sat in T.Y. Hilton's locker after Sunday's game, a tangible reminder that the receiver hasn't been feeling well this week.

While the children's illness remedy helped him feel better before the game, the best cure for his ailment came in the form of the Texans, a team he's had plenty of success against.

Hilton had 175 yards receiving with two touchdowns to help the Indianapolis Colts halt a three-game skid with a 20-14 win over a Houston team that struggled without Deshaun Watson.

Hilton continued his dominance against the Texans to allow the Colts (3-6) to avoid their first four-game losing streak under coach Chuck Pagano. He has 1,117 yards receiving and nine touchdowns in 11 games against Houston. He's been particularly good in Houston where he's caught seven of those touchdowns.

"It's just crazy," he said. "Maybe I just love playing here."

Hilton broke out of a tough three games where he'd managed just 61 yards receiving combined.

"It's hard and it can become frustrating. Great players want the ball," Pagano said. "He's a guy that wants the football and we're doing everything we can to get the ball to our playmakers."

Jacoby Brissett threw for 308 yards filling in for Andrew Luck, who was placed on injured reserve on Thursday and will miss the season after having shoulder surgery in January.

Watson's stellar season also ended that day when the rookie tore the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees in practice.

Tom Savage, who was benched in the opener for Watson, couldn't move the offense for most of the game, but threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to get Houston within 20-14.

The Texans had a chance to win it late, but Savage was sacked by Jabaal Sheard and fumbled as time ran out to secure the victory.

"It's probably the most frustrating game of my life," Savage said. "It's one of those deals where you just weren't making the throws. Guys were open and I'm not going to give you the politically correct answer and say blah, blah, blah and we can do better. I've got to make the throws."

With Watson running the offense, the Texans (3-5) had set a franchise record by scoring 30 or more points in five straight games.

His development had given the team hope that they could finish strong and contend for a third straight postseason berth despite losing J.J. Watt to a season-ending injury for a second straight year.

On Sunday, with Watson relegated to an extra coach on the bench, this Houston offense sputtered.

Houston got a touchdown on a fumble return in the second quarter, but the offense didn't score until a 34-yard reception by DeAndre Hopkins with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter that made it 20-14.

It was the first touchdown pass for Savage, who made the fourth start of his career on Sunday. He finished 19 of 44 for 219 yards.

Hilton gave the Colts an early lead on Sunday when he hauled in a 45-yard touchdown reception on their first drive.

Houston's Ka'imi Fairbairn missed his first field goal of the season on a 39-yard attempt early in the second quarter.

Adam Vinatieri, who moved past Gary Anderson for second on the NFL's career scoring list on Sunday with 2,442 points, added a 22-yard field goal for the Colts to make it 10-0 in the second.

Houston got on the board near the end of the second quarter when Eddie Pleasant sacked Brissett and forced a fumble which Lamarr Houston returned 34 yards to cut the lead to 10-7 at halftime.

Hilton's second touchdown came when he took a short pass and dashed 80 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-7 in the third quarter. He jumped over Kareem Jackson to avoid his tackle and fell to the turf around the 32-yard line on the run. ButJackson didn't touch him , so Hilton got up and ran into the end zone with no Texan following him because they all thought he was down by contact.

Houston challenged the play, but it was upheld.

GRIFFIN INJURED: Houston TE Ryan Griffin sustained a concussion in the third quarter. It's his second concussion this season.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Former President George H.W. Bush was on the field for the coin toss as part of Houston's salute to service day honoring members of the military. The Texans alsowelcomed Houston Astros George Springer, Chris Devenski, Joe Musgrove and Tyler White on the field between the first and second quarters to honor them for winning the first World Series in franchise history last week. Springer, the MVP of the World Series, drew a huge round of applause when he hoisted the trophy above his head.

UP NEXT

Colts: Host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Texans: Visit the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

Loss to Bengals has Colts feeling snake-bit

INDIANAPOLIS -- After playing perhaps the best overall game of the season and still coming away with a defeat, the Indianapolis Colts look to regroup and begin preparations for a trip to Houston.

The Colts pretty much did everything right except win Sunday at Cincinnati. It took a 16-yard interception return for a touchdown by Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap with 6:58 remaining in the fourth quarter to seal a come-from-behind 24-23 victory.

Indianapolis' offense moved the ball about as well as it has all season, rolling up 331 total yards and 19 first downs. The Colts defense did a pretty good job at stopping the Cincinnati run game and keeping the ball away from star wide receiver A.J. Green for most of the day.

"Felt we played well, especially on defense, but lost. Stopped the run, pressured the quarterback and got a takeaway," head coach Chuck Pagano said in review on Monday.

But despite all the positives, Pagano's crew is still looking at a 2-6 record and a three-game losing streak.

It's the first three-game losing streak for the Colts since 2015 and the first time Indianapolis has only won two of its first eight games since the 2011 season.

Moving forward, Indianapolis is now left to try and find a way to dig itself out of a deep hole.

First up is the AFC South rival Texans this week. After that is a home game against Pittsburgh.

Houston will bring a 3-4 record into its matchup with the Colts. But it's a team that looks like it has found itself a franchise quarterback in rookie Deshaun Watson.

"Another day at the office," the Indianapolis coach said half-jokingly Monday when asked about facing the up-tempo Texans' offense.

"Watson's gonna be a great player. He's good player now and going to be a challenge," Pagano previewed. "He's got it all."

--Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has caught five passes for 61 yards in his last three games, all Colts losses. He was only targeted twice in the fourth quarter of the Cincinnati game Sunday.

--Tight end Jack Doyle had a career day vs. the Bengals, hauling in 12 passes for 121 yards.

--Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is adamant about what his team has to do with a 2-6 record with a road game at AFC South rival Houston coming up this week.

"You stay together and you work and you fight and you keep going," Pagano stressed after the game. "We signed up for 16 of these."

--Kicker Adam Vinatieri keeps moving up the NFL record chart. Vinatieri, playing in his 22nd season at the age of 44, is now tied for second in NFL history with 2,434 points. What's his secret?

"Good genes. And he's Italian. Phenomenal," head coach Chuck Pagano said Monday.

NOTES: QB Andrew Luck (right shoulder) will not practice this week and will not be available to play at Houston on Sunday. Luck is slated to get a second opinion on his shoulder after suffering shoulder soreness two weeks ago. He had done light on-field work prior to that. Luck received a cortisone shot last week. "We're going to exhaust all resources. It's long term, next 10 to 12 years for this guy. Going to make sure he's right," head coach Chuck Pagano explained Monday. "We're just trying to get him healthy." ... OLB Barkevious Mingo had his best day as a Colts player in the loss to the Bengals. Mingo recorded five tackles with a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble. He was filling in for injured starter John Simon. "Mingo used leverage, length. He's very athletic and nimble. Really productive in the Cincinnati game," head coach Chuck Pagano said on Monday. ... Rookie OLB Tarell Basham saw his first extensive playing time against the Bengals Sunday. Basham had a pair of tackles, including his first NFL quarterback sack and added two quarterback hurries. "It takes time for everybody. Just continues to work. And he played well on special teams," head coach Chuck Pagano said Monday. ... CB Rashaan Melvin (concussion) remains in the league's protocol process. He is hopeful of getting cleared to return to practice this week, but no decisions have been made as of yet. ... Rookie CB Quincy Wilson (knee) tweaked a previously injured knee during practice late last week. Wilson was a pregame inactive at Cincinnati Sunday. He had been a healthy inactive for the previous two games. ...

ILB Anthony Walker (hamstring) was a pregame inactive against the Bengals Sunday. Walker saw full practice late last week after missing the previous two games. ... OLB John Simon (stinger) did not play against Cincinnati Sunday. He was hurt a week earlier vs. Jacksonville. Simon is listed as week-to-week as the coaching staff hopes to hear more from medical personnel this week. His status for the Houston game won't be updated until Friday. ... TE Erik Swoope (knee) is "making progress" towards a return to the active roster. Head coach Chuck Pagano would not put a timeline on when Swoope could resume practicing with the team. He has been on the injured reserve list since the start of the regular season.

REPORT CARD VS. BENGALS

--PASSING OFFENSE: B - QB Jacoby Brissett played relatively well against Cincinnati, competing 25-of-39 passes for 233 yards and TD passes to TE Jack Doyle and rookie RB Marlon Mack. Brissett was sacked four times. His only mistake in the game was a mid-fourth quarter pick-six that scored the game-winner for the Bengals. Cincinnati DE Carlos Dunlap made a great play to tip and then intercept the ball. Doyle had a career day with 12 catches for 121 yards.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: B - RB Frank Gore played as well as he has in his time with Indianapolis. Gore rushed 16 times for 82 yards and had a gaudy 5.1 per rush average in the game. Rookie RB Marlon Mack added 11 carries for 27 yards. Indianapolis averaged 4.1 yards per rushing play.

--PASS DEFENSE: B - Bengals QB Andy Dalton connected on 17-of-29 passes for 243 yards and touchdowns to WR A.J. Green and rookie WR Josh Malone. The coverage on Green, though, was pretty good for the entire game. He was limited to three catches on eight total targets for 27 yards. TE Tyler Kroft had five receptions for 46 yards while WR Brandon LaFell added four catches for 44 yards. Rookie RB Joe Mixon had 91 yards receiving on three catches, but 67 of those yards came on a screen pass.

--RUSH DEFENSE: A - Mixon had 18 yards in 11 carries to lead Cincinnati. The Bengals rushed the football 21 times for 58 total yards. That's 2.8 yards per carry. Just a strong overall performance by an Indianapolis run defense that had come into the game ranked 26th in the league.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: B-plus - K Adam Vinatieri was 3-for-3 in field goals, hitting from 29, 33 and 29 yards. Rookie P Rigoberto Sanchez punted four times, had one blocked and averaged 45.8 yards overall. His net average was 30.8 yards. Sanchez also had three touchbacks on kickoffs. Rookie RB Marlon Mack averaged 17.5 yards on two kickoff returns. Indianapolis DE Henry Anderson blocked a field-goal attempt and the Colts forced two fumbles on punt return coverage, recovering one.

--COACHING: B-minus - Head coach Chuck Pagano is frustrated, just like his players, as the Colts find themselves with a 2-6 record. For the team to play as well for four quarters against the Bengals and then lose late was hard to figure out. But credit Pagano and his coaching staff for having the team prepared. It was probably the best overall effort of the season in all areas. One great play by a Bengals defender with the game on the line, however, sent Indianapolis home with a tough loss.

Bortles, Jaguars' D sacks Colts 27-0 to stay atop division

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Blake Bortles set up the Indianapolis Colts with a curveball Sunday. The Jaguars' dominant defense finished it off with a rare shutout.

With feature back Leonard Fournette inactive, Bortles threw for a season-high 330 yards and one touchdown and the defense tied a franchise record with 10 sacks in a 27-0 drubbing at Indy.

"We obviously were able to get to their quarterback. The guys played well, guys were ready to step up," coach Doug Marrone said.

Under the circumstances, the Jaguars (4-3) couldn't have scripted a better combination.

They spent the week fine-tuning their deep throws, and it worked perfectly. Bortles completed first-half passes of 52, 50 and 45 yards, all longer than his previous season best of 35 yards. He wound up 18 of 26 and finished with a rating of 124.7, the fourth-highest of his career.

T.J. Yeldon, who helped fill in for the injured Fournette, ran nine times for 122 yards, including a 58-yard scoring run late in the third quarter that sealed Indy's fate. Jacksonville finished with 188 yards rushing.

And Bortles enjoyed the change of pace.

"Hopefully they keep stacking the box so we can keep doing that (throwing long). It's a little bit more fun as a quarterback to throw than to hand it off," he said. "But as long as we're winning, that's irrelevant. We'll do whatever the defense shows us and play off of that."

As usual, the Jags' defense was almost impenetrable.

While Jacksonville didn't add to its league-leading takeaway total, it matched the 10 sacks it had against Houston in the season opener, and the Jags got their first shutout since a 41-0 victory over the New York Jets on Oct. 8, 2006.

Strangely, Indy was shut out for the first time since a 41-0 loss to the Jets in a playoff game on Jan. 4, 2003.

The Colts (2-5) had their only serious scoring chance snuffed out on a botched fourth-and-2 quarterback sneak at the Jaguars 6-yard line.

"This one falls squarely on my shoulders," coach Chuck Pagano said after Indy's second straight loss. "Obviously, I didn't have this team prepared and ready to go."

It was never even close.

Bortles led Jacksonville to scores on its first two possessions — getting a 1-yard run from Chris Ivory to cap the first drive and finishing the second with a nifty 5-yard TD pass to Marcedes Lewis — for a 14-0 lead. He set up new kicker Josh Lambo for two second-quarter field goals to make it 20-0.

The Jaguars snapped a four-game losing streak at Lucas Oil Stadium.

KEY NUMBERS:

Jaguars: Jacksonville joined the 1984 Chicago Bears and 1967 Oakland Raiders as the only teams to record 10 or more sacks twice in the same season. The Jags converted its first five third-down chances and had 518 yards in total offense compared with 232 for the Colts. ... Allen Hurns caught five passes for 101 yards. .. Calais Campbell was credited with two sacks, giving him a career high 10 this season.

Colts: Quarterback Jacoby Brissett was 22 of 37 for 200 yards. ... Frank Gore carried nine times for 34 yards, moving within four attempts of passing Barry Sanders (3,062) for No. 6 on the NFL's career list. ... T.Y. Hilton caught two passes for 27 yards after having one catch in Monday night's loss at Tennessee. The 10 sacks are the most in the Colts' Indianapolis era. ... It marked the first time Indy was shut out in a regular-season game since Dec. 26, 1993, against New England, ending the third-longest streak without a shutout in league history at 375 games.

INJURIES

Jaguars: Fournettte sat out with a sprained right ankle and starting center Brandon Linder was inactive with an illness. Left tackle Cam Robinson did not return after injuring his left ankle on the second play of the game. Marrone didn't have an immediate update after the game.

Colts: Indy lost three defensive starters — cornerback Rashaan Melvin (concussion), inside linebacker John Simon (stinger), safety Malik Hooker (right knee) in the first half. None of the three returned. Starting center Ryan Kelly (hamstring) left in the in the second half and also did not return. Hooker is scheduled to have an MRI done on the knee after he refused to get on the golf cart before halftime.

THEY SAID IT

Jaguars: "I've never really even thought about it. The W's is all I care about, getting that W. When you get sacks along the way, it all helps." — Campbell, referring to their second 10-sack day of the season.

Colts: "There's something wrong with us? People lose all the time. We have to play another day." — Brissett.

UP NEXT

Jaguars: Host Cincinnati on Nov. 5 after getting a bye next week.

Colts: Will try to snap a two-game losing streak when they visit Cincinnati next weekend.

Finally! Titans end 11-game skid to Colts with 36-22 win

By TERESA M. WALKER
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Marcus Mariota shuffled around the pocket, carefully protecting a strained left hamstring that already cost him one game this season.

So the quarterback known for his legs showed off his arm.

Mariota threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Taywan Taylor with 5:29 left , and the Tennessee Titans beat the Indianapolis Colts 36-22 on Monday night to snap an 11-game skid tied for the NFL's longest active losing streak against one team.

Titans coach Mike Mularkey said Mariota followed their instructions, doing whatever he could to lessen the risk of further injury.

"He's as tough as I've been around and made some throws that were, obviously that one to Taywan was a big throw," Mularkey said. "It was a real big throw. I mean he did. He played well."

Mariota was 23 for 32 for a season-high 306 yards. He completed each of his three passes on the drive that ended with Taylor's tiebreaking score.

The Titans (3-3) stopped a two-game slide and moved into a tie for the AFC South lead with Jacksonville and Houston.

Jacoby Brissett tried to rally the Colts (2-4) to a second straight overtime. But Titans linebacker Wesley Woodyard forced Brissett out of bounds shy of the first-down marker on fourth-and-inches with 2:19 left before going toward midfield to celebrate.

Coach Chuck Pagano lost his challenge of the spot and said he wouldn't blame officials.

"Disappointing to say the least," Pagano said. "Got to play 60 minutes. It's a recurring thing I know that."

The Titans were pleased to put their skid against the Colts behind them.

"We feel like every game's a must-win, but this was definitely a must-win, especially with the 11-game streak on the line," Woodyard said. "We came in and answered the call."

Derrick Henry clinched the win for Tennessee with a 72-yard TD run with 47 seconds left. Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, finished with a career-high 131 yards on 19 carries. DeMarco Murray also scored.

The Titans looked like the NFL's worst scoring defense in the first half instead of Indianapolis, with Brissett directing the Colts to a 13-9 halftime lead. John Simon then intercepted Mariota's first pass of the third quarter and returned it 26 yards for a TD.

But the Titans forced the Colts to go three-and-out on three of their first four drives of the second half, and Avery Williamson stripped tight end Jack Doyle of the ball after a catch.

QUOTABLE

"It's a long season," Mariota said. "You're going to have to play with some sort of nick or ding. I'm just really happy for the guys. I mean they did a great job of putting protection up front."

NFL KICKING RECORD

Tennessee kicker Ryan Succop went 5 for 5 to break the NFL record for most consecutive successful field goals inside of 50 yards. He connected from 48, 32 and 40 yards in the first half and then hit from 23 and 48 yards in the third.

Succop began the day tied with Matt Bryant, who connected on 46 straight field goals inside 50 yards between 2013 and 2015 for the Atlanta Falcons.

Adam Vinatieri, the Colts' accomplished kicker, got three field goals himself, including a 52-yarder. But he missed an extra point off the left upright.

PRIME-TIME UNITY

The Colts' team message got a prime-time audience with outside linebacker Jabaal Sheard wearing a black T-shirt with the message "We Will" over his jersey during the coin toss. On the back were the words "Stand For: Equality Justice Unity Respect Dialogue Opportunity."

The Colts have been wearing these T-shirts during pregame warmups for the last couple of weeks.

A handful of Titans, including defensive lineman Jurrell Casey, raised a fist into the air after the national anthem ended. Wide receiver Rishard Matthews stayed off the field during the anthem for a third straight game.

INJURIES

Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan strained an abdominal muscle. ... Colts cornerback Rashaan Melvin went to the sideline during an injury timeout in the second quarter but returned to the game. ... Colts running back Robert Turbin was escorted to the locker room after a catch and run for 9 yards with 2:30 left. Pagano said Turbin will get an MRI exam on his elbow.

CLEVELAND'S TURN

The Colts' 11-game win streak had been tied with Denver for the longest active streak in the NFL. Now Denver stands alone with its 11-game streak over Cleveland, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

UP NEXT

Colts: Host Jacksonville.

Titans: Visit winless Browns.

___

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___

Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

Seahawks use huge 2nd-half surge to rout Colts 46-18

By TIM BOOTH
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — It took a trio of relative unknowns to wake up the Seattle Seahawks.

J.D. McKissic took the second carry of his career 30 yards for a touchdown and Bobby Wagner scooped up Marcus Smith's forced fumble and rumbled 21 yards for a score in a 13-second span late in the third quarter, and the Seahawks beat the Indianapolis Colts 46-18 on Sunday night.

Justin Coleman added a 28-yard interception return for a TD in the first half and Seattle overcame a sleepy first 30 minutes from its offense to finally put away the Colts.

"It was a terrific night. It just took us a while again. ... We finally got going," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

McKissic was once cut by Atlanta, but his athleticism earned him a spot in Seattle. Coleman was deemed expendable by New England and was acquired in a trade just before the start of the regular season. And Smith, who finished with 1 1/2 sacks, was a former first-round pick who was a bust with Philadelphia.

Their big plays turned boos that cascaded down at halftime with Seattle trailing 15-10 into cheers in a hurry. CenturyLink Field was left shaking after Wagner scooped up Smith's forced fumble against quarterback Jacoby Brissett and weaved through tacklers for Seattle's second defensive score and a 32-18 lead.

Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions, but his most important play was a 23-yard run in the third quarter to give Seattle an 18-15 lead. Adam Vinatieri pulled the Colts even at 18 as the Colts capitalized on Wilson's second interception. Graham dropped a catchable pass and it was intercepted by Malik Hooker , his third straight game with an interception.

But Seattle answered with a 75-yard drive that was capped by McKissic's touchdown sprint. Wilson added TD passes of 6 yards to Luke Willson and 27 yards to McKissic in the fourth quarter and the Seahawks outscored Indianapolis 36-3 in the second half.

"It's the same thing that always happens. Slow start out of the gate and for whatever reason we pick it up the third and fourth quarter," Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin said.

Seattle's win came appeared to come with a big blow in the final minutes when starting running back Chris Carson sustained a left leg injury. Trainers immediately placed an air cast on Carson's leg and he was carted off the field. Carroll said Carson's injury was significant.

Brissett threw an 18-yard strike to Donte Moncrief late in the first half to give the Colts the lead. Brissett was 16 of 29 for 157 yards and was sacked three times. The biggest play turned out to be Smith's sack, knocking the ball from Brissett's hands just before his arm moved forward as Seattle suddenly took a 14-point lead.

"They just outplayed us big time in the second half. We didn't do a good job of adjusting. That's on me," Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano said. "We're a lot better than that, but it's going to be the same old song and dance if we don't get things cleaned up."

RECORD WATCH

Frank Gore finished with 46 yards rushing, leaving him 4 yards short of passing Eric Dickerson for seventh on the career rushing list.

RETIREMENT CEREMONY

New Hall of Famer Kenny Easley had his No. 45 retired by the Seahawks at halftime. Easley is the fourth player and the fifth number overall retired by the franchise, an honor held specifically for those players elected to the Hall of Fame. The Seahawks also have the No. 12 retired in honor of the fans.

Easley was the senior committee selection for induction to the Hall of Fame this year.

INJURIES:

Colts: Center Deysahawn Boyd, already filling in for injured starter Ryan Kelly, was hurt on the second play of the game and did not return. Boyd suffered a knee injury. Adam Redmond took over for Boyd.

Seahawks: Defensive end Cliff Avril left in the first half with a neck injury and did not return. Avril appeared to lose feeling in his hands. He tweeted later that he was OK. Nickel cornerback Jeremy Lane was lost on the first drive of the game to a groin injury.

UP NEXT

Colts: Indianapolis faces another NFC West opponent, hosting San Francisco.

Seahawks: Seattle plays its second NFC West game of the season, traveling to the Los Angeles Rams.

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Rams, Colts lack key players for opener

Stats, LLC

(TSX / STATS) -- The Los Angeles Rams welcome the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in the season opener at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, with both teams cursing their misfortune.

For the Rams, a summer without defensive tackle Aaron Donald, one the NFL's top defensive players, has turned into a regular season with his absence continuing. A contract dispute between the parties lingers.

The Colts' season starts minus Andrew Luck, their star quarterback. A sore right shoulder that derailed his preseason will have him idle Sunday.

When either player will return is anyone's guess. What is clear is that the Rams, under new coach Sean McVay, are looking for improvement on last year's 4-12 record. It was their 12th consecutive losing season.

The Colts, playing in their first game in L.A. since 1991, look to rebound as well from an 8-8 mark that put coach Chuck Pagano on the hot seat. Pagano survived to enter his sixth season. Now he has to see if his team can stand tall without Luck.

Indianapolis will be without more than Luck. Center Ryan Kelly (foot) is out, and Vontae Davis (groin) the Colts' best defensive back, is down, too.

The Rams hope quarterback Jared Goff begins to reach expectations this season. Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 draft, went 0-7 last season and showed little development.

Even so, he is back under center and taking aim at an Indianapolis secondary, hoping year two, with an offensive-minded McVay orchestrating the plays, aids his advancement.

Goff threw for nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions last year.

The receiving corps got a boost with the addition of Sammy Watkins. He was acquired from the Buffalo Bills as the Rams attempt to build around Goff by supplying him with some weapons.

Watkins is a compelling complement to the versatile Tavon Austin. Austin accounted for 1,037 total yards and four touchdowns catching, rushing and returning the ball.

Austin was slowed by a hamstring during camp, but he appeared fit of late.

"He looks explosive, and he looks like the Tavon Austin that we're accustomed to seeing," McVay said.

Unlike Rams receivers Robert Woods, Watkins and Cooper Kupp, Austin also will be used out of the backfield.

"He knows how much we are going to need him," Goff said, "and how much he going to make a difference."

If Todd Gurley can supply the rushing yards, Goff's chances improve. Gurley is another Ram eager to wash away last year, and against a suspect Colts defense, he could roll.

Gurley rushed for 885 yards and six touchdowns last year.

If the Rams stall on offense, there are worse options than turning to Pro Bowl punter Johnny Hekker. He had the most punts inside the 20-yard line (46) in NFL history last season. Hekker also broke his NFL single-season net punting average (46.0 yards).

Indianapolis's quarterback will be Scott Tolzien, who will make his fourth career start. Like Goff, he is looking for his first NFL win.

Tolzien, a four-year pro, doesn't have a particularly big arm, but he is accurate and smart enough to run the Colts in Luck's stead. What he doesn't have is the ability to throw for 4,240 passing yards and 31 touchdowns, as Luck did last year.

"He's done a great job through spring and training camp of taking control of our offense," tight end Jack Doyle said.

T.Y. Hilton gives Tolzein an inviting target after he led the NFL in receiving yards (1,448) last year.

Tolzien would love to lean on a running game to set up his play-action opportunities. He will look to ageless Frank Gore, after he gave Indianapolis its first 1,000-yard rusher since Joseph Addai in 2007.

Veteran coordinator Wade Phillips, in his 39th NFL season, is newly in charge of the Rams' defense, which was ranked No. 9 last year. He switched it to a 3-4 alignment, but it may have problems minus the imposing Donald plugging holes.

Phillips is also eager to see how outside linebackers Robert Quinn and Mark Barron fit into the scheme. Neither played in the preseason.

The Rams own a 23-18-2 all-time record against the Colts and won the most recent meeting handily, 38-8 in 2013.

Colts C Kelly out indefinitely

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly will be sidelined indefinitely after he undergoes a medical procedure on his foot. Kelly was initially sidelined during the Colts' joint practices with Detroit last week and was held out of the Lions' preseason game last week. The injury was not thought to be serious at the time and he had been wearing a walking boot since incurring the injury. There is no timetable for his return although Kelly is expected to miss the start of the regular season.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the surgery is scheduled for Friday and will be to repair a bone defect in his foot.

"We put him in a boot roughly six, seven days ago and we wanted to give it a week. You always err on the side of caution and hope that if you immobilize that thing, it's going to get better. But that's not the case," head coach Chuck Pagano said after Thursday's practice.

"So, Ryan, unfortunately, is going to have to have surgery. We're hoping for a complete recovery on it, but he's going to have to miss some time. How much time, I don't know. I don't have a timetable yet. So, he'll go through that procedure and we'll see what happens."

Schefter also reported that Kelly could be sidelined from six to eight weeks.

--The Colts wrapped up the training camp portion of the preseason Thursday. After a light workout Friday, Indianapolis will play its second preseason game Saturday night in Dallas. The Colts lost 24-10 to Detroit in their preseason opener last Sunday.

--Injuries have hit the Colts hard during training camp and the preseason. The news came Thursday that second-year center Ryan Kelly will be sidelined indefinitely with a foot injury, joining wide receiver Donte' Moncrief, tight end Eric Swoope (knee), rookie safety Malik Hooker (first-round pick, shoulder) and wide receiver Chester Rogers (hamstring).

--Center Brian Schwenke, signed as a veteran free agent during the offseason, remains on the team's PUP list with a foot injury as does safety Clayton Geathers (neck) and quarterback Andrew Luck (shoulder). Schwenke is reportedly getting closer to returning to the practice field, according to head coach Chuck Pagano, but there is no timetable at the present time.

--The Indianapolis offense looked sloppy and inconsistent in the team's preseason opening loss to Detroit. Offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski knows time is running short to get things worked out before the start of the regular season.

"I'd like to see us clean up," Chudzinski said. "We had a very simple, basic game plan (for the Lions game) that was really just base stuff that we were running. We had a number of guys who were in here for two or three days going into that game and playing.

"I'd like to see growth from that perspective, of guys knowing what to do. It's not just knowing what to do, it's the how to do it. So being more efficient in that way and obviously cutting out some of the penalties and seeing the production show at the end of the day."

--Chudzinski was asked about the thinking going into the regular-season opener if Luck is not available to play. Will the Colts have to change things up in the playbook?

"We'll make those adjustments if that's the case down the road," he explained. "Every week we tailor (the offense) to the opponent, some to who may be playing, skill-wise, O-line wise, quarterback wise and all those type of things all go into it."

--Head coach Chuck Pagano likes what he's seen so far from veteran punter Jeff Locke and undrafted rookie long snapper Thomas Hennessy.

"Jeff punted the ball really well (against Detroit). He's done a great job. Pleased with where he's at," Pagano said.

"Thomas Hennessy did a great job snapping the football. For a rookie, it wasn't too big for him. Accuracy was great. Laces were great on the field goal and PAT try. So, we're happy with all those guys right now."

--The Colts reached injury settlements with wide receivers Chris Briggs and Tevaun Smith. Both players had been placed on the team's injured reserve list.

In other roster updates, Indianapolis signed free-agent wide receiver Justice Liggins and waived-injured running back Dalton Crossan. Liggins had been in camp with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

--Quarterback Scott Tolzien knows the Indianapolis offense struggled against Detroit in the preseason opener. The pressure is on Tolzien, who is currently the team's No. 1 quarterback with Andrew Luck still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. He was only in for 11 plays against the Lions, completing two of five passes for 24 yards.

"I think first and foremost, we didn't move the sticks," Tolzien reviewed. "Our job is to move the chains on offense and we didn't do that. So, we've got to get back to work and we've got to get better.

"All together, I think (there were) more negatives than positives. But you've got to use that as motivation. We've got a lot of strides to make on offense and we will do that. That's our job."

--Safety T.J. Green has been getting work at cornerback the last few days of training camp. The move comes as the Colts have been hit by injuries to several players in the secondary.

"We're missing some guys on the back end," head coach Chuck Pagano explained. "We've got a couple corners out and we've got a tall, fast guy (Green). He's a good football player. And at the end of the day, we're going to find the best four guys.

"T.J. is coming on. He's a big, physical guy. The game is starting to slow down for him. Again, the more that you can do, the better off we're going to be."

--Rookie safety Malik Hooker played fairly well in his NFL debut against Detroit last Sunday. The bad news, however, is that Hooker suffered an unspecified shoulder injury in the game and was held out of practice all week. His status for Saturday's night's second preseason game at Dallas is questionable. Hooker says that he hopes to return to practice next week.

"I'll be fine," he said after Thursday's workout.

--Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett returned to practice this week after missing work due to a hamstring issue. Dorsett is battling to be the Colts' No.3 or No. 4 receiver. He is expected to be available to play against Dallas on Saturday night. Dorsett sat out the Detroit game last Sunday.

--Wide receiver Chester Rogers incurred a hamstring injury in practice last Monday and missed the entire week of practice. While the injury is not considered to be serious, Rogers is not expected to play against the Cowboys Saturday night. He may be cleared to return to practice next week.

--Rookie running back Marlon Mack returned to practice this week after missing the Detroit game with a shoulder injury. Mack, who has gotten a lot of positive reviews during training camp, is slated to get his first NFL game time Saturday night at Dallas.

"Yeah, it's great to have him back out there," Pagano said. "We're excited to get him on the football field."

--Undrafted rookie wide receiver JoJo Natson has become a popular player in the Colts' training camp. Natson handled kickoff return duties in the team's preseason opener with Detroit. The reviews were mostly on the positive side.

"JoJo is fearless and he's a home-run hitter," head coach Chuck Pagano said of the 5-foot-7, 153-pound Akron product. "Our guys did a nice job blocking for him up front. We were an eyelash away from springing him on a couple (kickoffs). He's an explosive guy.

"He's a really good receiver and (has) made plays as a receiver. If he continues to progress and pick things up mentally and learn the playbook, he can be a multi-positional guy. Whether we just play him in the slot or he can do something outside and then the special teams value. It's going to give him a heck of a chance to make this football team. He's tougher than damn nails and they can't get a clean hit on him. His nickname is 'The Flea.' You can't touch 'The Flea.'"

Rudock helps Lions take advantage of Luckless Colts 24-10

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jake Rudock showed the Detroit Lions he could fill in for Matthew Stafford — if needed.

The Indianapolis Colts, meanwhile, are still looking for an answer behind Andrew Luck.

Rudock took advantage of the injury-depleted Colts by throwing two touchdown passes to Kenny Golladay, driving the Lions to a short field goal and leading them to a 24-10 victory in the preseason opener on Sunday.

"You can see the difference between last year and this year at this time," Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. "He has a better grasp of things around him. He's in command."

The second-year quarterback played most of the first 2½ quarters and wound up 13 of 21 for 142 yards. Stafford played one series, going 2 of 3 for 36 yards and left after throwing an interception.

Lynch sits during anthem in Raiders loss in Arizona

GLENDALE, Ariz.

All the Lions needed against the injury-depleted Colts was Rudock's 23-yard TD strike to Golladay in the first quarter.

But Rudock also threw a 15-yarder to Golladay in the second and set up Matt Prater for a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-3 at the half. Detroit closed out its scoring with a 15-yard TD pass from Brad Kaaya to Dontez Ford.

With Luck still on the physically unable to perform list following offseason surgery on a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, the Colts sputtered.

Indy finished with 230 total yards — 90 on its final drive — and 14 first downs. Their only points came from Adam Vinatieri's 42-yard field goal in the first half and a 1-yard TD plunge from Troymaine Pope as time ran out.

DEJA VU

For the second consecutive year, the Colts arrived for their preseason opener with a stadium in need of a little touch-up paint. But instead of having to cancel the game, like last year's Hall of Fame game, the field crew cordoned off two areas with the words "NFL Play Football" and fixed them. Team officials said the paint was too thick. A little less than two hours later, the kickoff was right on time.

SITTING OUT

In addition to Luck missing the game, Indy also played without center Ryan Kelly (foot), left guard Joe Haeg and running back Frank Gore. Among the Lions sitting out were left tackle Taylor Decker and defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, who are on PUP, and right guard T.J. Lang.

ROOKIE WATCH

Lions: Golladay, a third-round draft pick, made a good first impression with three catches for 53 yards, including two nifty scores. Teez Tabor wasn't bad, finishing with three tackles.

Colts: The knock on first-round draft pick Malik Hooker was that he missed too many tackles in college. Not Sunday. Hooker finished with four tackles in limited work and made a touchdown-saving shoestring tackle in the second quarter.

QB COMPARISON

Lions: Stafford was solid in his brief appearance, and Rudock impressed. Kaaya played well, too, going 8 of 11 with 71 yards with the TD.

Colts: Scott Tolzien was 2 of 5 for 24 yards and picked up only one first down in three series. Walker, an undrafted rookie from Temple, showed flashes while finishing 9 of 20 for 86 yards. Stephen Morris, who spent most of the past two years on Indy's practice squad, didn't enter until the fourth quarter and was 13 of 20 with 94 yards.

INJURY UPDATE

Lions: Defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr. did not return after being carted off the field with a lower left leg injury in the first quarter. The Lions also lost defensive end Brandon Copeland (shoulder) in the second half.

Colts: Linebackers Sean Spence and Deiontrez Mount both left with injured hamstrings and did not return.

QUOTABLE

Lions: "It makes you sick to your stomach when you see a guy like that go down," Golladay said when asked about Hyder. "I hope the kid's all right."

Colts: "There are a lot of things to clean up," Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. "We're going to grind it. We've got to make corrections."

UP NEXT

Lions: Host New York Jets on Saturday.

Colts: Visit Dallas on Saturday.

___

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Indianapolis Colts training camp capsule

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-8)

OPEN CAMP: July 29, Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, Indianapolis.

LAST YEAR: Statistically, Andrew Luck had best season of career. RB Frank Gore and K Adam Vinatieri continued moving up NFL’s career lists, and WR T.Y. Hilton led league in yards receiving. It still wasn’t enough to get Indy into playoffs. Owner Jim Irsay responded to Colts’ second straight playoff absence by retaining coach Chuck Pagano and firing GM Ryan Grigson in hopes of easing conflict inside team complex. Franchise sacks leader Robert Mathis retired, former Pro Bowlers Mike Adams and D’Qwell Jackson were released and team sacks leader Erik Walden walked away in free agency. Results: First-time GM Chris Ballard began transition to rebuild defense with younger, faster, less expensive players. Inexperienced offensive line struggled early, allowing Luck to be sacked career-high-tying 41 times in 15 games. It showed significant improvement over final month of season, enough to give Colts hope they may have solid unit to protect Luck.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: DT Johnathan Hankins, LB Jabaal Sheard, rookie S Malik Hooker, LB John Simon, NT Al Woods, rookie DE Tarell Basham, P Jeff Locke, LB Sean Spence, LB Barkevious Mingo.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: Mathis, Adams, Jackson, LB Erik Walden, P Pat McAfee, TE Dwayne Allen, CB Patrick Robinson.

CAMP NEEDS: As usual, Luck will be center of attention. This year’s big question: Will Luck throw at Colts’ first practice, July 30? If not, when? Luck attended team’s offseason workouts but was restricted because of surgery for partially torn labrum in throwing shoulder. It’s still unclear when he might return. Pagano and Colts have, understandably, played it safe with franchise QB; it’s doubtful they rush him back at camp even though they need him on field. If Luck isn’t ready, Scott Tolzien will take bulk of snaps. Colts also are seeking successor to Gore and more improvement from offensive line. Defensively, Indy is looking to fill six more starting spots. Training camp will be first real time for newcomers to get acclimated to second-year defensive coordinator Ted Monachino. Colts also are hoping Locke is adequate replacement for McAfee, Pro Bowl punter who handled kickoff duties. McAfee retired unexpectedly.

EXPECTATIONS: Making playoffs is annual expectation for Colts, and Irsay believes they should make postseason in 2017. If Luck is healthy, offensive line continues to improve and defense can finish in top half of NFL, Indy could make run at another AFC South crown. If not, Pagano faces uncertain fate in January.

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Irsay learning to be patient as Colts continue overhaul

By MICHAEL MAROT

AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jim Irsay is embarking on a balancing act.

Of course, the Indianapolis Colts team owner expects to win and win now. It's his natural mindset.

He also understands Andrew Luck needs time to recover from offseason shoulder surgery; new general manager Chris Ballard needs time to build a supporting cast capable of turning the Colts into an annual Super Bowl contender; and that this grand plan will require time to implement.

So, suddenly and strangely, Irsay finds himself preaching patience.

"I'd rather win two Lombardi (trophies) and endure several losing seasons than have one Lombardi and be in the playoffs every single year and never have a losing season for 10 years," he said after Ballard made Indy's final draft pick last weekend. "It's about greatness. It's about world championships."

Since his late father, Robert, bought the Los Angeles Rams and swapped franchises with the late Carroll Rosenbloom in 1972, the Colts have won exactly one Super Bowl. They've played in two.

Both came after Jim Irsay took control of the team in 1997, and both came with Peyton Manning behind center.

But the sweet taste of victory and the sour aftertaste of coming up short have only increased Irsay's craving for success.

Right now, the Colts appear nowhere near championship form, even with one of the best young quarterbacks in football.

After finishing 8-8 for the second straight year and missing the playoffs again, Irsay shook up the organization, firing general manager Ryan Grigson, hiring Ballard and essentially putting coach Chuck Pagano on notice that a third consecutive postseason absence could bring more changes.

"I hope Chuck can be our coach for many years to come," Irsay said in January. "He is our coach this year."

Pagano's contract runs through the 2019 season.

By the time the draft rolled around, though, Irsay touted a new public perspective, one that he'd already explained privately.

"That's what sold me when I came in the building, that it wasn't like, `OK, we're this close, we're on the doorstep of winning a Super Bowl,'" Ballard said last Saturday. "He understood where we were at and that to really do this thing right, we needed to have some patience."

Ballard has quickly overhauled Indy's biggest weakness, a long struggling defense .

He released the Colts' top tackler, D'Qwell Jackson, in February, and allowed sacks leader Erik Walden and former Pro Bowl safety Mike Adams to become free agents in March. The blueprint was to get bigger, better and younger on defense.

Ballard used free agency to search for productive, affordable players who would fit into Pagano's system and the Colts' locker room. He wound up signing eight veterans, then added six more defensive players in the draft. That gives the Colts a real possibility of plugging eight or nine new defensive starters into the opening day lineup Sept. 10 in Los Angeles.

Those who are still around know what must be done.

"I just want to set a great example and answer questions for those guys," said Vontae Davis, a 27-year-old cornerback who is now the longest-tenured defensive starter. "Just be somebody they can lean on. Mike Adams was that guy. He was the older guy of the group. Now it's me and Darius Butler, so we have to be the guys that keep the room together and be leaders and role models."

With so many changes, Irsay has been plotting a new, long-term strategy for the Colts. He knows Luck might not return to action until training camp opens. He's aware the defensive transformation probably won't happen overnight. So he's scaled back the Super Bowl talk that dominated the conversation two years ago and focused on more realistic immediate goals.

"Look, we're going into this thinking, `Hey, we're not sure how good we can be (this year), but we sure are looking to be playing in January,'" Irsay said. "That's our hope and I don't think that's unrealistic at all."

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Eagles win coin toss, pick 14th in Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles won a coin toss with the Indianapolis Colts on Friday to claim the No. 14 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

The Eagles hold the Minnesota Vikings' first-round selection, via the trade that brought quarterback Sam Bradford to Minnesota. The Vikings finished the season tied with the Colts for the No. 14 position in the draft order as both teams were 8-8 with identical strength-of-schedule ratings (.492), hence the need for the coin toss. As losers of the toss, the Colts will draft at No. 15.

Indianapolis Colts Running Back Frank Gore Named Winner of 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS RUNNING BACK FRANK GORE 

NAMED WINNER OF 2016 ART ROONEY SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD 

FRANK GORE of the Indianapolis Colts is the winner of the 2016 ART ROONEY SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD. The announcement of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award was made at NFL HONORS, a two-hour primetime awards special recognizing the NFL's best players, performances and plays from the 2016 season that will air nationally tonight at 8 PM ET/PT on FOX.

The award, which was founded in 2014 in honor of the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer ART ROONEY, SR, recognizes the NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of outstanding sportsmanship on the playing field, including fair play, respect for opponents and integrity in competition.

Gore will receive a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice.

A 12-year NFL veteran, Gore ranks eighth in NFL history with 13,065 rushing yards and is one of only five players in league annals with at least 13,000 rushing yards and 400 receptions in his career. Gore joined the Colts prior to the 2015 season after a 10-year stint with the San Francisco 49ers, where he rushed for a franchise record 11,073 yards and 64 touchdowns. A five-time Pro Bowler and 2006 AP All-Pro selection, he was a third-round draft choice of San Francisco in 2005.

The winner of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. Previous recipients of the award include LARRY FITZGERALD of the Arizona Cardinals (2014) and CHARLES WOODSON of the Oakland Raiders (2015).

Each NFL team nominated one of its players for the award, which recognizes players who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field. A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community selected eight finalists (four in the AFC; four in the NFC) from the 32 nominees. The panel of Legends Coordinators was comprised of WARRICK DUNN, CURTIS MARTIN, KARL MECKLENBURG and LEONARD WHEELER.  

The eight finalists were listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award when players voted on December 16, 2016. From the eight finalists, each team's players submitted a consensus vote of its choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team could not vote for its own player.

The finalists, featuring four players from each conference, were linebacker BRIAN CUSHING (Houston), Gore, tight end GREG OLSEN (Carolina), linebacker JULIUS PEPPERS (Green Bay), running back DARREN SPROLES (Philadelphia), tackle JOE STALEY (San Francisco), linebacker DE MARCUS WARE (Denver) and guard/tackle MARSHAL YANDA (Baltimore).

Colts hire Kansas City's Ballard as general manager

By MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is turning to another first-time general manager to get his franchise back on track.

Eight days after firing Ryan Grigson and conducting a week of interviews, Irsay hired former Kansas City Chiefs executive Chris Ballard.

The announcement came Sunday on the team's website.

"Chris has a solid reputation throughout the National Football League as a heavyweight executive and our extensive discussions with him confirmed that reputation," Irsay said in a statement released by the team. "He's a savvy, organized, and thorough talent evaluator, but beyond that, he's a terrific person our community will be proud of."

Ballard has never previously served as a team's top decision-maker, but he comes with a long history as a scout and front-office experience.

He was hired by the Chiefs in 2013 as the director of player personnel and was promoted to director of football operations under current GM John Dorsey in 2015.

Last season, the Chiefs earned the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs and they've been a consistent playoff contender despite not having a Pro Bowl quarterback.

Like Grigson, Ballard worked with coach Andy Reid. And like Grigson, the move comes after most teams had already announced offseason coaching and front office changes.

"I am so thankful to Mr. Irsay and his entire family for this opportunity to join the Colts organization," Ballard said. "I appreciate everyone who has been involved in the search process. I look forward to working with (coach) Chuck (Pagano) and his staff, the personnel staff, and all the outstanding Colts employees.

Irsay has already said he expects Pagano back on the sideline next season.

Ballard was chosen from a pool of six candidates, each of whom interviewed with Irsay during the week. Ballard reportedly was brought in for a second interview this weekend.

The former University of Wisconsin football player began his front office career as an area scout with the Chicago Bears. In 2012, he became the Bears' director of pro scouting. Kansas City hired him the next season, and he became a prime candidate around the league.

Ballard also was an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville from 1994-2000. He finished his college career as a student assistant for the Badgers after multiple knee injuries ended his playing career.

He now takes over a team that has missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons after going 8-8.

But he also now build a young, improving offense that includes one of the league's best young quarterbacks in Andrew Luck, a Pro Bowl receiver in T.Y. Hilton and a young offensive line that played its best football over the last month of the season.

What he still needs to do is come up with playmakers on a defense that could be in for a major offseason overhaul.

Robert Mathis, Indy's career sacks leader, is retiring, and last season's sacks leader, Erik Walden, could become an unrestricted free agent.

The team has not yet scheduled a formal introduction.

"He brings a wealth of knowledge and a ton of experience to the organization," Pagano said. "I'm looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and going to work alongside him."