Jacksonville @ Indianapolis preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 1, 2017 ) Jacksonville 20, Indianapolis 24

With Andrew Luck sidelined, possibly for the rest of the season, Jacoby Brissett remains under center as the Indianapolis Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC South Division contest on Sunday. The home team has won the last five meetings in the series, including last year's season finale when Luck's touchdown pass to Jack Doyle with nine seconds remaining provided the winning margin in a 24-20 decision.





With 1,209 yards passing, Brissett has played fairly well in Luck's stead, but the former Patriot backup has thrown just three touchdown passes on the season. The Colts have also coughed up three second-half leads and have fallen into last place in the division. Jacksonville hopes to have rookie sensation Leonard Fournette in the backfield for Sunday's game. Fournette left last week's 27-17 loss to the Rams in the second half after suffering a leg injury and he has missed two practices during the week.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Jaguars -3.5. O/U: 43.5.

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (3-3): Fournette is second in the league in rushing yards with 596, behind only Kareem Hunt's 630, and his six rushing touchdowns lead the NFL. If Fournette is unable to play, Chris Ivory (305 yards from scrimmage) would carry the bulk of the load for the Jags. Top receiver Marqise Lee (20 receptions, 291 yards) was also held out of practice during the week with a knee injury for the Jaguars, who rank 29th in the league in passing offense.
ABOUT THE COLTS (2-4): Luck's rehab from offseason shoulder surgery was halted during the week after the All-Pro experienced discomfort and his season seems to be over before it even started. The Colts also lost running back Robert Turbin for the rest of the season to an arm injury sustained in Monday night's 36-22 loss at Tennessee. Indianapolis led that game 19-9 in the third quarter, but its defense, which is ranked last in the NFL in allowing 32.5 points a game, wilted down the stretch once again.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Jacksonville, which ranks 31st in rushing defense (145.7 yards per game), replaced inconsistent kicker Jason Myers with Josh Lambo earlier in the week.
2. Colts WR T.Y. Hilton had just one reception last week and has scored only one touchdown on the season.

3. Jaguars QB Blake Bortles has thrown eight touchdown passes and five interceptions on the season and ranks 26th in the league in yards with 1,005.

PREDICTION: Colts 27, Jaguars 21