Click here to see all recaps on a single page
| Other Week 1 Game Recaps | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUF at NE | CHI at GB | DAL at TB | DEN at CIN | DET at NO | JAX at IND | KC at BAL | MIA at ATL |
| MIN at CLE | NYJ at HOU | PHI at CAR | SD at OAK | SF at ARI | STL at SEA | TEN at PIT | WAS at NYG |
Week 1 Game Recap: Jacksonville Jaguars 12, Indianapolis Colts 14
Jacksonville Jaguars
| QB David Garrard, Pass: 14 - 28 - 122 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 14 - 0 |
Some of the blame for Garrard's poor day belongs at the feet of his rookie duo of offensive tackles, and some belongs to the receivers, but some has to be owned by Garrard himself. He didn't seem willing to test defense deep very often when he did have time, settling for short passes. Garrard was harassed a lot early and late in the game, and he also suffered a few key drops by receivers. He did escape a few times against steep odds, including one snap that should have been a safety, but Garrard was settling instead of attacking and playing his typical game manager style.
| RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 21 - 97 - 1, Rec: 5 - 26 - 0 (8 targets) |
No doubt about it, Jones-Drew was impressive, and his owners should feel like he was worth the very high pick they probably spent to get his services for the season. The problem is that MJD is basically the whole offense. He got four of the first five touches on the day. He was the only player to consistently convert first downs. MJD got the Jags only TD on a fourth down carry inside the 10 that he busted outside behind a Marcedes Lewis block. Jones-Drew got a ton of targets in the passing game, including a drop late in the fourth when he looked very weary. On that weariness - Jones-Drew took a lot of hard hits. It will be hard for him to hold up all year if he absorbs this much punishment in every game.
| RB Greg Jones, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) |
Jones got a few targets in the passing game, but the only RB carry that didn't go to MJD went to Montell Owens.
| RB Montell Owens, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 |
The special teams ace got the only non-MJD carry, but we wouldn't assume that he's the backup.
| WR Torry Holt, Rec: 3 - 47 - 0 (5 targets) |
Holt had one downfield catch, sliding to get under an underthrown ball by Garrard, and he had a few short catches, but Holt was well-covered all day, and clearly lacks his old separation ability. Between Garrard's safe style, the OTs inability to consistently create a good pocket, and Holt's age showing, it's going to be hard for Holt to be productive enough to trust in your lineup this year.
| WR Troy Williamson, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) |
It was not a triumphant return for Williamson. He had a quick slant catch, and then fell down when he was wide open on his other target.
| WR Nate Hughes, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) |
Hughes had two targets, including one near the end zone that was almost picked. There is opportunity to be had in the Jags WR corps, but Hughes did not step up and seize it on Sunday.
| WR Mike Sims-Walker (1 targets) |
Sims-Walker had one target at the goal line that should have been a TD, but it glanced off of his hands.
| TE Marcedes Lewis, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (6 targets) |
Lewis fell down clumsily after catching one of his three receptions, and ran a route too shallow on a third-down catch, but also looked good on the run on his one downfield catch. Lewis's block on MJD's TD run opened up the outside run lane for the little back, so his value as a blocker will keep Marcedes on the field, and he could get a larger role in the passing game going forward because the WR play was so poor in this game.
Indianapolis Colts
| QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 28 - 38 - 301 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - -4 - 0 |
Peyton was dissecting the defense just like he has throughout his career. No Marvin Harrison? No Anthony Gonzalez? No problem. Manning softened up the defense with lots of short throws to Addai, Clark, Collie, and Garcon, and then struck deep to Reggie Wayne when he was matched up with rookie Derek Cox. Manning had three downfield targets almost connect with Clark (2) and Wayne - he was close to 350, or even 400 yards. His interception was on a goal line fade that the rookie Cox read well, and another scoring opportunity was squandered when Joseph Addai fumbled in Jags territory, but Manning also had two ill-advised deep balls that could have been intercepted by Sean Considine. Manning did not stop throwing when the Colts were sitting on a two-point in the fourth quarter, a good sign that he'll be more aggressive without Tony Dungy in town.
| RB Joseph Addai, Rush: 17 - 42 - 1, Rec: 5 - 35 - 0 (6 targets) |
Addai had a workmanlike performance. He wasn't particularly quick or explosive, but he ran all of the plays exactly as designed and got what was there, sometimes even getting a few yards after contact. He got all of the snaps for the first drive and a half, and he was on the field about 2/3 of the time compared to Donald Brown's 1/3. Addai got the goal line carries and easily scored on his TD because Jeff Saturday swung open the door for him. He did have a fumble that was more on him than a great defensive play, and he also dropped an easy reception, but Addai did his job, and contributed to the win.
| RB Donald Brown, Rush: 11 - 33 - 0, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (2 targets) |
Brown ran hard and looked comfortable in his debut, getting more yards after contact than Addai, and looking very good in his routes and when catching the ball as a receiver, but he failed to gain one yard in two shots to ice the game, so his chances of getting a goal line role might have lessened greatly for now. Still, he looked just as good in this offense as Addai did, and he threw a terrific downfield block to free Reggie Wayne on another key first down late, so the coaches have to be happy with the rookie.
| WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 10 - 162 - 1 (14 targets) |
Wayne took rookie Derek Cox to school all day, and he could have easily had 200 yards and multiple TDs if not for the one good play in coverage Cox did make, sniffing out a goal line fade and intercepting it. Wayne had a long TD, and another long catch from Manning, in addition to lots of short targets to keep the chains moving. Manning hit him deep on another play in the second half, but Wayne couldn't keep possession of the ball when he hit the ground. Wayne is clearly the biggest beneficiary of Gonzalez' injury - most of the game was played without Gonzalez, and it's no coincidence that Wayne got big target, catch and yard numbers.
| WR Pierre Garcon, Rec: 3 - 24 - 0 (5 targets) |
Garcon didn't have any big plays, but he is clearly a run after catch threat, and he also has some moves after the catch. He should get more snaps in the wake of Anthony Gonzalez injury as he is more experienced lining up outside in this offense. He's a solid waiver wire pickup in deep leagues.
| WR Austin Collie, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (3 targets) |
Collie was mainly used as an underneath receiver in intermediate down and distance combinations. His role will probably not increase too much in Gonzalez absence because he is best suited for the slot.
| WR Anthony Gonzalez |
Gonzalez didn't catch a pass, and he left the game with a non-contact injury. Early reports put him out for 2-6 weeks, but we are waiting for more definitive word after the Colts run more tests on his injured knee.
| TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 4 - 39 - 0 (6 targets) |
Clark's day seems pretty boring considering Gonzalez was out, but the box score conceals two targets downfield over the middle that Manning and Clark barely missed hooking up on, and a terrific day blocking for Clark, keying big plays for other players. Expect his numbers to go up in the coming weeks.
| TE Gijon Robinson, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) |
Robinson got an early target as a hot read and was not heard from again.
| TE Jacob Tamme, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
Tamme got an early target in the scripted section of the game and made a nice gain of it with an offensive lineman leading the way downfield. He looks better suited to take Dallas Clark's routes if he goes down than Gijon Robinson does.