Jaguars-Colts Pre-Game Report

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COLTS PRE-GAME NOTES:

PLAYOFF SCENARIO UPDATE – Indianapolis still has a chance to reach the AFC's second or third playoff seed.  Here are needed scenarios:

With two scenarios for Indianapolis to reach the third seed, here is what is needed in week 17 to determine the sixth-seeded team that would be the Wild Card opponent:

Scenario #1 – COLTS win CIN win BUF win = 3

Scenario #2 – COLTS win BAL win NE win = 3

COLTS 2014 OPPONENTS SET – Home:  Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, New England.  Away:  Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York Giants, Dallas, Denver.

From 1984-present, the Colts have earned a 252-226 (.527) record, with 18 winning seasons, 16 playoff appearances and 13 10-win seasons.  The Colts have won 10 division titles in 30 seasons in Indianapolis.

1999-2013 NFL'S BEST RECORDS

Team(Playoff berths)       W-L-T

New England(11)*               170-69

COLTS(13)*                    161-78

Pittsburgh(8)                    148-90-1

Green Bay(9)                   146-92-1

Baltimore(9)                       142-97

Philadelphia(9)                 139-99-1

Denver(7)*                       136-103

Tennessee(6)                    131-108

NY Giants(7)                     129-110

Seattle(9)*                        128-111

New Orleans(5)                 127-112

San Diego(5)                     125-114

Chicago(4)                        124-115

Atlanta(6)                      120-118-1

NY Jets(6)                        120-119

Dallas(5)                          120-119

Minnesota(6)                  117-121-1

Miami(4)                           116-123

Tampa Bay(6)                   115-124

San Francisco(4)            113-125-1

Carolina(4)*                      113-126

Jacksonville(3)                  109-130

Kansas City(4)*                 109-130

St. Louis(5)                    107-131-1

Cincinnati(5)*                 105-133-1

Washington(4)                  104-135

Buffalo(1)                           99-140

Arizona(2)                          96-143

Oakland(3)                         94-145

Houston(2)                         79-112

Cleveland(1)                       77-162

Detroit(2)                           77-162

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*2013 playoff team (playoff berth total current)

The Colts opened the season with 19 new players on roster, with 10 of those players arriving through veteran free agency.  The total of new players now on the active roster totals 27.

The Colts were 9-1 in games decided by seven points or less last year, the most number of such games by a team in 2012.  Indianapolis has won 13 of its last 14 games decided by seven points or less, 5-1 in 2013.

The Colts did not lose consecutive games in 2013, marking the 10th such season in franchise history (1964, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1999, 2003, 2012, 2013) and only the third back-to-back seasonal performances in franchise history.

Chuck Pagano has joined Don Shula (1967-68) and Don McCafferty (1970-71) as the only Colts coaches to post consecutive seasons without back-to-back losses.

The Colts are 10-0 under Chuck Pagano in games following losses, with a 253-170 scoring margin in those wins, an 8.3-point margin per victory.

The Colts have played 30 straight games without consecutive losses to rank among the franchise best streaks.  Chuck Pagano has a 31-game streak without consecutive losses to rank among the all-time Colts head coaches, and he has set the franchise record to start a career, surpassing Don McCafferty (28, 1970-71).

Chuck Pagano has become the fifth Colts coach to earn playoff berths and have double-digit victory totals in the first two seasons with the club (Don McCafferty, 1970-71; Ted Marchibroda, 1974-75; Tony Dungy, 2002-03; Jim Caldwell, 2009-10).

The Colts are 47-4 since 1998 in games without a turnover.  Since 2000, the team is 44-3 in such outings.

The Colts have won their last 19 consecutive games when holding the lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Colts have only 14 turnovers in 2013, the fewest in the NFL, and the club's plus-11 ratio (25:14) ranks second in the AFC, tied for fourth in the NFL.

With 14 turnovers, the Colts are on pace to record the 9th season in franchise history with 30 or fewer.

The Colts have been penalized 64 times in 2013, the fewest infractions in the NFL.  The Colts' 566 penalty yards rank as the second-least in the NFL.

The Colts have 33 10-play drives.

The Colts have allowed only 59 points in the fourth quarter of games this year, tied for the fouth-fewest in the NFL.

The Colts are 6-1 this year when having 30-plus minutes of possession time.

Indianapolis topped 100 rushing yards in the first five games this year, tying the best starts to seasons achieved in 1984 and 1988.

Since 2012, the Colts are 13-0 in games with 30-plus rushes.  The Colts are only undefeated team in 30-plus-rushing games during that span.

With 10 100-plus rushing games in 2013, the Colts have tied the fifth-most in a season in the Indianapolis era (14, 1988; 12, 1985, 94; 11, 1984, 99; 10, 1987, 89, 2000, 01, 04-06).

The Colts are 25-1 since 1984 in games with three or more rushing touchdowns, including a streak of 24 straight wins.

The Colts had a four-game streak with at least 25 rushes per game and a 4.5 average to open the season, the first time the team has accomplished it in the Indianapolis era.

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In 2012, Andrew Luck (339-of-627 passing for 4,374 and 23 TDs) had six 300 games, the NFL rookie record and also set league rookie marks in attempts and yards. 

Luck (23) was one of a handful of rookie quarterbacks to throw 20 or more touchdown passes (26, Peyton Manning, 1998; 26, Russell Wilson, 2012; 22, Charlie Conerly, 1948; 21, Cam Newton, 2011; 20, Dan Marino, 1983; 20, Andy Dalton, 2011, 20, Robert Griffin III, 2012).

Luck took every snap in 2012 (1,109) and took the first 1,364 of his career before sitting down at Jacksonville on 9/29/13 with a 34-3 lead.  His 1,364 consecutive snaps rank among the best accomplished by Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks (1,631, Peyton Manning; 1,590, Manning (a career-opening total); 1,459, Manning; 1,400, Manning; 1,205, Manning; 1,088 Manning).

In 2012, Luck produced seven wins in fourth-quarter or overtime fashion, tying the NFL seasonal record done six other times, including in 1999 and 2009 by Manning.  His seven in a single season tied for the most by a veteran or rookie QB since at least 1970.  With his sixth comeback win, he snapped the record he shared with Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Vince Young (2006).  The comeback performances came against Minnesota, Green Bay, at Tennessee, Miami, at Detroit, vs. Tennessee and at Kansas City. 

The NFL post-merger record for rookie starting wins is 13 by Ben Roethlisberger in 2004.  Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco had 11 in 2008.  Luck and Russell Wilson had 11 in 2012, while Kyle Orton had 10 in 2005. 

Luck had his eighth fourth-quarter comeback win vs. Oakland 9/8/13, the most ever accomplished by an NFL QB in the first 17 games of a career.  He posted his ninth against Seattle 10/6/13, the most through the first 21 games by any QB drafted first overall that began a career since 1970.  He earned a 10th at Houston on 11/3/13.

With 10 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in the first two seasons of a career since 1970, Luck is the NFL leader in that category, ahead of Jake Plummer (9), Russell Wilson (8) and Peyton Manning (8).

With a record of 21-10 in his first 31 games, Luck reached 15 wins faster than any QB drafted first overall since 1970.  Through 20 games, he had been tied with John Elway (1983) with a 14-6 mark.  The most wins among QBs in their first two career seasons since 1970 are 23 by Russell Wilson, 22 by Ben Roethlisberger, 21 by Dan Marino, 21 by Luck and 20 by Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan.

Luck has 7,914 passing yards and the most accomplished through the first two seasons of a career in history are 7,920 by Cam Newton, 7,874 by Peyton Manning, 7,294 by Dan Marino, 7,067 by Andy Dalton and 7,049 by Drew Bledsoe.

Should Luck start the club's playoff game this year, he would place himself among other QBs who have opened playoff games in consecutive seasons to start a career in the Super Bowl era.  Should Baltimore qualify and Joe Flacco start, it would be a sixth straight year he has done so.  Dan Marino and Bernie Kosar rank second with three straight playoff years to open a career.  Cincinnati's Andy Dalton could join them should the Bengals qualify.  Luck and Seattle's Russell Wilson could join Shaun King, Ben Roethlisberger and Mark Sanchez with two straight playoff seasons to start a career.  **This is contingent on current players making playoffs, and starting the game. 

Luck (23 in 2012; 22 in 2013) has joined Dan Marino (20 in 1983; 48 in 1984), Peyton Manning (26 in 1998 and 1999), Andy Dalton (20 in 2011; 27 in 2012) and Russell Wilson (26 in 2012; 25 in 2013) as the only QBs to pass for at least 20 TDs in each of their first two seasons.

With 370 rushing yards, Luck has the second-highest seasonal total amassed by a Colts QB (441, Mike Pagel, 1983).

Luck had a career-best streak of 164 straight passes without an interception end vs. Miami 9/15/13.

Luck's 19t run vs. Oakland tied the 7th-longest ever done by a Colts QB (43t, George Taliaferro vs. Rams 11/22/53; 33t, Peyton Manning at Buffalo, 11/4/01; 32t, Bert Jones at NYJ 10/20/74; 29t, Chris Chandler vs. NYJ 11/6/88; 21t, George Shaw vs. SF 11/27/55; 20t, Marty Domres vs. NYJ 11/16/75; 19t, Jones at Buffalo 11/9/75).

Under Luck, the Colts have opened games three times with two TD drives – 10/21/12 vs. Cleveland; 11/18/12 at New England; 9/8/13 vs. Oakland.

With a TD pass vs. Miami 9/15/13, Luck had nine straight games with a scoring pass, but the streak ended at San Francisco.

Antoine Bethea had 11 tackles vs. Oakland, eight vs. Miami, six at San Francisco, five at Jacksonville, 10 vs. Seattle, eight at San Diego, nine vs. Denver, eight at Houston, five vs. St. Louis, four at Tennessee, eight at Arizona, seven vs. Tennessee, 17 at Cincinnati, eight vs. Houston and six at Kansas City and has 934 for his career.  Bethea is one of six Indianapolis Colts to top 700 career tackles (1,149 Jeff Herrod; 1,052, Duane Bickett; 785, Jason Belser; 754, Gary Brackett, 744, Eugene Daniel).

Bethea ranks first among active NFL safeties with 95 consecutive starts.

Kicker Adam Vinatieri has scored in the last 160 consecutive games in which he has played.  He has scored in 113 straight with the Colts and ranks just behind Mike Vanderjagt (118) for the longest franchise streaks. 

His 53-yard field goal with eight seconds left against Minnesota on 9/16/12 was the 24th game-winning kick of his career.

Since 1999, Vinatieri has hit 21-of-25 game-tying or go-ahead FGs in the last four minutes of a game, an 84 percent success rate.  He has made his last seven attempts in those situations, hitting from 23, 47, 51, 43, 50, 53 and 37 yards.

Vinatieri has hit field goals of 50-plus yards in 11 different seasons.

Vinatieri's 32 FGs are the highest seasonal total in his Colts career (2006-13), and he had 31 in 1998 and 2004 with New England.  Mike Vanderjagt (37, 2003; 34, 1999), Cary Blanchard (36, 1996; 32, 1997) and Raul Allegre (30, 1983) also have hit 30 in a season for the Colts.

Vinatieri has 537 career field goal attempts, 10th in NFL history (Jason Elam is ninth at 540). 

Vinatieri (836) is in second-place in Colts career scoring (995, Mike Vanderjagt; 783, Dean Biasucci; 778, Marvin Harrison).

Vinatieri has 1,158 points with New England and with 836 with the Colts, and he is one of only three players with 700-plus points with two different teams (Morten Andersen – 1,318 with New Orleans and 806 with Atlanta; John Carney – 1,076 with San Diego and 768 with New Orleans), and he and Andersen are the only players with 800-plus points with two teams.

Vinatieri (1,994) is tied for 7th in NFL career scoring (2,544, Morten Andersen; 2,434, Gary Anderson; 2,150, Jason Hanson; 2,062, John Carney; 2,004, Matt Stover; 2,002, George Blanda).

Vinatieri has 12 field goals from the 50 -range, third-most in club history (18, Dean Biasucci; 14, Mike Vanderjagt).

With 50- and 51-yard field goals at San Diego 10/14/13, Vinatieri joined Biasucci (9/25/88 vs. Miami) and Vanderjagt (11/24/02 at Denver) as Colts kickers with two 50-plus field goals in a game.

Vinatieri has 16 career 100-plus point seasons to tie Jason Elam for the most in NFL history.  He has six with the Colts, second to Mike Vanderjagt (8).  In 2012, Vinatieri passed Morten Andersen (14) and Gary Anderson (14) for the second-most 100-point seasons.

Vinatieri has hit his last 28 of his last 31 field goals and has hit 40 his last 43 inside of 50 yards.

Vinatieri was 5-for-5 FGs vs. Tennessee 12/1/13, his third career game going 5-for-5.  He tied a Colts record achieved seven other times in franchise history.  He joined Mike Vanderjagt (3 times), Lou Mchaels, Raul Allegre, Dean Biasucci and Cary Blanchard as Colts with five FGs in a game.

With four from the 40-yard range (47, 48, 45, 36, 49) in the Tennessee game, Vinatieri joined Shaun Suisham (twice), Morten Andersen, Rob Bironas, Nick Folk, Sebastian Janikowski, Joe Nedney, Neil Rackers and Josh Scobee to have that many from that range in one game.

Vinatieri has been to five Super Bowls, winning four, one appearance and victory shy of tying the all-time best records.  He has been to Super Bowls under three different QBs (Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning), and he is enjoying a good current run with Andrew Luck.

In 2012, linebacker Jerrell Freeman topped the club in tackles in each of the first seven games before the streak ended.  Freeman topped the team in tackles in 13 games.  Freeman (203) became the second Colts player in the Indianapolis era to have a 200-tackle season, and his total is the all-time best (200, Jeff Herrod, 1994; 192, Cliff Odom, 1985).

In 2013, Freeman has led the team in tackles against San Francisco, Jacksonville, Seattle, Denver, St. Louis, Arizona, Tennessee, Houston and Kansas City and has topped the team in stops in 22-of-31 career games.  He has reached double digits in tackles in 24-of-31 games (13, 2012; 11, 2013).

Freeman had his first career multiple-sack game with 2.0 vs. Miami 9/15/13, the fourth undrafted free agent in the Indianapolis era to have a multiple-sack outing (2.0, Scott Virkus vs. Detroit 9/22/85; Tony Siragusa at Seattle 9/4/94; Eric Foster at Jacksonville 12/17/09).

Freeman had a strip-sack vs. Miami 9/15/13 and at San Francisco 9/22/13.  With sacks in consecutive games, he became the first Colts LB other than Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis to do so since Rob Morris in 2004.

Freeman earned AFC Defensive Player-of-the Week honors at Kansas City with seven stops, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

In 2012, T.Y. Hilton had five 100-yard games in 2012 to set the club rookie record.   With 50-861, 7 TDs, Hilton was the 9th Colts rookie with 50 receptions (65, Bill Brooks, 1986; 64, Marvin Harrison, 1996; 62, Edgerrin James, 1999; 60, Austin Collie, 2009; 52, Andre Rison, 1989; 52, Marshall Faulk, 1994; 50, Randy McMillan, 1981; 50, Jerome Pathon, 1998).  His yardage total ranked 2nd for Colts rookies (1,131, Brooks; 836, Harrison), and his touchdowns tied for third-most (8, Brooks and Harrison; 7, John Mackey and Collie).

He was 6-124 vs. Miami 9/15/13 for sixth career 100-plus game, and it marked a career-high yardage total.  Hilton set a new career high with 140 yards on five receptions vs. Seattle 10/6/13, including a 73-yard scoring reception. 

Hilton had an eighth career 100-yard game with 7-121, 3 TDs at Houston 11/3/13.  He became the 11th Colts player, the seventh WR, with 3 TDs in a game, with scores of 10, 58 and nine yards.

Hilton's ninth 100-yard game was vs. St. Louis 11/10/13 with 7-130. 

With nine 100-yard games in his first two seasons, Hilton is on the best pace in franchise history for the most such efforts in that span (9, Hilton; 3, Brooks; 3, Anthony Gonzalez; 3, Rison; 3, Reggie Wayne; 3, Terrence Wilkins).

Hilton's nine 100-yard games rank among NFL leaders since 2012 (18, Calvin Johnson; 13, Brandon Marshall; 12, Andre Johnson; 12, Demaryius Thomas; 11, A.J. Green; 9, Hilton; 9, Victor Cruz; 9, Vincent Jackson).

Hilton's 12 TD receptions have covered eight, nine, 10, 14, 29, 36, 40, 43, 58, 61, 70 and 73 yards (451 total) for an average of 37.6 per TD reception.  His 75-yard TD punt return brings his career average per touchdown (526 yards) to 40.5 yards.

With 121 receptions, Hilton has the third-most receptions by a Colt in his first two career seasons (137, Marvin Harrison; 125, Edgerrin James), while Hilton's 1,789 yards rank second to Bill Brooks (1,853).

Since 2012, Hilton (5) ranks only behind Adrian Peterson (6) and A.J. Green (6) for most touchdowns 50 yards or longer.

Hilton's 12 TD receptions in his first two years rank among the best achieved in that span in Colts history (15, Collie; 14, Harrison; 12, Hilton).

Hilton was the 13th receiver taken in the 2012 draft.  There were four selected in the first round, five in the second and three in the third before he was taken with the 92nd choice. 

Against Buffalo on 11/25/12, Hilton scored on a 75-yard punt return and an eight-yard reception to become the first Colts player to record such scores in the same game in franchise history. 

Cornerback Darius Butler (two interceptions/one fumble recovered) had three takeaways at Jacksonville on 11/8/12, one shy of the Indianapolis era club record for the most by a player in a game (4, Eugene Daniel, 3 interceptions/1 fumble recovered vs. Green Bay 10/27/85; 3, Leonard Coleman, 3 ints. vs. New Orleans 10/12/86; 3, Mike Prior, 3 ints. vs. Phoenix 12/20/92).

Butler had a 41t interception return at Jacksonville 9/29/13 to move among the club leaders in career scoring interception returns (5, Jerry Logan; 4, Bobby Boyd; 3, Milt Davis; 3, Andy Nelson; 3, Ray Buchanan; 3, Eugene Daniel, 3, Jason Belser; 3, Kelvin Hayden).  Butler had two interceptions vs. Houston 12/15/13.

Linebacker Robert Mathis (109.0) had an eight-game sack streak end at New England on 11/18/12.  It tied his personal-best.  In 2005, he set an NFL record with sacks in eight consecutive games to start a season.  He opened 2013 with sacks in the first five games. 

Mathis has 26 career multiple-sack games, including three three-plus sack games.  Mathis has five of the 18 double-digit sack seasons in club history.

Mathis had a four-game streak with multiple sacks 9/15/13 vs. Miami (2.0), 9/22/13 at San Francisco (1.5), 9/29/13 at Jacksonville (3.0) and 10/6/13 vs. Seattle (2.0).  He had 2.0 sacks vs. Denver 10/20/13 and vs. St. Louis 11/10/13.  Mathis was named AFC Defensive Player-of-the-Month for October with 11 tackles, 4.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed.  Mathis also won the honor in September 2010.

Mathis has become 30th NFL player with 100 career sacks.  Mathis has sacked 53 different quarterbacks, plus one option pass (Pacman Jones) for a total of 54 players.  He has 76.5 against AFC teams and 32.5 against NFC teams.

Mathis has sacks in 84-of-162 career games and in 55-of-98 career starts.  Mathis has sacks against all 31 teams.

Mathis has sacks in 84 games, the most in Colts history (81, Dwight Freeney; 38, Duane Bickett; 38, Donnell Thompson).

Mathis has 26 career multiple-sack games, first in Colts history (25, Freeney; 10, Bickett; 10, Chad Bratzke).

Mathis has six multiple-sack games in 2013, the best seasonal Colts total (6, Mathis, 2013; 5, Bratzke, 1999; 5, Freeney, 2004).

With 11.5 sacks in the first seven games of 2013, Mathis set a club record for the fastest start to that sack total (Freeney reached 11.5 in 13 games in 2004 and 2009 and in 16 games in 2002; Chad Bratzke reached it in 14 games in 1999; Johnie Cooks reached it in 16 games in 1984; Mathis reached it in 12 games in 2005 and 13 games in 2008). 

He reached 13.5 in nine games, among the fastest paces in NFL history.  Most sacks in league history through nine games:  16.5, Mark Gastineau, NYJ, 1984; 15.0, Michael Strahan, NYG, 2001; 15.0, Derrick Thomas, KC, 1990; 13.5, Mathis; 13.5, Jared Allen, Min, 2011).

With a sack-strip vs. Houston 12/15/13, Mathis set franchise marks for career (108.0) and seasonal (16.5) sacks, besting Dwight Freeney.  The best seasonal sack totals in franchise history are 17.5 by Robert Mathis in 2013, 16.0 by Dwight Freeney in 2004, 13.5 by Freeney in 2009, 13.0 by Freeney in 2002 and 12.0 by Chad Bratzke in 1999.

Mathis has 43 career sack-strips and is the NFL record-holder in that category since sacks became official in 1982 (39, Jason Taylor).

In 2012, Pat McAfee (73-47.9, 40.3 net) set the club seasonal marks for gross and net average.  McAfee has set the gross mark in each of the last two seasons (46.6, 2011).  In setting the mark last year, he snapped the previous seasonal record of Rohn Stark (45.9, 1985).  McAfee's net average bested Stark's previous record, and his 2011 had ranked second (39.3, Stark, 1992; 39.2, McAfee, 2011).  McAfee had 26 punts inside the 20, tying Hunter Smith's seasonal record (26, 2002).

McAfee set a club record 10/20/13 vs. Denver with six punts inside the 20.

There are 14 players in franchise history, nine in the Indianapolis era, to participate in at least 100 regular-season victories:  141 games, QB-Peyton Manning; 132, QB-John Unitas; 132, C-Jeff Saturday; 132, WR-Reggie Wayne; 127, TE-Justin Snow; 118, WR-Marvin Harrison; 115, LB-Robert Mathis; 114, P-Hunter Smith; 112, DE-Dwight Freeney; 109, P-David Lee; 108, OT-Ryan Diem; 107, LB-Don Shinnick; 106, DE-Ordell Braase; 105, C/LB-Dick Szymanski.