AFC South Week Seven Update: Colts Starting to Pull Away

The Colts won this weekend, but how did the rest of the division do?  Let's take a look at how each of the four teams in the division fared:

Houston Texans (3-4)

Place: 2nd

Last Week:  Lost 23-30 to the Pittsburgh Steelers

This Week: at the Tennessee Titans

The Texans led the Steelers 13-0 in Pittsburgh with just over three minutes left to go in the first half.  Amazingly, the Steelers scored 24 points in the final 3:08 of the first half and entered halftime with a 24-13 lead, one from which the Texans never came back from.  J.J. Watt continued his domination of the NFL, notching a sack, two quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery, while running back Arian Foster rushed for 102 yards on 20 carries (5.1 yards per carry).  Ryan Fitzpatrick had a solid game, completing 21 of 32 passes for 262 yards and two scores with a pick, and receiver DeAndre Hopkins caught 6 passes for 108 yards.  Ultimately, however, three turnovers and allowing 24 points in three minutes to the Steelers before the end of the first half was too much for the Texans, who dropped their third game in a row and are now two full games back of the Colts (and have already lost a head-to-head matchup with Indy as well).

Tennessee Titans (2-5)

Place: 3rd

Last Week: Lost 17-19 to the Washington Redskins

This Week: Host the Houston Texans

A 22-yard field goal by the Redskins as time expired handed the Titans their fifth loss of the season, 17-19.  The Titans had taken the lead on a Charlie Whitehurst touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter, but they lost on the field goal at the end.  The Titans averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and Whitehurst threw for just 160 yards (but two scores), and they were actually even with Washington in categories such as turnovers (they both had two) and third down conversions (they both were 3-for-11).  The key to the game?  Colt McCoy, who entered the game after the Redskins benched Kirk Cousins and completed 11 of 12 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown, leading a comeback.  The Titans drop to just 2-5 on the season.

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)

Place: 4th

Last Week: Won 24-6 over the Cleveland Browns

This Week: Host the Miami Dolphins

The Jaguars won!  They finally won!  For the first time this season, the Jacksonville Jaguars recorded a game in the win column, defeating the Cleveland Browns in impressive fashion, 24-6.  After falling behind 6-0 midway through the second quarter, the Jaguars rattled off 24 straight points for the victory.  Blake Bortles did not play well, turning the ball over three times, throwing for just 159 yards, and completing just over half of his passes, but Denard Robinson rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown (averaging 5.8 yards per carry).  The Jaguars also forced three turnovers and the Browns offense didn't do much all day.  The Jaguars are no longer among the NFL's winless - they finally have a win, and in fact they're not too far behind the Titans in the AFC South for a meaningless (but still encouraging) battle for third place.

Indianapolis Colts (5-2)

Place: 1st

Last Week: Won 27-0 over the Cincinnati Bengals

This Week: At the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Colts are currently on a five-game winning streak, and no performance has been more impressive in that stretch than the shutout of the Bengals on Sunday.  The Colts defense completely dominated, holding Cincy to just 135 yards of offense, forcing eleven punts, holding them to just 1-of-13 on third downs, recording four sacks - and the dominance just goes on and on, most notably the fact that the Colts allowed zero points.  But let's not forget about the offense, which racked up 506 yards.  Andrew Luck recorded his fifth straight 300+ yard passing day, throwing for 344 yards and two touchdowns, and Trent Richardson and Ahmad Bradshaw both had good days, both rushing and receiving.  T.Y. Hilton recorded another 100+ yard receiving day.  The Colts put together a complete team performance in their blowout win over the Bengals, and they just continued to widen the gap between themselves and the rest of the AFC South.  The Colts now hold a full two-game lead over the second place team, the Texans, and the Colts also hold the head-to-head advantage over them.