Jags lead unbeaten Colts 3-0 after 1st
December 18, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)—Josh Scobee(notes) kicked a 50-yard field goal Thursday nightand the Jacksonville Jaguars led the undefeated Indianapolis Colts 3-0 after afirst quarter that featured 25 plays, no penalties and no incomplete passes byeither quarterback.
Peyton Manning(notes) completed all six of his passes, his longest a 20-yardcompletion to tight end Dallas Clark(notes) on third-and-4 from midfield that got theColts into scoring position. The quarter ended with Indianapolis on the Jaguars10.
Indianapolis, which has won 22 consecutive regular-season games, is tryingto reach 14-0 for the first time in franchise history. The Jaguars (7-6) stillcontrol the final wild-card spot in the AFC, although a loss would severelydamage their postseason hopes.
Jacksonville converted three third downs, all of them on short passes fromDavid Garrard(notes) to Mike Sims-Walker(notes). But on third-and-1 from the Colts 22, EricFoster(notes) stripped Garrard from his blind side. Left guard Vince Manuwai(notes) recoveredthe fumble and Scobee converted the kick to end a 13-play drive that took halfthe opening period. Garrard was 5 of 5.
The Colts already have clinched home-field advantage throughout the AFCplayoffs, and coach Jim Caldwell had said he would play healthy starters againstthe Jaguars. Neither of their defensive ends, Dwight Freeney(notes) and Robert Mathis(notes),played in the opening drive except on the occasional third down.
Foster was lined up at right end when he caused Garrard’s fumble.
All but one of the Colts’ first downs on their long drive came on thirddown, with Manning hitting Pierre Garcon(notes) across the middle on the only closecall. He was hit immediately by safety Sean Considine(notes) at the first-down marker,but the officials ruled forward progress just beyond the 30-yard line, andManning quickly ran a play before it could be challenged.
There was a moment of silence before the game to honor Chris Henry, theCincinnati Bengals wide receiver who died Thursday from injuries after he fellout of the back of a moving pickup truck driven by his fiancee.
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