AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Texans

Colts

Playing in his first NFL game, rookie S Julian Blackmon impressed Colts’ HC Frank Reich.

“He was all around the ball, all around the ball,” Reich said, via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. “From my eye watching the game, he played great. He made the one play on the Cover 2 down the middle – that looked like it’s going to be a big play for their offense, and he breaks it up, gets his head and hat on the ball. Those are the instincts that we saw on film. We know that that’s the player that he’s going to be. He just deserves so much credit. Number one, physically what he had to come back from. Number two, just mentally staying ready. He couldn’t practice for so long, and he wasn’t even able to participate in walk-throughs because of how we had him designated. A credit to him staying in it mentally. Then you could just tell the competitor in him showed up (Sunday) on game day.”

Bowen mentions the Colts may need to go with Blackmon and S Khari Willis as their starters due to the injury suffered by S Malik Hooker. They also have former Lions’ S Tavon Wilson and S George Odum waiting in the wings.

Reich says Colts CB Rock Ya-Sin was released from the hospital with a stomach illness and that it’s too soon to know if Ya-Sin will play this week. The illness is not believed to be COVID-19 related.

The team suffered another big loss when WR Parris Campbell was injured on the second play of the game. Bowen notes the team doesn’t exactly have a solid replacement at receiver for Campbell.

“No word yet, but man, it hurts,” Reich said on Campbell’s injury. “It happened right in front of me. It did not look good but hoping and praying for the best.”

• According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Campbell sprained both his MCL and PCL. There’s no clear timetable but Campbell won’t be back anytime soon. 
• The Colts hosted WR Marcus Johnson for a visit on Monday. (Albert Breer)

Jaguars

The Jaguars had been shopping RB Leonard Fournette for most of the offseason but it was still surprising to see them release him on the eve of the season. Now that his replacement, UDFA RB James Robinson, has gotten a chance to show what he can do, though, it’s less surprising. Robinson has 164 rushing yards through two games and cracked the 100-yard mark in Sunday’s loss to the Titans which included an explosive, 17-yard touchdown run. 

• Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller talked to an NFL QB coach who thinks Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew is playing too well for Jacksonville to go after one of the top quarterbacks in the 2021 class. 
• Per Mark Long of the Associated Press, Jaguars C Brandon Linder is day-to-day and won’t need to go on injured reserve. 

Texans

• Per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Texans HC Bill O’Brien said he’s been happy with CB Lonnie Johnson‘s transition to safety: “I like Lonnie at safety. Good tackler, instinctive player.”