AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Colts

Through four games the Colts defense is near the top of the NFL in nearly every single category. After a few years of building, it seems the unit has finally come together, and the Colts are crediting the trade for DL DeForest Buckner as the final missing piece that helped put everything together. So far he has 18 total tackles, 1.5 sacks and a safety to his name, but his impact on the entire defense has been even bigger. 

“He’s special, man, he’s a special talent,” Colts LB Anthony Walker said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “He’s huge, man. He commands a lot of attention, being the player that he is, taking a lot of double teams, so guys can go out there and get singles and win on the pass-rush And he still wins. For us, it’s huge, being able to stop the run, he commands a lot of attention, allowing us to be able to roam free as linebackers. And then in the pass game, making guys free up and get singles and when they single him, he wins his matchup every time. So yeah, he is what we thought he was.”

• Colts HC Frank Reich says LB Darius Leonard (groin), LT Anthony Castonzo (ribs), LB Bobby Okereke (thumb) and LB E.J. Speed are all dealing with injuries. Okereke will need surgery. (Joel Erickson) 
• The Colts sent assistant GM Ed Dodds to watch North Dakota State against Central Arkansas. NDSU has two potential high draft picks in QB Trey Lance and OT Dillon Radunz. 20 teams in total were present. (Pete Thamel)

Jaguars

• Per Mark Long of the Associated Press, Jaguars owner Shad Khan is expecting more out of the team than it’s shown during its 1-3 start: “Three-quarters of the season is left to go and we have to find a way to win.”
• When asked about playing future games in London after the team’s contract ran out this year, Khan responded: “I want to pursue whatever keeps football viable and important in Jacksonville.” (Long)

Texans

• John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports Texans HC Bill O’Brien will continue to call plays on offense for the rest of the season. 
• Per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, O’Brien says he tries not to make his job security a topic of conversation with the players: “After the game, I try to keep that stuff between me and the team. I don’t have any control (over job security). All I can control is what I can control.”
• However, Houston fired O’Brien later Monday afternoon. (NFLTR)
• O’Brien mentioned neither CB Gareon Conley nor TE Kahale Warring would be ready to return from injured reserve this week, though Conley’s ankle will keep him out longer than Warring: “Conley is a ways off. Kahale closer to being back at some point.” (Wilson)

Titans

• According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, the NFL fined OLB Jadeveon Clowney a total of $35,000 for two unnecessary roughness penalties in Week 3 against the Vikings. 
• Neither Titans OC Arthur Smith nor HC Mike Vrabel were among Tennessee’s positive COVID-19 cases on the coaching staff. (Paul Kuharsky/John Glennon)