AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Texans, Titans

Colts

Colts QB Carson Wentz was unable to escape the Colts 27-24 loss to the Rams without injury. When his ankle got rolled up on, he knew right away something wasn’t right.

“I could feel it underneath the pile right away,” Wentz said, via IndyStar. “I think the guys around me could hear me yelling, because it was rolled up on pretty good. It’s definitely frustrating. Obviously, shouldn’t have thrown my helmet like that, but I knew at that point that I probably wasn’t going to come back out this game.”

The severity of Wentz’s injury is still to be determined, however, the veteran signal-caller does not believe that his ankle is broken.

“I don’t think so, but we’ll find out,” Wentz said. “I’ve sprained my ankle 100 times, probably since I was a kid. This one I just couldn’t play through at the end of the game. We’ll evaluate and do everything we can to get this ready to go for next week.”

Wentz still hasn’t given up hope that he will be available to play next week.

“I’m going to get this scanned as soon as I can and pray,” Wentz said. “Pray a lot that God can heal this thing and heal it quickly so I can be out here next week.”

• Colts HC Frank Reich confirmed Wentz sprained both of his ankles: “We’ll have to see as we go … And then map out a plan for this week.” (Stephen Holder)
• Reich added if Wentz can’t play, QB Jacob Eason will start: “If Jacob has to play, then Jacob will be ready.” (George Bremer)

Jaguars

• PFF’s Doug Kyed reports TE James O’Shaughnessy will miss a few weeks with an ankle sprain.
• USA Today’s Josina Anderson reports the Jaguars don’t expect WR Laviska Shenault to miss time with his shoulder injury.
• Jaguars G A.J. Cann has a minor hamstring issue, while CB C.J. Henderson has a groin injury. (Michael DiRocco)
• Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence acknowledged how hard it is to lose: “I hate losing, like I said last week, so it’s not fun. You’ve just got to realize we’re getting better and each week we’ve got to keep getting better. It’s a long season. We’ve still got 15 more games. That’s the mindset in the locker room, too…” (John Oehser)
• Lawrence added he thinks the team is close to figuring it out: “We’re close. It’s not what anybody wants to see and it’s frustrating and disappointing, but we’re going to stick together, and I really feel like we’re close. We’ve got good enough players to win these games. We’ve just got to keep going to work…” (Oehser)
• Jaguars HC Urban Meyer believes the team has a lot of areas to improve: “We have to make some plays. We have to do a lot of things better as a team. When I say team, it’s always, ‘Us.’ Do we have to get better? We’re 0-2. We have to do a lot of things better.” (Oehser)
• Meyer mentioned he isn’t worried about Lawrence: “I see a very good leader. I see obviously an exceptional talent and a guy that the game is hopefully going to start slowing down more and more as he gets more reps….” (Oehser)

Texans

• Texans HC David Culley said QB Deshaun Watson will not play this week: “Deshaun Watson will be deactivated this week.” (Aaron Wilson)
• Culley said QB Tyrod Taylor wanted to continue playing after halftime despite his hamstring injury: “It was his competitiveness saying he was OK, but I knew that he wasn’t OK.” (Aaron Reiss)
• Culley expects LT Laremy Tunsil, DE Charles Omenihu and DT Roy Lopez to be available for Thursday’s game against the Panthers. (Reiss)
• Culley said LB Zach Cunningham didn’t start on Sunday for disciplinary reasons. (Wilson)
• Culley mentioned if the team runs out of quarterbacks during a game, they will probably run the wildcat offense through RB Mark Ingram. (Wilson)
• Texans third-round WR Nico Collins is expected to miss three to four weeks with his shoulder injury. (Adam Schefter)

Titans

In Week 1, the Titans abandoned the running game as the Cardinals stretched out a big lead on them in an eventual blowout loss. Tennessee didn’t make the same mistake against the Seahawks, leaning on RB Derrick Henry who had a huge game with 35 carries for 182 yards and three touchdowns in an eventual 33-30 overtime win. 

“I think it’s being able to stick to our plan and just keep pounding,” Tannehill said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “I think it’s been pretty consistent over the past two-plus years now, is that we’re gonna wear on teams the deeper we get into games if we’re able to keep pounding. All it takes is one misfit and we’re able to get a crease and obviously he has the physicality and speed to make it a big one. So I think that’s been probably pretty standard over the past two-plus years.”