AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts HC Frank Reich said he doesn’t see why the Colts can’t go on a run in the AFC. Indianapolis is 5-5 after a 1-4 start to the season and they’re one of 12 AFC teams in the hunt for a playoff spot at .500 or better. 

“There’s a lot of good teams in the AFC but no one’s just taken over, so why can’t it be us? Why can’t the Indianapolis Colts take over right now? That’s our mindset,” Reich said, via Pro Football Talk. “Why can’t we take over? So, if we’re going to do it, we got to prove it this weekend in Buffalo against a very good football team.”

• The Athletic’s Zak Keefer notes Colts K Rodrigo Blankenship was under the impression he would be the kicker once he got healthy, but with the way K Michael Badgley has performed, that may not be a guarantee.
• Reich said the team hasn’t made a decision despite Badgley’s performance: “We haven’t (decided) — as far as (Badgley’s) job to lose, you have a guy who hasn’t missed and why not ride it out? Haven’t had that full-blown discussion at this point.” 
• According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, Colts LB E.J. Speed was fined $5,124 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Jaguars

Jaguars HC Urban Meyer said he isn’t one for moral victories but he is proud of the way his team continued to compete for the full 60 minutes during the team’s loss on Sunday.

“I hate to say this, because I usually try not to when you lose, but that second half where they’re on the road against a very good team, they played their tails off,” he said, via Jaguars.com. “It wasn’t pretty, but they could have sucked their thumb and left after the second quarter like you see some teams do, but they didn’t do that. So, I hate to use word the word ‘proud,’ but I am.”

• Meyer summed up the team’s season pretty accurately: “The best version of us is pretty good. The bad version of us is really bad.“
• Meyer on the bad offensive performance by his team on Sunday: “It was awful. … Out of sync is probably not strong enough word or description of an offense, but second-half you came down with the ball in your hand and had a chance to go win it.” (Michael DiRocco)

Titans

• Titans HC Mike Vrabel declined to offer a timetable for the return of veteran WR Julio Jones, who was recently placed on injured reserve: “He’s out at least three weeks, outside of that I can’t give you a timeline.” (Jim Wyatt)