AFC South Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

The Colts don’t expect starting QB Andrew Luck to miss any time in the regular season, however, they’re extraordinarily confident in backup QB Jacoby Brissett, who started the entire 2017 season after being acquired via trade from the Patriots. Brissett didn’t light up the stat sheet, throwing for 13 touchdowns to seven interceptions and completing 58.8 percent of his passes. But the way he handled himself impressed the team. 

“We put him in a tough situation and let me tell you this, he didn’t flinch,” Colts GM Chris Ballard said via Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor. “He didn’t make an excuse, all he did was prepare and perform. Jacoby’s a legitimate guy.”

Ballard rebuffed several trade offers for his backup this offseason because keeping Brissett “allows me to sleep at night.” So far, that move has looked prescient, as Brissett has taken the majority of the first-team reps with Luck out of commission since April.

“I think my game is overall better than it was then,” Brissett said. “I feel more comfortable with the offense, I’m a better teammate, a better leader; I understand this group of guys better than I did when I first got here. And once you do that, you become a better player.”

Jaguars

• Per Tim McManus, Eagles DE Brandon Graham says QB Nick Foles was discussing retiring at the end of the year early in 2017 before Graham recommended acupuncture: “He was just saying that pushing through some of the injuries he had was a little much. Now it’s like, ‘Man, look at him now.’” 
• Foles ended up leading Philadelphia to a Super Bowl win and signed a deal with the Jaguars this past offseason in free agency.

Titans

• According to Jim Wyatt of the official team website, the fact that the Titans haven’t signed another kicker is a strong indication K Ryan Succop will be activated from the PUP list in time for the regular season. 
• The Titans have let P Austin Barnard handle kicking duties so far during camp and the preseason.