AFC South Week 13 Wrap Up

           AFC South Week 13 Wrap Up
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer Football Reporters Online
Southeast Region
 
Indianapolis 27 Tennessee 17
You have to give it to these Titans when it comes to effort. They turned the ball over at critical times and did not score when they needed to but stayed with the Colts nonetheless. First off, the Colts tied the regular season record for consecutive wins, and stayed undefeated in the process. Peyton Manning was not his usual dominating self but was able to move the football like always and give Joseph Addai time to shine. He gave his team a season-high 79 hard fought yards on 21 carries and was able to get into the end zone twice. Pierre Garcon had a good game with six catches for a career-high 136 yards to help his team. The real story was the Titans penchant for mistakes. There was the Nate Washington drop of a Young pass that was a sure touchdown. There was Ahmard Hall’s fumble that killed a promising drive. An interception by Young did not help and then there was the fumble near the goal line that cost the Titans a touchdown. On the next play LenDale White ran it to the one but the play was called back for holding. The drive ended with a failed fourth-down try and the next drive ended the same way. Later others would say that they should have kicked field goals in those situations but it is too easy to look back. They out gained the Colts and held the ball five minutes more than Indy. Chris Johnson was held in relative check but got 113 yards to go over 100 yards rushing for the seventh straight game.  He now has 1,509 yards and needs to average 149 yards over the last four games to tie the record with 2,105. So now they go back to the drawing board and that starts with St. Louis next week. It is a game they should win and a game that can pad Johnson’s stats. Most of all, it is the first game of four they must win and help will be needed. The Colts will now look at hosting the Broncos next week with a chance to match their best start ever at 13-0.
 
Jacksonville 23 Houston 18
A season gone bad just keeps getting worse for the Texans. With the hope of a playoff run gone, Houston was now looking to at least get back in the win column. What they managed to do was seal their postseason fate in a game full of mistakes. They threw three interceptions from three different players. The call on one of them was in question as Houston faced first and goal from the five. For some reason head coach Gary Kubiak gave the okay for a trick play down 23-12. The play called for running back Chris Brown to take the handoff and pass it to TE Joel Dreessen.  The problem was Brown took the handoff and was pressured by CB Tyron Brackenridge. He got hit and threw the ball into the hands of Gerald Alexander and the drive was dead. Rex Grossman threw another one of the interceptions when he came in place of injured starter Matt Schaub and Schaub threw the other. The Jags put the game away in the second quarter when they scored 17 points against a sluggish Texans defense. They too came into the season with the coach’s job on the line and hopes of a playoff appearance. After this win they are still in the hunt but have a huge game against Miami. The Fins are one game behind the Jags so Jacksonville now finds itself in must-win mode for the rest of the year. Houston will look to at least win out in hopes of getting to 9-7. A place they have never been before in their first eight years.