AFC stock reports: Baltimore Ravens show no sign of slowing down
Two AFC South quarterbacks return from injury to face off
Both the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars brought back their starting quarterbacks in Week 11 in an AFC South showdown. Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles, who signed a lucrative deal this off-season, returned after being out since a Week 1 injury sustained against the Chiefs. Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett returned after missing one and a half games.
Following a two-game losing streak, the Colts kept the ball on the ground for most of the game and ran the ball 36 times for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Marlon Mack carried the ball 14 times for 109 yards and 1 touchdown before leaving the game with a fractured hand shortly after halftime. After inserting running back Jonathan Williams, the Colts kept up the pace as he ran the ball 13 times for 116 yards. Even Brissett ran one in for a touchdown.
The Colts asked very little of Brissett as he threw 15 of 24 for 148 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. Jacksonville, on the other hand, tasked Foles with carrying the team as he returned from his broken left collarbone. Foles threw the ball 33 of 47 for 296 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Running back Leonard Fournette carried the ball 8 times for 23 yards on the day, keeping his mediocre play alive. DJ Chark helped Foles with his eight catches for 104 yards and both of the Jaguars touchdowns, but it was far from enough.
Once again, the AFC South has changed leadership at the top with the Colts in the driver’s seat. Indianapolis now holds the 3rd seed in the AFC at 6-4 with the tiebreaker over the Texans. Houston moves to the 6th seed to travel to Indianapolis in the Wild Card as of right now. The Texans will host the Colts in Week 12, which will be a crucial matchup for both teams.