VERSUS

Unused Logo's from both teams.  The Jaguars got in trouble with Jaguar, and the Colts decided that a simple horseshoe is better than this awful thing.

Who: The 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars face off against division rival and frequent stumbling block Indianapolis Colts, who are a disappointing 0-1. 

Where: "The Lube", i.e. LP Field, Indianapolis Indiana.  They'll decide 90 minutes prior whether to open the dome or not.  I have no idea what the crowd noise situation is based off the opening or closing of the roof, but with all the money they spent on a stadium, I'm sure they hid the speakers a little bit better.

When: 4:15.   Which, by the way, I completely forgot about.  I was all set to get ready for the game this morning and I realized that kickoff is several hours away.  Damn.

Who's due for a big day: Maurice Jones-Drew.  Last time he played the Colts without Bob Sanders, he ran for thirty bajillion yards.  He's also very publicly asked for more carries.  So expect MJD to do some damage.

Talking with the Enemy: Five Questions with Stampede Blue.

The Jaguars and the Colts seem to have angered the offensive line gods so far this season.  If you don't mind, give us a crash course in who's going to be blocking for Manning on Sunday, and how does their absence effect your offensive machine?

Well, OC Jeff Saturday will be back this Sunday, and that is huge. Saturday is, arguably, the best center in football. He makes all the offensive line audible at the LOS, something Peyton has had to do in Jeff's absence. This meant that Peyton had to make the play audibles then lean over the o-line and make the o-line audibles. Out for the game is LT Tony Ugoh. Charlie Johnson, who doubles as a guard and tackle, will play LT. Charlie has often struggled at LT.

Defensively, are you concerned about the size and ability at defensive tackle?  I ran the math and the Jaguars DT's average over 300 lbs, whereas the Colts are in the 280's.  Does the absence of an anchor like DT hurt the defense?

No. Size and all the stuff is a bit over-rated. Plus, the Colts will likely play DT LaJuan Ramsey and DT Daniel Muir. Both are big guys who play the nose tackle, not the 3 technique DT. I worry about execution. The Colts have the players to be a top 10 defense. They just aren't executing. Injuries, distractions, and new players are the reason why teams have run wild on them. They need to get it together. 

As a fan, how has it felt dealing with all the injuries and the way in which the Colts front office seems to address them?  I've read on Stampede Blue that you think the Manning Knee Surgery should have been done earlier in the offseason, how has his knee effected the on the field performance?

His knee injury cost the Colts the Chicago game. Because he is still not 100%, the Colts cannot run their stretch run play, which is the bread and butter of the Colts offense. The way the Colts deal and treat injuries has been very frustrating. For some reason, the last three years they have been unable to keep guys healthy. At some point, the medical staff needs to be held accountable. Injuries are one thing. These kinds of injuries are another.

How have your draft picks played out so far this season?  I remember poking fun at all the offensive linemen that were selected by Indy, though I'd assume they're coming in handy for the team, all things considered.

Considering the Colts have had so many injuries on the o-line, Polian look prophetic with his 2008 draft strategy! So far, so good with the draft. The rookie free agents have made almost as big an impact, like DT Eric Foster. Jacob Tamme and Philip Wheeler have a chance to become high impact players. And the Colts are ga-ga over WR Pierre Garcon. He reminds them of a young Marvin Harrison. Heck, Marvin has even said Garcon reminds him of him, and Marvin has NEVER said that about another player. Not even Reggie Wayne.

Finally, how does this game play out?  I won't ask who you think will win, because that's a give-in, but what do the Colts have to do to send the Jaguars home with a loss?

It depends on how the Jags play them. If they crowd the line like Chicago and Minnesota did, the Colts have to make big plays down the field. You have to burn teams who use that strategy or they will do it all game long. The Colts also have to run the football, and take away Jacksonville's running game. In the end, I think special teams will make a big difference. Indy has a new returner in Justin Forsett, and the early reviews are very positive. He might have a good impact on the game for Indy. We will see.