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Jaguars and Colts play for first place in AFC South

Sep 19, 2006 - 10:00 PM Jacksonville (2-0) at Indianapolis (2-0) Sunday 1:00 pm EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- After beating America's Team and the defending Super Bowl champion, the Jacksonville Jaguars must contend with Peyton Manning.

First place in the AFC South Division is on the line Sunday when the Indianapolis Colts host the Jaguars.

The teams engaged in a defensive battle here last September as the Colts posted a 10-3 win despite not getting a touchdown pass from Peyton Manning. However, the Jaguars' defense was upstaged by Indianapolis' maligned unit.

Defensive tackle Montae Reagor had three of the Colts' six sacks and the Jaguars managed just 12 first downs.

Meanwhile, Manning completed just 13-of-28 passes for 122 yards with an interception.

But in the rematch at Jacksonville on December 11, Manning threw for 324 yards, including a pair of touchdowns to Marvin Harrison, in a 26-18 victory. Harrison finished with six catches for 137 yards.

Last year, the Jaguars were the only team in the league to beat both Super Bowl teams - Pittsburgh and Seattle. But they lost twice to the Colts and didn't last long in the playoffs, losing in the wild card round at New England.

Beating Indianapolis may be coach Jack Del Rio's biggest challenge after the Jaguars opened the season with home wins over Dallas (24-17) and Pittsburgh (9-0).

With John Henderson, Marcus Stroud and Mike Peterson clogging the middle and cornerback Rashean Mathis recording two fourth-quarter interceptions, the Jaguars blanked the Steelers on Monday night.

The Jaguars held Pittsburgh to nine first downs and 153 total yards, including just 26 yards on the ground.

Henderson and Stroud at the defensive tackle positions and Peterson at middle linebacker were primarily responsible for limiting Willie Parker, a 1,200-yard rusher last season, to 20 yards on 11 carries.

Forced to abandon the run, the Steelers needed a big game from Ben Roethlisberger, who was picked off by Mathis twice in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter.

While Parker couldn't run against the Jaguars, Fred Taylor was able to produce 92 yards on 22 carries against Pittsburgh's defense, which ranked third in the league against the run last season.

Manning passed for 400 yards and three touchdowns in the Colts' 43-24 victory over the Houston Texans last week.

A two-time NFL MVP, Manning surpassed Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas on the franchise's all-time completion list (2,796) and recorded his seventh career 400-yard game.

Harrison caught seven passes for 127 yards and moved past Art Monk for fifth place on the all-time receptions list with 943. Reggie Wayne had six receptions for 135 yards.

Mathis and fellow cornerback Brian Williams will match up against Harrison and Wayne.