Jacksonville, FL

Top rookie pick Andrew Luck ran for two touchdowns and cornerback Darius Butler returned an interception for a score as the Indianapolis Colts extended their winning streak to four with a 27-10 taming of the Jacksonville Jaguars Thursday at EverBank Stadium.

The win improved the Colts to 6-3, second in the AFC South behind the Houston Texans (7-1) while the Jaguars dropped to 1-8 after suffering their sixth straight defeat.

The Colts are now 5-1 since Bruce Arians stepped in for coach Chuck Pagano, who is undergoing treatment for leukemia.

"He's smiling right now,'' Arians said of Pagano. "He's going to sleep tight tonight."

Luck completed 18 of 26 passes for 227 yards and broke the team's record for rushing touchdowns for quarterbacks with five this season, erasing the record of four shared by Bert Jones and Peyton Manning.

Reggie Wayne, the league's leader in receiving yards, added 96 yards on eight catches to his tally, running back Vick Ballard had 48 yards on 12 carries and kicker Adam Vinatieri booted two field goals from 31 and 41 yards for the Colts.

The Colts defense also did its part, shutting down the Bengals' running game by limiting Jaguars rusher back Rashad Jennings to 27 yards on 11 carries.

Jaguars playmaker Blaine Gabbert completed 18 of 31 passes for 209 yards with an interception and left the game in the fourth period after hurting his left, non-throwing shoulder.

Backup quarterback Chad Henne finished the game, hitting 10 of 16 passes for 121 yards and a score while wide receiver Cecil Shorts tallied 105 yards on six catches for Jacksonville.

In the first quarter, Luck led the Colts to a seven-play, 44-yard drive that ended with a 31-yard field goal by Vinatieri for a 3-0 lead.

Luck then scored two touchdown runs in the second quarter before Josh Scobee buried a 40-yard field goal to cut the Colts' lead to 17-3 at the half.

In the third, Butler stepped in front of a Gabbert pass intended for Shorts and went untouched for an 11-yard touchdown return for a commanding 24-3 lead.

Henne then led the Jaguars to a 14-play, 81-yard drive that he ended with a touchdown heave to Shorts before Vinatieri notched his second field goal of the game for the final score.

 

Copyright © 2012 AHN - All Rights Reserved