INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts have been put on red alert this week.

After scoring just two touchdowns and 26 total points in their first two games, coaches have spent this week’s practices emphasizing finishing drives with touchdowns, not field goals.

That was the problem in last week’s 27-19 loss against Cleveland. The Colts (0-2) made it inside the Cleveland 20 three times, but scored only one TD — with 24 seconds left in the game.

In previous years, the Colts have been one of the NFL’s best red-zone teams. Of course, that was with Peyton Manning running the show. Without him, the Colts must come up with new ways to execute near the goal line.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—The Indianapolis Colts have been put on red alert this
week.

After scoring just two touchdowns and 26 total points in their first two
games, coaches have spent this week’s practices emphasizing finishing drives
with touchdowns, not field goals.

That was the problem in last week’s 27-19 loss against Cleveland. The Colts
(0-2) made it inside the Cleveland 20 three times, but scored only one TD—with
24 seconds left in the game.

In previous years, the Colts have been one of the NFL’s best red-zone teams.
Of course, that was with Peyton Manning(notes) running the show. Without him, the Colts
must come up with new ways to execute near the goal line.

INDIANAPOLIS —
With a five-month labor lockout now behind them, Indianapolis Colts players returned to the team’s West 56th Street practice facility in small groups Tuesday.

While quarterback Peyton Manning wasn’t among the first-day returnees, the status of Manning’s contract negotiations and his continuing rehab from neck surgery dominated the conversation among the media and team officials.

Vice president and general manager Chris Polian acknowledged during an afternoon teleconference that getting the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player signed to a new long-term deal was at the top of a long to-do list.

Getting the 12-year veteran’s name on a contract as quickly as possible remains the first order of business for Polian and the rest of the Colts’ front-office staff.

“The good news is [Manning] is a nonexclusive franchise player so we have his exclusive rights at this point and we know he will be playing quarterback here this year. I think as [team owner Jim] Irsay mentioned yesterday, we will continue with the intent of getting a long-term deal done,” Polian stressed.

“That is always what we wanted to do and what we will work to do. We are kind of where we expected to be. It is a fluid situation and we will continue to work on that. What that means to the cap number, I could not say at this point.”

While there isn’t a firm timetable for when Manning and the Colts will agree on a contract, something needs to get done quickly so that Polian and his staff can turn their full attention to the remainder of the team’s long list of free agents.

The opportunity to hang on to other players such as placekicker Adam Vinatieri, running back Joseph Addai, safety Melvin Bullitt, offensive tackle Charlie Johnson and weak-side linebacker Clint Session will depend largely on how much room there is under the Colts’ $120 million salary cap. Cornerback Kelvin Hayden’s name also has entered the conversation as a possible cap casualty.

“Every player, not only [Manning], but every other player on the top 51 [on the roster] right now is in at their current [cap] number. We have the ability to change those. And needless to say, we can get an extension done there.

It will be part of the negotiation process of what his cap count may or may not be. We will continue to be open-minded and try to be as flexible as we can on everything. I think everyone realizes this is a very fluid situation for the entire industry at this point,” Polian explained.

“I certainly wouldn’t put any timetable on [Manning signing]. All we can tell you is it is certainly our intent, has been our intent to sign him to a long-term deal and we are going to work toward that.”

• When will he practice? — That’s the second most-asked question concerning the Colts’ starting quarterback. After undergoing his second neck surgery in 15 months last May, Manning is expected to be sidelined for at least the first two weeks of training camp.

When he is able to return to a full practice schedule is anybody’s guess.

“Whether it is Peyton or any of the other injured players we had last year or guys coming off surgeries or rehab, we’re still in the process of getting that medical information,” Polian said. “As you guys know, we have not had the ability to treat, visit or get them into the doctor. We’re still in the process and we’ll have an injury update later in the week when that picture becomes clearer as well.”

• New quarterback on roster? — Former Ball State quarterback Nate Davis is expected to be added to the Colts’ roster by the end of the week. Davis, a fifth-round draft pick by San Francisco in 2009, told the Muncie Star-Press newspaper that he was preparing to sign a two-year contract with Indianapolis.

Team officials, however, were reticent to verify Davis’ arrival. It should become official by the end of the week.

“We’re continuing to work to put the rest of the roster together, whatever avenue that may be,” Polian said. “Those kinds of contracts can’t go in until later in the week. Our feeling is that until a contract is in and approved, it’s not official until it’s official with the league.”

• First returns — Cornerback Jerraud Powers, defensive end Robert Mathis, running back Donald Brown, offensive guard Mike Pollak, tight end Jacob Tamme, punter Pat McAfee, quarterback Curtis Painter and wide receiver Pierre Garcon were among the initial group of Colts players to arrive at the team’s facility Tuesday morning.

To put it mildly, they were glad to be back and put the lockout behind them.

“I think I’m going to take a picture of my locker or something so the next time this happens, 10 years from now [when the new collective bargaining agreement expires], I’ll have something to remember it,” Powers said with a laugh. “It feels like Christmas morning.”

Mathis said that returning to the Colts’ facility was more like Christmas Eve. “I’m going to go kiss my locker,” he joked.

• Undrafted free agents — While the team hasn’t released an official list of undrafted free-agent signees, some names have begun to emerge.

The group reportedly includes two former Indianapolis high school players — RB Darren Evans, Virginia Tech, and RB Chad Spann, Northern Illinois. Also on the list are WR Joe Horn, Ashland; TE Mike McNeill, Nebraska; OL Jake Kirkpatrick, TCU;  LB Adrian Moten, Maryland;  LB Chris Colasanti, Penn State; DB Joe Lefeged, Rutgers; PK Travis Baltz, Maryland; WR David Gilreath, Wisconsin; QB Mike Hartline, Kentucky; and DT Ollie Ogbu, Penn State.

• Mikell to Rams — Former Philadelphia Eagles safety Quintin Mikell has signed with St. Louis. The younger Mikell is the son of former Sycamore linebacker Quintin Mikell Sr.

The younger Mikell grew up in Terre Haute while his dad worked for Sony. He played college football at Boise State.

• MVC, Indiana college free agent signees — CB Cole Brodie, South Dakota State — Jacksonville; FB Koby Hurt, Missouri State — New Orleans; CB Josh Gatlin, North Dakota State — New Orleans; NT Ian Williams, Notre Dame — San Francisco; WR Terrance Turner, Indiana — Philadelphia; OG Chris Stewart, Notre Dame — New York Jets; TE Kyle Adams, Purdue — Chicago; RB Robert Hughes, Notre Dame — Chicago.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning leads practice squad players Chris Brooks (16) and Kole Heckendorf as the team runs during a Wednesday session. Manning solved the Jets last year in the playoffs, but he won’t have Dallas Clark to call on this time. (Michael Conroy/Associated Press)

Peyton Manning has kept it all business this week.

He studied tapes, looked for flaws and worked overtime to figure out how he beat the Jets defence. No change there, so don’t take it personally, Rex.

“It takes you absolutely forever to watch one game with their defence because they have so many different players and formations. It’s a full-time cram session,” Manning said. “It just takes you time if you are going to truly study.”

Few prepare more thoroughly than Manning, and even fewer can match the feats of the only four-time MVP league in history. This week’s possible milestones include passing Joe Montana for No. 2 on the post-season completions list and moving into the top five in playoff TD passes.

So if Ryan thought he could make Manning fret by calling this week’s matchup “personal,” well, think again.

As Ryan continued chirping, Manning kept working.

“I really don’t have any reaction to it,” Manning said. “I know how hard it is to prepare for this style of defence.”

Playing mind games with Manning is dangerous, something nobody understands better than Ryan.

He’s 1-5 against Manning as the Jets coach and Ravens defensive co-ordinator, with the win coming in a game Manning didn’t even finish. The Colts yanked their starters early in Week 16 last season, throwing away their chance at a perfect season and helping the Jets position themselves to charge into the playoffs.

Four weeks later, the teams met again in the AFC championship game and Manning led the Colts to a 30-17 come-from-behind victory.

So given what Ryan has endured in the past, anything is worth a shot.

“I remember in Baltimore, we had to get a stop to get the ball back and make it a game, and it was third down and it was just impossible to make the pass he makes to Dallas Clark. The coverage by Corey Ivy was ridiculous,” Ryan recalled of another playoff loss to Manning’s Colts. “He still made the throw and they went down and kicked a field goal, and the game was essentially over at that point.”

Over the years, Ryan has seen that scenario play out time and again.

From implausible throws to perfect game management to timely calls, Manning seems to have written the book on beating Ryan.

Changing that will likely take a ball-control offence, a lockdown defence, no turnovers and a little good luck.

New York (11-5) certainly has the pieces to do it.

Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson helped the Jets rank fourth in the NFL in rushing, and the Jets are coming off last week’s season-high 276-yard showing at Buffalo.

Defensively, the Jets are No. 3 overall and No. 6 against the pass and they’re hoping to get a payoff after bringing in cornerback Antonio Cromartie to team with All-Pro Darrelle Revis. Ryan acknowledged that the move for Cromartie was designed specifically to stop two teams — the Colts (10-6) and the Patriots.

It still might not be enough to beat Manning. What Revis remembers about last year’s championship game loss was the way Manning adjusted on the fly.

“I have never seen a quarterback know somebody else’s defence that well,” Revis said. “He knows what coverage you are in, it’s sometimes like he’s toying with us. You know, ‘I’m going to play around with you.’ He knows how to move people around and then to throw it where he needs to.”

That goes back to the homework.

But there are troubling signs for the Jets, too.

Since Week 5, the 31-year-old Tomlinson has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. Quarterback Mark Sanchez has been contending with a sore throwing shoulder and the Jets have only beaten two teams with winning records this season — Week 2 against New England and Week 15 at Pittsburgh.

Need more?

Indy, which had one of the worst defences against the run this season, allowed only 79.8 yards in the last four games despite facing four of the league’s top runners — Chris Johnson twice, Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden.

“The confidence level is definitely high,” Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “We definitely did a great job against the best running teams and running backs this year, so we know that we are capable of it. It is just about going out there and executing our game plan.”

On offence, the Colts have strung together three straight 100-yard rushing games, providing enough balance to make Manning even more dangerous.

The result: Indy heads into the playoffs on a season-long four-game winning streak and playing its best football all year. If things do get tough, they can always rely on Manning’s arm, too.

And it frustrates Ryan, which is why the coach let it out this week.

“Losing is the worst. Everybody hates to lose, but when you lose in a playoff game, it’s just, it’s devastating,” Ryan said. “When you go back and look at 2006 in Baltimore, that was one of the best defences in the game. We thought if we won that one, we were going to win the Super Bowl and then he gets you. And then there was last year. I feel like I owe him.”

But, as Ryan knows, the less colourful Manning won’t leave anything to chance.

“I think he’s going to try to stick it to me and that’s what he should do,” Ryan said. “But to say I want to beat him worse than any guy in the league, that’s probably true.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning leads practice squad players Chris Brooks (16) and Kole Heckendorf as the team runs during a Wednesday session. Manning solved the Jets last year in the playoffs, but he won’t have Dallas Clark to call on this time. (Michael Conroy/Associated Press)

Peyton Manning has kept it all business this week.

He studied tapes, looked for flaws and worked overtime to figure out how he beat the Jets defence. No change there, so don’t take it personally, Rex.

“It takes you absolutely forever to watch one game with their defence because they have so many different players and formations. It’s a full-time cram session,” Manning said. “It just takes you time if you are going to truly study.”

Few prepare more thoroughly than Manning, and even fewer can match the feats of the only four-time MVP league in history. This week’s possible milestones include passing Joe Montana for No. 2 on the post-season completions list and moving into the top five in playoff TD passes.

So if Ryan thought he could make Manning fret by calling this week’s matchup “personal,” well, think again.

As Ryan continued chirping, Manning kept working.

“I really don’t have any reaction to it,” Manning said. “I know how hard it is to prepare for this style of defence.”

Playing mind games with Manning is dangerous, something nobody understands better than Ryan.

He’s 1-5 against Manning as the Jets coach and Ravens defensive co-ordinator, with the win coming in a game Manning didn’t even finish. The Colts yanked their starters early in Week 16 last season, throwing away their chance at a perfect season and helping the Jets position themselves to charge into the playoffs.

Four weeks later, the teams met again in the AFC championship game and Manning led the Colts to a 30-17 come-from-behind victory.

So given what Ryan has endured in the past, anything is worth a shot.

“I remember in Baltimore, we had to get a stop to get the ball back and make it a game, and it was third down and it was just impossible to make the pass he makes to Dallas Clark. The coverage by Corey Ivy was ridiculous,” Ryan recalled of another playoff loss to Manning’s Colts. “He still made the throw and they went down and kicked a field goal, and the game was essentially over at that point.”

Over the years, Ryan has seen that scenario play out time and again.

From implausible throws to perfect game management to timely calls, Manning seems to have written the book on beating Ryan.

Changing that will likely take a ball-control offence, a lockdown defence, no turnovers and a little good luck.

New York (11-5) certainly has the pieces to do it.

Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson helped the Jets rank fourth in the NFL in rushing, and the Jets are coming off last week’s season-high 276-yard showing at Buffalo.

Defensively, the Jets are No. 3 overall and No. 6 against the pass and they’re hoping to get a payoff after bringing in cornerback Antonio Cromartie to team with All-Pro Darrelle Revis. Ryan acknowledged that the move for Cromartie was designed specifically to stop two teams — the Colts (10-6) and the Patriots.

It still might not be enough to beat Manning. What Revis remembers about last year’s championship game loss was the way Manning adjusted on the fly.

“I have never seen a quarterback know somebody else’s defence that well,” Revis said. “He knows what coverage you are in, it’s sometimes like he’s toying with us. You know, ‘I’m going to play around with you.’ He knows how to move people around and then to throw it where he needs to.”

That goes back to the homework.

But there are troubling signs for the Jets, too.

Since Week 5, the 31-year-old Tomlinson has averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. Quarterback Mark Sanchez has been contending with a sore throwing shoulder and the Jets have only beaten two teams with winning records this season — Week 2 against New England and Week 15 at Pittsburgh.

Need more?

Indy, which had one of the worst defences against the run this season, allowed only 79.8 yards in the last four games despite facing four of the league’s top runners — Chris Johnson twice, Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden.

“The confidence level is definitely high,” Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “We definitely did a great job against the best running teams and running backs this year, so we know that we are capable of it. It is just about going out there and executing our game plan.”

On offence, the Colts have strung together three straight 100-yard rushing games, providing enough balance to make Manning even more dangerous.

The result: Indy heads into the playoffs on a season-long four-game winning streak and playing its best football all year. If things do get tough, they can always rely on Manning’s arm, too.

And it frustrates Ryan, which is why the coach let it out this week.

“Losing is the worst. Everybody hates to lose, but when you lose in a playoff game, it’s just, it’s devastating,” Ryan said. “When you go back and look at 2006 in Baltimore, that was one of the best defences in the game. We thought if we won that one, we were going to win the Super Bowl and then he gets you. And then there was last year. I feel like I owe him.”

But, as Ryan knows, the less colourful Manning won’t leave anything to chance.

“I think he’s going to try to stick it to me and that’s what he should do,” Ryan said. “But to say I want to beat him worse than any guy in the league, that’s probably true.”

First, they shut down Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, a feat previously considered impossible for the Indianapolis Colts.

Then they limited Oakland’s Darren McFadden.

Here comes Tennessee’s Chris Johnson again and, suddenly, the Colts defense looks more than prepared to meet the challenge. They’ve negated two of the NFL’s best backs and, in the process, boosted their own confidence and – if they beat the Titans – their playoff possibilities.

“Our team is based on speed, and so we have been trying to preach that and get that across,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “As a result, you get yourself in a better position to tackle. You do not have as many seams if you do things the right way.”

The Colts-Titans game will kick off at 4:15 p.m. Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium – the time moved from its previous 1 p.m. start because of the NFL’s flexible scheduling.

If the Colts (9-6) win, they’ll clinch the AFC South and a playoff berth. If they win and the Kansas City Chiefs lose, they’ll move up to No. 3 in the seeding. The Colts would also make the playoffs if they lose and Jacksonville also loses to Houston, but a Colts loss and a Jacksonville win puts the Jaguars in the playoffs.

Considering the Titans have looked less than sharp, the Colts will be heavily favored. But their prospects will be even better if they continue the quality run defense.

Indianapolis limited Jones-Drew to 46 yards in 15 carries. They held McFadden to 45 yards on 11 carries.

Johnson covered his share of ground (111 yards on 22 carries) in the Colts’ 30-28 win at Tennessee on Dec. 9. But that came during a short week and before Colts linebacker Gary Brackett was back in the swing of things after a turf toe injury.

Brackett told the Indianapolis Star that the run defense improvement isn’t necessarily complicated. “I think it’s, one, the guys have been tackling better and, two, we’ve been simplifying the game plan,” Brackett said.

Caldwell said Brackett was likely referring to the emphasis on speed and simplicity that Caldwell and defensive coordinator Larry Coyer have been stressing of late. The Colts had strong play and tackling from all areas of the defense, with Brackett, Fili Moala, Anthonio Johnson and defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis performing well.

The Colts might get linebacker Clint Session back this week, but at the very least did not seem to suffer any new injuries at Oakland.

“All across the board our guys are doing a better job of gap control,” Caldwell said. “When you do that, you do not let anyone have any straight downhill runs at you and it improves your angles to tackle.”

In conjunction with the improved run defense, the Colts offense has become more effective on the run, with recently reacquired Dominic Rhodes rushing for 98 yards and Joseph Addai returning from injury to add 45 yards and a touchdown. Donald Brown rushed for 28 yards in the first half, Rhodes and Addai handled the second-half load.

“(Rhodes) was making some things happen, obviously, out there,” Caldwell said. “I thought all three guys had pretty productive days, but Dom certainly got things rolling pretty well. We just let him go a little bit with it, but overall, when you look at their performance, I think it was a great collective effort.”

First, they shut down Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, a feat previously considered impossible for the Indianapolis Colts.

Then they limited Oakland’s Darren McFadden.

Here comes Tennessee’s Chris Johnson again and, suddenly, the Colts defense looks more than prepared to meet the challenge. They’ve negated two of the NFL’s best backs and, in the process, boosted their own confidence and – if they beat the Titans – their playoff possibilities.

“Our team is based on speed, and so we have been trying to preach that and get that across,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “As a result, you get yourself in a better position to tackle. You do not have as many seams if you do things the right way.”

The Colts-Titans game will kick off at 4:15 p.m. Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium – the time moved from its previous 1 p.m. start because of the NFL’s flexible scheduling.

If the Colts (9-6) win, they’ll clinch the AFC South and a playoff berth. If they win and the Kansas City Chiefs lose, they’ll move up to No. 3 in the seeding. The Colts would also make the playoffs if they lose and Jacksonville also loses to Houston, but a Colts loss and a Jacksonville win puts the Jaguars in the playoffs.

Considering the Titans have looked less than sharp, the Colts will be heavily favored. But their prospects will be even better if they continue the quality run defense.

Indianapolis limited Jones-Drew to 46 yards in 15 carries. They held McFadden to 45 yards on 11 carries.

Johnson covered his share of ground (111 yards on 22 carries) in the Colts’ 30-28 win at Tennessee on Dec. 9. But that came during a short week and before Colts linebacker Gary Brackett was back in the swing of things after a turf toe injury.

Brackett told the Indianapolis Star that the run defense improvement isn’t necessarily complicated. “I think it’s, one, the guys have been tackling better and, two, we’ve been simplifying the game plan,” Brackett said.

Caldwell said Brackett was likely referring to the emphasis on speed and simplicity that Caldwell and defensive coordinator Larry Coyer have been stressing of late. The Colts had strong play and tackling from all areas of the defense, with Brackett, Fili Moala, Anthonio Johnson and defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis performing well.

The Colts might get linebacker Clint Session back this week, but at the very least did not seem to suffer any new injuries at Oakland.

“All across the board our guys are doing a better job of gap control,” Caldwell said. “When you do that, you do not let anyone have any straight downhill runs at you and it improves your angles to tackle.”

In conjunction with the improved run defense, the Colts offense has become more effective on the run, with recently reacquired Dominic Rhodes rushing for 98 yards and Joseph Addai returning from injury to add 45 yards and a touchdown. Donald Brown rushed for 28 yards in the first half, Rhodes and Addai handled the second-half load.

“(Rhodes) was making some things happen, obviously, out there,” Caldwell said. “I thought all three guys had pretty productive days, but Dom certainly got things rolling pretty well. We just let him go a little bit with it, but overall, when you look at their performance, I think it was a great collective effort.”

First, they shut down Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew, a feat previously considered impossible for the Indianapolis Colts.

Then they limited Oakland’s Darren McFadden.

Here comes Tennessee’s Chris Johnson again and, suddenly, the Colts defense looks more than prepared to meet the challenge. They’ve negated two of the NFL’s best backs and, in the process, boosted their own confidence and – if they beat the Titans – their playoff possibilities.

“Our team is based on speed, and so we have been trying to preach that and get that across,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “As a result, you get yourself in a better position to tackle. You do not have as many seams if you do things the right way.”

The Colts-Titans game will kick off at 4:15 p.m. Sunday in Lucas Oil Stadium – the time moved from its previous 1 p.m. start because of the NFL’s flexible scheduling.

If the Colts (9-6) win, they’ll clinch the AFC South and a playoff berth. If they win and the Kansas City Chiefs lose, they’ll move up to No. 3 in the seeding. The Colts would also make the playoffs if they lose and Jacksonville also loses to Houston, but a Colts loss and a Jacksonville win puts the Jaguars in the playoffs.

Considering the Titans have looked less than sharp, the Colts will be heavily favored. But their prospects will be even better if they continue the quality run defense.

Indianapolis limited Jones-Drew to 46 yards in 15 carries. They held McFadden to 45 yards on 11 carries.

Johnson covered his share of ground (111 yards on 22 carries) in the Colts’ 30-28 win at Tennessee on Dec. 9. But that came during a short week and before Colts linebacker Gary Brackett was back in the swing of things after a turf toe injury.

Brackett told the Indianapolis Star that the run defense improvement isn’t necessarily complicated. “I think it’s, one, the guys have been tackling better and, two, we’ve been simplifying the game plan,” Brackett said.

Caldwell said Brackett was likely referring to the emphasis on speed and simplicity that Caldwell and defensive coordinator Larry Coyer have been stressing of late. The Colts had strong play and tackling from all areas of the defense, with Brackett, Fili Moala, Anthonio Johnson and defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis performing well.

The Colts might get linebacker Clint Session back this week, but at the very least did not seem to suffer any new injuries at Oakland.

“All across the board our guys are doing a better job of gap control,” Caldwell said. “When you do that, you do not let anyone have any straight downhill runs at you and it improves your angles to tackle.”

In conjunction with the improved run defense, the Colts offense has become more effective on the run, with recently reacquired Dominic Rhodes rushing for 98 yards and Joseph Addai returning from injury to add 45 yards and a touchdown. Donald Brown rushed for 28 yards in the first half, Rhodes and Addai handled the second-half load.

“(Rhodes) was making some things happen, obviously, out there,” Caldwell said. “I thought all three guys had pretty productive days, but Dom certainly got things rolling pretty well. We just let him go a little bit with it, but overall, when you look at their performance, I think it was a great collective effort.”

The Indianapolis Colts shut down one of the league’s top rushing attacks to avoid being eliminated from AFC South contention.

They’ll probably want to rely on a similar formula in their next game.

The Colts are in control of the division race, and will try to earn a third straight victory Sunday when they visit the Oakland Raiders.

Indianapolis (8-6) won 34 -24 over Jacksonville last Sunday to forge a tie atop the South with the Jaguars, who would have claimed the division with a victory. The Colts, who cannot clinch the division title this week, will own the tiebreakers over the Jaguars with two more wins.

“The scenario has not changed,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “If we get a couple of victories, we’ll be in basically the same position.”

Jacksonville came to Indianapolis after three straight 200-yard efforts on the ground, but was limited to a season-low 67 yards by a beleaguered Colts defense that entered as the league’s fourth-worst against the run.

Indianapolis has moved up one spot, allowing 135.8 yards per game. The Colts should be tested by a Raiders’ rushing attack that is averaging 157.5 yards for the second-best mark in the league.

Caldwell warned that duplicating the effort that limited the Jaguars’ Maurice Jones-Drew(notes) to 46 yards won’t be easy against Darren McFadden(notes), who has turned in back-to-back 100-yard games.

“You have to start from scratch because from a schematic standpoint they are a little different team,” Caldwell said. “(McFadden) is a different style back. Week in and week out you are going to run into a little different style.

“He is averaging 5.2 yards a carry, so that tells you right then and there that there are a lot of big runs in there, and he is one of those guys that he can wiggle you, but he’s got power, he’s got unbelievable speed. So if you give him a crack, you are going to have some difficulty.”

The Raiders (7-7) present an unfamiliar opponent for Peyton Manning(notes), who is 2-2 with nine touchdowns and six interceptions against them. This is only his second visit to Oakland, where the Colts won 21-14 in 2007 in the last meeting.

Manning, who has thrown for an NFL-leading 4,257 yards, has bounced back from throwing 11 interceptions during a three-game skid to throw four touchdowns and no picks in two games since. He was aided by a rushing attack that amassed 155 yards last week, marking the fourth time the Colts have topped 100.

The four-time league MVP threw two touchdowns to Austin Collie(notes), who was placed on injured reserve Wednesday due to a concussion suffered in the victory. Collie led the Colts with eight TD receptions.

Oakland had won five or fewer games every season since reaching the Super Bowl after the 2002 campaign. The Raiders have turned things around this year and are still in contention in the AFC West after winning 39-23 over Denver last week.

“It’s a lot more fun,” coach Tom Cable said. “Football is football. I love football. I love coaching. That part of it is never an issue for me. It’s just more exciting. You get up and come to work and you’re excited about getting into a new plan.”

The Raiders need plenty of help to reach the postseason, trailing first-place Kansas City by two games and second-place San Diego by one. The Raiders must win their final two games along with a loss by the Chiefs this week and a loss by the Chargers in one of their last two games.

“Just win these last two and let everything else take care of itself,” fullback Marcel Reece(notes) said. “We have to take care of our business and not worry about San Diego, not worry about Kansas City. Just worry about Indianapolis and then worry about Kansas City the last week of the season.”

The Raiders are 5-0 in division games, and visit Kansas City in their finale. They could become the first team to win every division game and miss the playoffs since the NFL went to divisions in 1967.

Oakland is 0-5 against non-division AFC foes.

“You sit around and think, ‘God what if we’d done that or that,’” Cable said. “But you can’t. At some point you have to stop and say, ‘This is reality, this is where we’re at and this is what we control.’”

McFadden had 119 yards rushing last week, Reece caught a 73-yard TD pass from Jason Campbell(notes) and Michael Bush(notes) scored twice. Oakland has totaled 978 yards of total offense over the last two games.

Cable indicated that Nnamdi Asomugha’s(notes) sore ankle seems to be improving. The Pro Bowl cornerback is a major reason why Oakland has the fifth-best pass defense in the NFL, allowing 197.3 yards per game.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts had just beaten the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-24 to move into a tie for first place in the AFC South, and smart phones were data-streaming into NFL.com to gauge the playoff possibilities.

Even if the Colts lose their next game, at Oakland on Sunday, they could win the division if Jacksonville loses to either Washington or Houston. But if the Colts beat Oakland then lose to Tennessee, they’d need the Houston Texans to beat the Jaguars in their final game no matter what Jacksonville does this week against Washington — otherwise the tie-breaker, common opponents, would swing in the Jaguars’ favor.

There is a simpler if not easier way for the Colts, too: Win and win and they’re in.

“I don’t even want to think about the what-ifs,” said defensive end Dwight Freeney. “Let’s just win and take care of things.”

That’s exactly what the Colts had done at Lucas Oil Stadium, showing — as they have so often in their past eight playoff seasons — that they are, at worst, a resilient bunch. They already had lost to Jacksonville this season, and another setback would end their season.

But the offensive line finally found a way to run-block, paving the way for 155 rushing yards; the defensive line found a way to run-stop, holding the rush-happy Jaguars to 67 yards; the good Peyton Manning did not throw an interception; and the special teams offered up a kickoff return for a touchdown, albeit only 41 yards off an onside kick by Tyjuan Hagler.

“Starting last week (when Indy went into a home game against Tennessee with a 6-6 record), it was like an eight-game playoff (all the way to the Super Bowl),” said Reggie Wayne, whose five catches gave him 99 for the season.

Said linebacker Gary Brackett: “We know that if we lose we go home. It’s no different this week against Oakland. We have to keep playing like it’s the last game.”

The Raiders (7-7), so bad as the Colts have been so good in the past decade, kept their own slight playoff hopes alive with a 39-23 win over Denver on Sunday.

After starting 2-4, they’ve won five of eight, most impressively 28-13 at San Diego on Dec. 5. They’ve lost to each of the other three AFC South teams, though Jacksonville had to rally for a 38-31 win on Dec. 12. And they’re strengths somewhat mirror the Colts’ perceived weaknesses, as they rank second in rushing yards (23rd in passing) and fifth in passing defense (26th in rushing).

Darren McFadden has gained 1,112 yards (at 5.2 yards per carry) and Jason Campbell has passed for 2,001 yards (the injured Bruce Gradkowski threw for 1,059).

In other words, the Colts need another big effort to keep their playoff express on track.

“It’s all about Oakland this week,” Manning said. “If you take a step back, then you feel like these last two wins don’t mean as much. Hopefully, we can feed off a little momentum from two wins in a row and play well on the road. We know we’ll have our hands full going out there.”

n Contact Tim Ethridge at (812) 464-7416 or ethridget@courierpress.com