Well it's Jags week.  We've been getting worked up for several days now, but have calmed down just enough to tell you all what to watch for.  In what is clearly the game of the day on Sunday, make sure you notice:

1.)  Watch for a banner.  A win Sunday wouldn’t guarantee the Colts an AFC South Title, but it might as well.  The Colts hang banners for division titles, so a win would assure them of their 5^th straight title in the AFC South.  The Jags sometimes get national play, but until they can consistently beat the Colts (just 1-5 in their last six games against Indy), they won’t have earned it.

2.)  Watch for Charlie Johnson’s reign of terror to come to an end.  I thought it was over last week when Ugoh practiced but CJ didn’t, but inexplicably Johnson played and Ugoh was inactive.  The Colts desperately need some stability along the offensive line to help spur the offense.  Ugoh has been practicing all week.  So has CJ.  Let's hope we don't see him at left tackle.

3.)  Watch for lazy bloggers.  Demond and Deshawn have deprived their loyal listeners (both of them) of the 18 Plays Podcast both of the last two games.  Will they get off their asses and record something this week?  Stay tuned…

4.)  Watch for fourth down conversions.  Mad Jack has gone positively wacky in recent weeks, going for it on fourth down in a variety of unorthodox positions.  He has the advantage of knowing he’ll get canned if he doesn’t win at least 10 games, so he can just coach all out.  At the rate he’s going, he’ll get rehired and doom the Jags to 4 more seasons of duking it out for wildcard berths.

5.)  Watch for an overrated defense.  I’ll give you a hint which one it is:  it’s won’t be the one wearing blue and white.  The Jags rank 23^rd in the NFL by yards and just 18^th overall and 26^th against the run according to DVOA as calculated by the footballoutsiders.com.  It’s the Jags offense that has them winning, not their D.

6.)  Watch for good nicknames.  Try as we might to popularize the Zombie and Microwave, the Jags Marcus Jones-Drew’s nickname “Mo-Jo” is pretty much a lock for the best nickname in the NFL.  It’s at least in the top 5.  This is the nicest thing we will say about the Jags all week.

7.)  Watch for a slow start.  The Colts have seemed to get off to bad first quarters a lot recently.  A touchdown drive in the first quarter might signal that a rout is on.

8.)  Watch for Big Red.  Luke Lawton is back playing special teams and fullback.  His presence might have made a difference against San Diego on the fateful 3^rd down rush late in the game.  At the very least he should open up more holes for Crap on the kickoffs.

9.)  Watch for no-names.  Much like the Colts, the Jags have been plagued by having to replace key players.  Mathis and Peterson have missed time, as has Marcus Stroud up front.  Unlike Mathis and Peterson who are hurt, Stroud is on a drug suspension.  Like other cheaters the Colts have played (Harrison and Merriman), he used performance enhancing drugs.  Fortunately, his suspension encompasses this week as well, meaning his team won’t have him when they need him most.

10.)  Watch for interceptions.  Plural.  Garrard’s improbable streak ends this week in a big way.  The Colts have knack for getting them in bunches.

11.)  Watch for shifting roles.  This week should give us a good feel for how the D-Line will look for the rest of the season.  We should learn who the Colts plan to plug in at Defensive End.  This could be one of the decisive moments of the 2007 season.

12.)  Watch for huge hits.  The Colts secondary really knocked the Jags around during the last game.  Garrard will be looking for the big pass play and Marlin Jackson will be looking to smack someone into next week.

13.)  Watch for a turning point.  This is a huge game for the Jack Del Rio regime.  Whether they go on to win the division or not, the Jacksonville coaching staff needs this game to prove that they deserve a big contract extension.  They literally can’t afford to lose another game to the Colts.

14.)  Watch for excited fans.  There’s just something fun about beating the Jaguars.  They’re so eager and yet so hapless.  Some of us may even get as excited as this guy:  

15.)  Watch for four passing touchdowns.  A few bored members of the press have tried to paint Peyton Manning as a player in decline.  That’s a huge reach, even for a journalist.  #18 gets untracked at the best possible moment. 

16.)  Watch for squib kicks.  The Jaguars only bright spot in the last meeting came from a nice kickoff return from MoJo.  A short drive led to their only score of the night.  The Colts seem to have accepted their special teams won’t improve until the off-season.  Directional kicks galore.

17.)  Watch for forced hype.  This sets up as a strange game. It is by far the most important NFL game of the weekend as far as playoff implications, but it is not a game the media is thrilled about covering.  The Colts are 8-3 over the past six seasons against the Jags and beat them by 22 earlier in the year.  Jacksonville barely has a local fan base let alone a national following.  Good luck with that CBS.

18.)  Watch the hatchet get buried and the wounds heal.  The angst that goes along with allowing 375 yards rushing will be laid to rest this weekend as the Colts sweep the season series decisively.  You can let it go now, Colts fans.