Indianapolis @ Jacksonville preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 8, 2012 ) Indianapolis 27, Jacksonville 10

The Indianapolis Colts routed the defending NFC champions a week ago, but that doesn't mean they're taking the winless Jacksonville Jaguars lightly. "Everybody is good in the NFL, everybody's got players, every team," Colts coach Chuck Pagano told reporters. " … We know that they're down there preparing, and we've got to do the same thing." The Colts are in a three-way tie with Houston and Tennessee atop the AFC South - a deadlock that includes everyone in the division but the Jaguars - after moving to 2-1 with a 27-7 victory at San Francisco last week.

Jacksonville will have Blaine Gabbert back under center after missing two games with a cut on his throwing hand. "The last couple of weeks have kind of been a blessing in disguise, to let my hand heal," Gabbert told reporters. "It gave me a different point of view and an opportunity to watch things from a different perspective." The Jaguars have claimed four of the past six meetings - including one of their two victories last season - but the Colts won 27-10 in Jacksonville in Week 10 last season.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Colts -7.5. O/U: 42.5.

ABOUT THE COLTS (2-1): Indianapolis is 23 yards from being undefeated but rebounded from a 24-20 loss to Miami with an impressive performance against the 49ers. The Colts suddenly have one of the top backfield duos in the league with Ahmad Bradshaw (186 rushing yards) and Trent Richardson, who scored a touchdown in his first carry for Indianapolis last week. The defense was solid, if unspectacular, in the first two games but flexed its muscles against San Francisco, allowing only 254 total yards and forcing two turnovers.

ABOUT THE JAGUARS (0-3): Jacksonville is still a week away from getting suspended receiver Justin Blackmon back, but the Jaguars hope to have tight end Marcedes Lewis (calf) in the lineup for the first time and expect running back Maurice Jones-Drew (ankle) to be closer to 100 percent. They need all the help they can get after averaging 230.3 total yards per game - more than 50 fewer than any other team - through three games. The defense has been better than the offense, but the secondary is banged up and the inexperienced fill-ins might not be able to keep up the solid average of 202.7 passing yards allowed per game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Colts WR Reggie Wayne needs one touchdown reception to become the 11th player in NFL history with 13,000 receiving yards and 80 touchdown catches.

2. Jones-Drew has 1,389 career rushing yards against the Colts, his most against any team.

3. Indianapolis LB Robert Mathis has recorded a sack in three straight games overall and four straight against Jacksonville.

PREDICTION: Colts 23, Jaguars 10