Colts could become contender by beating Packers

It’s difficult to sneak up on anybody in the NFL, given the attention the sport commands.

Yet the Indianapolis Colts have been something of a secret at 6-3. If you’re surprised to see them tied with Tennessee atop the AFC South, it’s excusable.

After beating the Titans, should they handle one of the NFL’s elite teams, the Packers, on Sunday, well, evaluations of the Colts will change from outsider to contender.

“We enjoyed the heck out of that win (at Tennessee). We were all excited,” quarterback Philip Rivers says. “That was a big win, but at the same time we know you just have to keep pushing. I refer to it as ... it’s a week-toweek league. It’s what are you doing this Sunday?

“As excited as we are to put ourselves in position here after nine games, we know that our best football needs to be ahead of us starting this week.”

Green Bay (7-2) is solidly in control of the NFC North and in strong position to pursue the conference’s top seed and lone playoffs bye. The Packers have only one future opponent that currently has a winning record, the Titans.

Aaron Rodgers disregards the upcoming schedule.

“I think every game is a measuring stick, and there’s ways we can look at every aspect of our matchup and use it to our advantage when critiquing ourselves or coaching up certain things,” the outstanding Packers quarterback says. “Numbers are used to project things, but they’re also a reflection of performance.

“I think every week in the NFL, it’s about winning and it’s about execution. We’ve played great defenses in the past and done well, and we’ve played defenses that ranked really low and not done well. It just depends on the execution and how things match up on Sunday.”

The action began with

Seattle temporarily taking the NFC West lead with a 28-21 win over Arizona on Thursday night. The Seahawk moved to 7-3 as Russell Wilson rebounded from his worst game of the season to throw for two touchdowns. Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray, who periodically had his right arm and shoulder area attended to during the game, also threw for two TDs. The Cardinals are 6-4.

Off this week are Chicago (5-5), the New York Giants (3-7), Buffalo (7-3) and San Francisco (4-6).

Kansas City (8-1) at Las Vegas (6-3)

How much have the Chiefs dominated the AFC West? Try:

Kansas City has won 17 of the past 19 road games in the division, losing only to the Raiders in 2014 and ‘17. Kansas City also has won 17 of its past 18 games overall, including the playoffs, with the only loss coming last month to Las Vegas.

The Raiders believe they are prepared for a shootout against Patrick Mahomes and Co. Mahomes has 25 touchdown passes and one interception; Drew Brees in 2018 is the only quarterback to throw more TDs before his second pick, 26. And KC looks to score at least 23 points for an NFL-record 24th straight game.

But Las Vegas has its running game tuned up — the Raiders have run for at least 150 yards in three straight games. They haven’t done

four in a row since an eightgame streak in 1985. Derek Carr had one of his best games in the win over the Chiefs with 347 yards passing and three TDs.

Pittsburgh (9-0) at Jacksonville (1-8)

The Steelers don’t play particularly well in Jacksonville, but they still have squeezed out victories in their past three trips. While their running game has sagged a bit, there’s nothing wrong with the defense. The Steelers have at least one sack in 66 consecutive games, three shy of Tampa Bay’s NFL record set between 1999 and 2003.

Jacksonville, which has lost eight in a row, is one shy of a very dubious mark: 100 defeats under owner Shad Khan. He fired coach Gus Bradley following a ninth straight loss in 2016. The Jaguars are 41-99 in Khan’s nine-year tenure. A loss Sunday would tie him with former New Orleans Saints owner John Mecom Jr. as the second fastest to reach 100.

Tennessee (6-3) at Baltimore (6-3)

It’s all about Derrick Henry, as the Ravens found out in last January’s playoff loss to the Titans’ superb running back. Henry, second in the NFL in rushing with 946 yards, ran for 103 yards in his previous game, a loss to Indianapolis. Henry has five 100-yard rushing games this season and 11 since the start of the 2019 schedule.

But the Ravens lead the NFL in fewest points allowed per game (18.3), forced fumbles (17) and fumble recoveries (10). And they can also run the ball, having rushed for at least 100 yards in 32 straight games, the third-longest streak in NFL history.

Tennessee has the NFL’s fewest turnovers with four. The Titans lead the NFL with a plus-10 turnover differential. Baltimore, coming off a messy defeat in nasty weather at New England, saw its NFL-record run of scoring at least 20 points in 31 straight games end. So did its streak of forcing a turnover in 21 successive games.

Philadelphia (3-5-1) at Browns (6-3)

The Eagles have won five straight against the Browns and four in a row at Cleveland. But these Eagles have been serious underachievers — injuries have had a lot to do with that — and are on top of the NFC East only because the division is so week. The Eagles’ next five opponents are a combined 32-13.

They do play the run pretty well, and the Browns run well. Nick Chubb returned last week after missing four games with a sprained right knee and rushed for 126 yards. Kareem Hunt added 104 yards against Houston; Chubb and Hunt are the first Cleveland backs to run for 100 yards apiece since Hall of Famer Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green in 1966.

Miami (6-3) at Denver (3-6)

Turnovers often are decisive in the NFL, so get this: The Dolphins rank second in takeaways per game at 1.7. They have a takeaway in 16 consecutive games, the longest streak in the league. Denver leads the league with 21 giveaways, including a league-high 16 interceptions. The Broncos turned over the ball five times at Las Vegas last week.