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Colts seek to replace Jackson at nickel back
November 1, 2008
By Phil Richards
indystar.com
With his size, strength and safety instincts and skills, cornerback
Marlin Jackson was the perfect fit for covering a slot receiver, an
assignment he has capably handled for four years in the Indianapolis
Colts nickel defense.
Jackson was lost to a season-ending knee injury during practice
Wednesday, and the timing could hardly be worse.
New England's Wes Welker might be the NFL's niftiest slot receiver
and the Patriots visit Lucas Oil Stadium with their three-wide
receiver set Sunday. New England also has the league's sixth-ranked
rushing attack (130.4 yards a game) and the nickel back is vital to
Colts' run support.
It's a critical position.
"For us it is," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "We play
a lot of zone coverage. They have Wes Welker in there, who is their
leading receiver, so it is a critical spot. We've worked a lot of
guys in there; it seems like a different guy every day as we're
trying to rest some of our guys, but we'll see."
Tim Jennings is expected to start at one corner, Kelvin Hayden
(knee/hamstring) is questionable at the other, but the Colts have
given Jennings, Keiwan Ratliff, Antoine Bethea and Melvin Bullitt
practice time in the slot this week.
Bethea and Bullitt are safeties. Ratliff has been terminated and
twice re-signed in the past six weeks, most recently Thursday.
Dante Hughes, who ordinarily would serve as the third cornerback,
although not necessarily the one assigned to the slot, missed
practice all week with a ligament injury in his foot and ankle.
"Game-time decision," Hughes said. "Right now I'm
pretty optimistic though. Keep taking treatment, and see if you can
deal with the pain."
Welker has caught 49 passes for 466 yards and one touchdown. Randy
Moss has 32 receptions for 471 yards and four touchdowns and Jabar
Gaffney, the Patriots' third wide receiver, has 11 catches for 107
yards and a touchdown.
The Colts are in a tough spot.
"I told the team one of the things I admire about New England is
what they do when they get in situations like that," Dungy said.
"We were as hot as you could be in '04 (divisional playoffs) and
they had everybody hurt and Troy Brown played in there and they beat
us. It's no different; whoever gives you the best chance and the best group."
Brown was a wide receiver who played nickel back when the Patriots
ended the Colts' 2004 season with a 20-3 victory. This against a
Colts offense that had passed for 51 touchdowns and averaged 32.6 points.
Jennings also subscribes to Dungy's philosophy.
"We've got a few injuries, but what team doesn't?" he said.
"We've just got to keep rolling, roll with the punches and get
ready for New England."
Wayne returns
Reggie Wayne, who missed practice Wednesday and Thursday, returned
Friday and expects to play Sunday night. He suffered a knee injury in
the Colts' loss Monday at Tennessee.
Wayne is the team's leading receiver with 38 catches for 521 yards
and four touchdowns, and durability is one of his many assets. He
hasn't missed a game since 2001, his rookie season. No one could
remember the last time he missed practice.
"Seven years," Wayne said after the workout. "I'm
ready to go."
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