Colts QB Gardner Minshew gets the start against his former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars

INDIANAPOLIS (3-2) at JACKSONVILLE (3-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS

OPENING LINE: Jaguars by 4 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Indianapolis 3-2; Jacksonville 3-2.

SERIES RECORD: Colts lead 27-18.

LAST MEETING: Jaguars beat Colts 31-21 on Sept. 10, 2023, in Indianapolis.

LAST WEEK: Colts beat Titans 23-16; Jaguars beat Bills 25-20 in London.

COLTS OFFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (8), PASS (15), SCORING (11).

COLTS DEFENSE: OVERALL (28), RUSH (19), PASS (28), SCORING (22).

JAGUARS OFFENSE: OVERALL (10), RUSH (15), PASS (11), SCORING (T20).

JAGUARS DEFENSE: OVERALL (20), RUSH (5), PASS (27), SCORING (12).

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Colts plus-3; Jaguars plus-4.

COLTS PLAYER TO WATCH: Jonathan Taylor, the NFL’s 2021 rushing champion, managed just 18 yards in his first game in 10 months. He had offseason ankle surgery and was involved in a contract dispute before signing a three-year, $42 million deal last week. The Colts kept him on a snap count in his season debut, but his workload should increase.

JAGUARS PLAYER TO WATCH: Veteran DE Dawuane Smoot is expected to make his season debut and play for the first time since tearing an Achilles tendon last December. Smoot had five sacks in 15 games last season and should boost Jacksonville’s pass rush.

KEY MATCHUP: Colts QB Gardner Minshew versus his former team. A sixth-round pick by Jacksonville in 2019, Minshew started 20 games over two seasons with the franchise. He went 7-13 in those games and helped ignite the short-lived “Minshew Mania” phenomenon. The Jaguars eventually traded him to Philadelphia after rookie and No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence became the starter in 2021.

KEY INJURIES: Colts QB Anthony Richardson (right shoulder) is on injured reserve and won’t play in the game closest to his hometown in Gainesville, Florida. Three-time All-Pro LB Shaquille Leonard (groin), LT Bernhard Raimann (concussion protocol) and DE Kwity Paye (concussion protocol) practiced Wednesday after missing last week’s game. TE Mo Alie-Cox (concussion protocol) and RT Braden Smith (foot and wrist) sat out Wednesday. … Jaguars WR Zay Jones (knee) and LG Walker Little are considered day to day.

SERIES NOTES: The Jaguars have won three of the past four meetings. They have won eight consecutive home games against Indy, including seven in a row in Jacksonville and one in London.

STATS & STUFF: Minshew will make his second start this season. He won his first, in overtime at Baltimore, and is now 2-3 since leaving Jacksonville. Minshew went 7-6 with the Jags before losing his final seven starts and playing a role in getting Lawrence to the Jaguars. ... Taylor needs 18 yards rushing to pass Randy McMillan (3,876) for ninth on the Colts career rushing list. ... Indy has scored 20 points on its opening possessions of the second half, tied for fourth in the league. ... LB Zaire Franklin leads the NFL with 69 tackles and has had 12 or more tackles in each game this season. ... The Jaguars are trying to avoid a “London hangover” after playing consecutive games overseas and returning without a bye. … RB Travis Etienne had a career-high 184 yards from scrimmage (136 rushing and 48 receiving) and two TDs last week. He ranks second among RBs with 540 yards from scrimmage this season. … Evan Engram is the only TE in the league with four or more catches in five games this season. He has five or more receptions in each of his four games against the Colts.

FANTASY TIP: Taylor should get more work, but the Jaguars rank fifth in the league against the run. Colts WR Michael Pittman has 21 catches for 231 yards and a TD in his past two games against Jacksonville. … Etienne, Engram, QB Trevor Lawrence and WRs Christian Kirk and Calvin Ridley should be safe starts for the Jaguars.

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