JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – TIAA Bank Field might as well be nicknamed “The Bane of the Colts”. Indianapolis simply cannot win inside that building, a fact that’s been true since 2014.
But four quarters one Sunday afternoon can change everything, and there’s no need for any “rally the troops” speech or extra motivation in the locker room: The Colts know what’s at stake as they get set to kick off against an AFC South rival.
“I walk into the meeting room,” explains head coach Frank Reich, “and it’s like okay, I can just turn around and walk out. We’re dialed in. We’re ready to go.”
Reich will go head-to-head with an old friend patrolling the opposite sideline as Doug Peterson is in his first season as head coach of the Jaguars. Peterson was head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles while Reich was offensive coordinator there.
“I bet coach Peterson is having the same experience right now,” Reich says. “That’s what’s so stinking great about this game. You got two teams, where this is a significant battle early in the year. It means a lot, and both teams will be ready to play.”
The Colts and Jaguars kick off Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.