Colts expect different Bengals in rematch

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson won’t watch the film of the Colts’ regular-season meeting with the Bengals.

Defensive lineman Cory Redding isn’t focused on it either.

Watching the game won’t do them any good while preparing for Sunday’s wild-card game with Cincinnati.

“Whatever happened in that game, you have to completely wipe it out,” Jackson said. “They’re a completely different ballclub now.”

For Redding, that game is history.

“That’s how many weeks ago? I don’t pay attention or look at that stuff,” Redding said. “What we did in the past is in the past.”

When Indianapolis and Cincinnati met on Oct. 19, it was a 27-0 demolition by the Colts. Since then, things have changed.

The Colts could see receiver A.J. Green for the first time if he is cleared from concussion protocol. Green was sidelined with a turf toe injury in the first meeting between the teams.

Linebackers Emmanuel Lamur and Rey Maualuga missed that game with injuries, too. Quarterback Andrew Luck has more to pick through in the rematch.

“They do a great job of just making plays,” Luck said. “It seems like they have a great mix of good veterans, young guys that can play. We know every yard is tough against them.”

Indy’s offensive line has been decimated by injuries, while the Bengals have gotten a stronger ground game out of Jeremy Hill.

The rookie running back wasn’t on the Colts’ radar in Week 7. He totaled just 155 yards rushing over the first five games of the year, and ran for 15 yards against the Colts.

Now, he leads all NFL rookies with 1,124 yards rushing and nine touchdowns on the ground, a threat the Colts (11-5) are preparing for.

“Our one biggest thing on our game plan is you must stop Hill,” defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois said. “We must stop that run game and make them beat us throwing.”

Hill became the third rookie with four games totaling 140 or more yards rushing — all after the Colts-Bengals game.

With Hill, the Bengals (10-5-1) have become so much more effective at running.

“I expect them to come in and that will be their main focus,” Jackson said. “That’s what we have to do defensively is force them to get into the third-and-longs, and that’s by winning first and second down.”