AFC South

The Tennessee Titans will reportedly start Josh Dobbs for Thursday night's matchup with the Dallas Cowboys over rookie Malik Willis, according to Justin Melo of TheDraftNetwork.com. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network confirmed the news.

It will be Dobbs' first NFL start.

The Titans selected Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft, and he has served as Ryan Tannehill's backup this season. He has started three games in Tannehill's absence.

Willis was one of the more promising quarterbacks in a relatively weak 2022 draft class at that position. He spent two seasons at Auburn before transferring to Liberty, where he spent his junior and senior seasons.

The 22-year-old had a solid 2021 season, completing 61.1 percent of his passes for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 878 yards and 13 scores.

The Titans have gone just 1-2 in his three starts this season. He's thrown for only 276 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions while completing just 50.8 percent of his passes and taking 10 sacks. He has also rushed for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Dobbs has appeared in six games throughout his NFL career. He's completed 10 of his 17 pass attempts for 45 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

With Tannehill still injured, the Titans had to decide between the inexperienced and struggling Willis or the journeyman Dobbs. They reportedly have chosen the latter.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is listed as doubtful for Thursday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys because of a hip injury, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Sitting Henry at this point is risk mitigation by Tennessee. The Titans are in a must-win game in Week 18 against the Jacksonville Jaguars if they want to secure the AFC South title, and the outcome of Thursday's clash with the Cowboys won't have any bearing on their pursuit of a postseason berth.

Henry has amassed 319 carries for 1,429 yards and 13 touchdowns through 15 games. The ex-Alabama star is a two-time Pro Bowler who won the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year award in 2020.

He led the NFL in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards in 2019 and 2020, notably running for 2,027 yards in the latter year. Henry's 2,141 yards from scrimmage also paced the NFL in 2020.

The Tennessee Titans will turn to rookie quarterback Malik Willis as the starting quarterback for Saturday's matchup with the Houston Texans, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Veteran Ryan Tannehill has been ruled out for the game with an ankle injury.

NFL reporter Paul Kuharsky reported Wednesday that Tannehill was likely done for the season, opening up the chance for Willis to make an impression down the stretch.

The 23-year-old has made two starts this season, going 1-1 in those contests. For the year, the third-rounder out of Liberty has thrown for 177 yards and an interception, completing a woeful 44.7 percent of his passes while taking six sacks. He's added 80 rushing yards.

"I think the previous experience helped a lot, as far as just knowing what it takes and knowing what your routine is going to be in order to prepare," Willis told reporters Wednesday. "It's different every week, who we play. But the way you prepare is the same mostly. It's just understanding what it takes and going out there every day. Now I get the reps a little more, and it's just about going out there and getting better."

It will be a trial by fire for Willis at a crucial juncture in Tennessee's season, with the 7-7 Titans holding onto a tenuous one-game lead in the AFC South over the suddenly hot Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8), winners of four of their last six.

The Titans, meanwhile, have lost four straight.

The Jags won the first matchup between the teams by a 36-22 score, with the division potentially coming down to the final week of the season when the two teams face off in Jacksonville for the second time. The division winner will claim the No. 4 seed in the AFC.

It may be a moot point if the Titans can't get past the Texans and a Week 17 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. At least this week, Willis finds himself in the spotlight.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor's 2022 season is over, as the AFC South team placed him on injured reserve Tuesday, per Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

Taylor suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Colts' Week 15 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported it was "highly unlikely" he would return during the 2022 campaign given the timing of the setback and the team's 4-9-1 record.

The Wisconsin product missed time throughout the season with ankle concerns and posted 861 yards and four touchdowns on 192 carries to go with 28 catches for 143 yards in 11 games.

It was a far cry from his 2021 season when he was an MVP candidate with 332 carries for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns, which were all league-high marks. He also added 40 catches for 360 yards and two scores.

While the Colts can't realistically expect to run the ball as well with Taylor sidelined, they will likely turn toward the combination of Deon Jackson and Zack Moss in the meantime.

When the Jacksonville Jaguars took Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL draft, the last month is what they envisioned.

During that span, Lawrence has catapulted the Jags from a major deficit in the AFC South to the edge of the playoff race. He's tallied a trio of 300-yard, three-touchdown performances while leading three fourth-quarter comebacks and also defeating a key division rival. He is the single most impactful reason that Jacksonville is winning games.

Lawrence's much-anticipated breakout stretch is here, and it might just result in an improbable postseason bid.

Four weeks ago, the Tennessee Titans held a commanding edge in the AFC South. At 7-3, they had a four-game lead over the 3-7 Jaguars, who had just lost their fifth straight game and were behind the reeling 4-6-1 Indianapolis Colts.

The Jaguars beat the Las Vegas Raiders to begin November, but the Raiders have struggled through most of this season. That result led more to criticism of Vegas than praise for Jacksonville.

But after an unsurprising loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and a bye week, the Jags' trajectory has done a complete 180. After three wins in their past four games, they're merely a game behind the Titans in the AFC South and quietly two back in the wild-card race.

Jacksonville's remaining schedule is favorable, with only the New York Jets, Houston Texans and Titans left to play. The Jags' path to the playoffs is firmly in their control.

That's largely a credit to Lawrence.

Lawrence opened this month-plus hot streak with 321 passing yards and three touchdowns in a stunning 28-27 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Jacksonville scored 18 points in the fourth quarter, recovering from a 19-10 deficit and sealing the victory with a touchdown and two-point conversion in the closing seconds.

They followed that up with an ugly loss against the Detroit Lions, but they responded with an emphatic win at Tennessee and comeback victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Lawrence accounted for 339-plus total yards and four touchdowns in both triumphs.

Those numbers only begin to tell the story, though.

Lawrence has settled into the quarterback-friendly offense that new head coach Doug Pederson installed this season. Stable coaching from Pederson has quickly minimized the potential long-term danger that then-Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer posed to Lawrence's development last year.

Smarter decisions have fueled Lawrence's ascent. Since the beginning of November, he leads the NFL with a 70.4 completion rate, per CBS Sports, and he has tossed only one interception in 223 attempts.

Lawrence is taking fewer risks compared to his frustrating rookie campaign. Pressure may still lead to mistakes, but he's more comfortable dealing with blitzes and has been clinical in clean pockets.

Plus, the Clemson product has regularly started to hit big passes on the move. Against the Cowboys, his 59-yard touchdown throw to Zay Jones kickstarted the 17-point comeback.

Because of his surge, the Jaguars are on the brink of stealing the AFC South from the Titans.

Tennessee has now lost four straight games, including its Week 14 letdown at home to Jacksonville. While the Titans also play the Texans, the upcoming Week 17 clash with the Cowboys is a bad matchup for a Tennessee offense that has cracked 20 points only twice since the Week 6 bye.

If the Jags at least match Tennessee during the next two weeks, they'll be headed for a winner-take-all showdown in the regular-season finale at home against the Titans.

Even if the Titans snap out of their extended slump, the Jags could impact the wild-card race, too. They could hand the Jets a crushing loss, practically eliminating them because of their disadvantages in tiebreakers.

The Jaguars can lose to Tennessee and still technically have a shot at a wild-card berth at 8-9. They'd remain in play if either the Miami Dolphins or Los Angeles Chargers lose out, the Jets fall to the Seattle Seahawks, the New England Patriots finish 1-2 (with a victory over Miami) and none of the Raiders, Cleveland Browns or Pittsburgh Steelers win out.

However, success for Jacksonville in 2022 will not be judged on whether a playoff trip happens. This season was all about adapting to a new coach, unlocking a better version of Lawrence and building around him.

Check, check and check.

Jacksonville isn't close to a finished product. Nearly every fourth-quarter lead still haunts seasoned fans who've endured late-game collapses throughout the franchise's history. Heck, the Jags squandered a handful of leads before Lawrence spurred this hot streak.

For the first time in a half-decade, though, the Jaguars have serious hope for the future.

They're a win over Houston away from defeating every AFC South opponent at least once, which hadn't happened since 2010. They're more competitive on a weekly basis, including against playoff-caliber teams. They're eager for the debut of suspended wideout Calvin Ridley, whom they acquired ahead of the trade deadline, in 2023.

And they have a young quarterback who is performing at the level of a legitimate star.

The future is bright in Jacksonville. Thanks to Lawrence's torrid month, that future might arrive a year early.

The Indianapolis Colts may target Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh to be their next head coach.

Zak Keefer of The Athletic reported multiple league sources are "convinced" Colts owner Jim Irsay has Harbaugh at the top of his wishlist. It looks likely that Jeff Saturday, Irsay's unconventional midseason hire, will not get the job on a full-time basis after the Colts blew a 33-point lead to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15.

Harbaugh interviewed for the Vikings' head-coaching position last offseason before recommitting to Michigan. It was the closest he has gotten to leaving his alma mater since taking the job before the 2015 season.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported in February that Harbaugh informed the university that NFL flirtations would not be a yearly issue. Michigan signed Harbaugh to a new five-year contract two weeks after his Vikings interview.

"I called Warde [Manuel, the Michigan athletic director] and I asked him if he wanted me to be the head coach. And he said, 'Yes, 100 percent.' And I said, OK then. That's what I want to do.' And I told him, 'Warde, this will not be a reoccurring theme every year. This was a one-time thing," Harbaugh told Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press.

Harbaugh has led Michigan to the College Football Playoff in the last two seasons. The Wolverines' 13-0 mark in 2022 is their first undefeated regular season since 1997, and their 13 wins are the most in a season in program history.

While it would be a surprise to see Harbaugh do an about-face less than a year after he recommitted to Michigan, he has significant ties to the Colts organization. He played for the team from 1994 to 1997, winning Comeback Player of the Year and making the Pro Bowl in 1995.

The Colts inducted Harbaugh into their Ring of Honor in 2005.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is reportedly "highly unlikely" to play again this season after suffering a high ankle sprain in Saturday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported no formal determination has been made, but "all eyes are expected to be on a healthy 2023."

Taylor missed time earlier this season in Weeks 5 and 6 with an ankle injury. He returned for Weeks 7 and 8 but then missed Week 9 after reaggravating the injury in an Oct. 30 loss to the Washington Commanders.

In a Week 15 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Taylor suffered another ankle injury and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

Losing the 23-year-old for any period of time certainly isn't ideal for the Colts. He has rushed for 861 yards and four scores in 11 games this season.

However, Indy's offense hasn't played well even with Taylor in the lineup. Quarterback Matt Ryan has been at the root of the team's problems, though the offensive line hasn't been any better.

When Taylor misses time, the Colts turn to Deon Jackson and Zack Moss at running back. Jackson has rushed for 191 yards and one score in 13 games, while Moss, who was acquired from the Buffalo Bills at the trade deadline, has rushed for 112 yards in five games with the Colts.

Indianapolis is third in the AFC South with a 4-9-1 record.

Indianapolis Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday didn't pinpoint one specific thing that went wrong for his team in its historic 39-36 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Saturday said there is "plenty of blame to go around" after the Colts blew a 33-point lead, the largest cushion to be relinquished in NFL history.

Amid an already-disappointing season, Saturday's loss may be the low point for the Colts in 2022.

They did take advantage of sloppy play from the Vikings, returning a blocked punt and an interception for touchdowns en route to a 33-0 lead at halftime.

Even after the Vikings got their first touchdown midway through the third quarter, Indianapolis had a win probability of 99.6 percent.

Since 1930, teams that have led by at least 30 points were 1,548-1-1 in NFL history coming into Saturday, per the NFL Network telecast. The Vikings scored 36 points in the second half to force overtime. Greg Joseph's 40-yard field goal as time expired capped off the largest comeback in league history.

The Colts joined the Houston Oilers as the only teams to lose a game they led by at least 30 points. The Oilers' loss was "The Comeback" playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in January 1993.

Buffalo scored 35 points in the second half to erase a 35-3 deficit. Steve Christie kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime to send the Bills to the AFC Divisional Round.

The Colts had multiple opportunities to put the game away in the fourth quarter. Deon Jackson fumbled the ball on 1st-and-10 with 3:28 remaining, and Vikings cornerback Chandon Sullivan recovered it.

After Indianapolis' defense forced a turnover on downs, the offense got into Minnesota territory with under three minutes remaining in regulation. Saturday called for a quarterback sneak on 4th-and-1 that would have allowed the Colts to run out the clock if they picked it up, but Matt Ryan was stopped on a quarterback sneak.

On the next play, Dalvin Cook took a screen from Kirk Cousins for a 64-yard score to make it 36-34. Cousins found T.J. Hockenson in the end zone on a two-point conversion to tie the game.

The Colts gained a total of 128 yards on 10 offensive possessions in the second half and overtime, including a kneel down on the final play of regulation.

The past two games have been devastating in very different ways for Saturday and the Colts. They allowed the Dallas Cowboys to score 33 points in the fourth quarter to turn a 21-19 game into a 54-19 blowout.

After having a bye last week, the Colts responded with the most improbable loss the NFL has ever seen.

Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was ruled out against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday after he suffered an ankle injury on the opening drive of the game.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Taylor was initially listed as questionable to return before going back to the locker room for further evaluation. He was officially ruled out in the second quarter.

Schefter reported after the game that Taylor was diagnosed with a sprained ankle, adding that Taylor's status for the rest of the season could be in doubt given the Colts' 4-9-1 record despite the injury not being considered major.

Taylor missed Weeks 5 and 6 of this season because of an ankle injury. He returned for Weeks 7 and 8 but suffered a reaggravation of the ailment during the team's 17-16 loss to the Washington Commanders on Oct. 30.

The former University of Wisconsin star was then ruled out for Week 9 against the New England Patriots because of the injury.

Taylor broke out in his second NFL season last year thanks to a league-high 2,171 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns. His 1,811 rushing yards (on 5.5 yards per carry) also led the NFL. He enjoyed Sporting News Offensive Player of the Year and All-Pro honors.

However, the 2022 campaign has not gone nearly as well. Through 10 games, Taylor has gained just 991 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. His rushing yards per game has gone from 106.5 down to 86.1, and he's averaging a full yard lower per carry (4.5).

The Colts' offensive issues are far greater than one player and certainly not Taylor's fault. Indianapolis made both midseason offensive coordinator and quarterback changes in hopes of jump-starting a unit that is 31st in the NFL in scoring. The offensive line has also not performed as well.

Ultimately, the Colts are a better team with a healthy Taylor, but for the time being, it'll be up to Deon Jackson to lead the way. He's been featured heavily in the pass game (20 receptions, 124 yards) and has rushed for 136 yards and a score.

Third-year pro Zack Moss should also be in the mix too.