Stephen Holder

Jaguars at Colts%2C 1 p.m. Sunday%2C CBS

Art Jones knew to say all the right things. He's a man of character and a good teammate. He just wanted to fit in.

"I come as a humble servant. I'll play wherever they want me to," the former Baltimore Ravens standout defensive lineman said after the Indianapolis Colts signed him in March to a five-year contract worth more than $30 million.

But Colts management was thinking bigger. General Manager Ryan Grigson had seen the team's run defense shredded in a playoff loss to the New England Patriots. The unit needed a dominant, wide-bodied force to man the interior of its front line. It needed more strength and an inside pass rush.

The Colts needed Art Jones.

Today, they need a healthy Art Jones.

The Colts expect Jones to return Sunday from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for seven of this season's 10 games, an exasperating series of stops and starts for a player the Colts thought would help them eliminate exactly the kind of embarrassment they endured Sunday night against the Patriots.

Jones watched from the sideline as someone named Jonas Gray rushed for 201 yards in a Colts loss.

"It's been frustrating as hell," Jones admitted.

Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he'll finally be able to do something about it.

"I don't feel sorry for myself, because nobody else is going to," Jones said. "I just have to keep working and keep grinding and when my number is called, there's not supposed to be a let up. There are a lot of people bashing me on Instagram and Twitter, and that's part of it. They don't understand. If it was easy, everybody would do this."

The hardest part of the past two months has been fighting the temptation to push too hard.

Jones only knows one speed. Maybe he learned it growing up in a household, where he and his two brothers' perpetual roughhousing preceded each becoming a professional athlete. (Chandler Jones is a Patriots linebacker and Jon Jones is a mixed-martial arts world champion.)

So, good luck telling Jones to sit patiently while his ankle heals. He thought he was ready to go when the Colts traveled to Pittsburgh on Oct. 26. His ankle disagreed. He reinjured it and hasn't played since.

"I felt like I was ready to go," Jones reflected this week. "Me being stubborn sometimes, being a competitor, I want to be out there with my (teammates). Maybe I made the wrong decision and came back too early. But I feel good now. I feel better than I did before. High ankle (sprains) are tricky. I think sometimes they say it's better to break it. I feel confident and comfortable. I've been working my butt off to get back. It's time to get this thing in championship form."

It's likely to take Jones some time to work himself into game shape, especially after sitting out so many games. He acknowledged as much when addressing his return this week. But once Jones rounds into form, his addition could make a considerable difference – particularly against the run.

The Colts' defensive linemen were pushed around unmercifully against the Patriots on Sunday, unable to hold the point of attack. That's where Jones was supposed to make a difference this season, had he been able to dodge the injury bug. His impact, the Colts are hoping, will be immediate.

"There's a reason why they signed him," said linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who has been on the wrong end of too many offensive lineman's upfield blocks.

"He's going to be huge. … He's a savvy vet who knows what he's doing. His presence alone can help myself, help (Jerrell Freeman), help the entire (defense). It's going to be great to get him back in the fold. You've seen those hips of his. He's built to stop the run. That's why we need him."

Jones not only helps against the run but also boosts the pass rush. One of his best qualities is his ability to rush from the defensive tackle or nose tackle spots.

Jones is a player who can "give you a little something on pass rush on third downs, a guy that has some ability to get after the quarterback and that's what we're looking for," defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said.

It was made plain to see in the postseason that the Colts needed Jones. Sunday night was simply a reminder.

Follow Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.