The Indianapolis Colts extended their streak of losses in Duval County, melting down in a 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who the Colts have not defeated on the road since 2014.
Similar to many of the Colts’ trips to Jacksonville, this game went from bad to worse for Indianapolis. In the first quarter, Daniel Jones suffered a noncontact injury to his right Achilles. Jones was ruled out for the remainder of the game, leaving rookie sixth-round draft pick Riley Leonard to take his place. Right tackle Braden Smith and cornerback Chris Lammons also exited the game with first half injuries.
After the game, head coach Shane Steichen updated reporters on the status of Jones.
“Could be season ending,” Steichen said, “I don’t have the full details on it, but we’ll get more clarity on that.”
On top of that, the AFC South rivals battled through torrential rain throughout the afternoon. The wet conditions had a noticeable and tangible impact on the offensive efficiency of both sides, evidenced by the incapacity of either team to reach the end zone in the second half until Leonard pranced past the goal line with under two minutes to play.
The rain hindered both offenses, but the Jaguars appeared to handle the adverse weather conditions the best. Trevor Lawrence put together a spectacular performance, completing multiple difficult throws and escaping pressure in impressive fashion on multiple occasions.
Lawrence completed 17 of 30 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Four different receivers caught three passes or more, with Brian Thomas Jr. gaining the most yardage with 87 yards on three catches. Travis Etienne Jr. led the way on the ground with 20 carries for 74 yards and a pair of scores.
The Colts were much less productive offensively in comparison to the Jaguars, operating without their starting quarterback on the road. Leonard was thrust into an incredibly unfavorable situation considering the opponent, the location of the game, the weather, the score and the suddenness of his entrance into the action. The 23-year old improved as the game progressed and displayed his flashy arm talent, but his first few drives contained numerous inaccurate passes and turnover-worthy decisions.
That said, Leonard put forth a respectable effort, especially considering the circumstances. The most significant silver lining was the increase in mobility, with Leonard running downfield and working outside of the pocket much more successfully than Jones was with his fractured fibula.
After the game, Steichen spoke positively to reports about Leonard’s afternoon.
“I thought Riley stepped in and did some good things. In a tough situation he battled like crazy,” Steichen said.
Leonard completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards and an interception, after Jones completed five of his seven passes for 60 yards and an interception. Alec Pierce hauled in five catches for 80 yards and Jonathon Taylor rushed 21 times for 74 yards and a touchdown.
The circumstances the Colts found themselves in called for a heavy reliance on the run game, due to the weather and the absence of Jones at quarterback. Taylor, though, was unable to compose a game-saving performance.
Taylor fumbled during Leonard’s first full drive, and the Colts were in a two-possession-or-more hole for the rest of the game. For that reason, Indianapolis was forced to take an undesirable offensive approach. The run game was the offense’s greatest strength following Jones’ departure, but the sizable deficit required a bold and hasty style of offense that could only be achieved with frequent pass plays.
Turnovers were an issue for Indianapolis throughout the contest. Jones threw an interception on his very first play from scrimmage, which led to a swift 7-0 Jacksonville lead despite the Colts defense forcing a punt on the previous drive.
Two second quarter Jaguars touchdowns resulted from Colts turnovers, as well, derived from a Taylor fumble and a turnover on downs. In the fourth quarter, the game was essentially ended by a safety that extended the lead to 23 points and returned the ball to the home team.
Injuries, turnovers, weather and an imposing Jaguars defense doomed the Colts to an 11th consecutive loss in Duval County. The most prominent positive takeaway from the loss, however, involves the few key plays made by the defense to keep Indianapolis in contention for victory.
Grover Stewart forced a crucial fumble in the second quarter, and the Colts held the Jaguars to just six points in the second half. Nevertheless, the Jacksonville offensive line kept Lawrence clean and the Jaguars picked apart the Indianapolis secondary en route to a 36-point output.
As a result of the win, the Jaguars now hold sole possession of first place in the AFC South with a one-game lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker over Indianapolis. The Colts will have the opportunity to avenge this loss in week 18 inside Lucas Oil Stadium, in a game that may have major postseason implications.
The mortality of the Colts was made apparent in this game, as Indianapolis totes the league’s most difficult strength of schedule over the final five weeks of the season. No matter how eye-catching and impressive the 7-1 start to the season was, the fate of the Colts in terms of postseason inclusion is very much undetermined, especially if Jones is sidelined for an extended period of time.
The quest for the playoffs continues next Sunday at 4:25 p.m., as the Colts travel to Seattle to face the 10-3 Seahawks. The Jaguars stay at home to welcome the 3-10 New York Jets for a game that is set to kick off on Sunday at 1 p.m.
