The Colts’ season took another hard turn in Jacksonville, where a 42-7 loss to the Jaguars left Indianapolis with plenty of problems and very few answers.
The offense never found a rhythm, and the biggest issue showed up again in the same place it has all season: the inability to push the ball downfield. Daniel Jones averaged just 5.1 yards per pass attempt, and the Colts never looked like a group capable of stringing together enough explosive plays to stay afloat.
Jonathan Taylor barely had a chance to get going. He finished with eight carries for 23 yards, and 19 of those yards came on one run. The game script played a part, since Indianapolis spent so much of the afternoon chasing, but the production was still thin.
There were also more costly mistakes in the passing game. Tyler Warren should have caught the ball that turned into a pick-six, but another bad decision by Jones led to his second interception. That has been a season-long problem, and it showed up again here.
The defense had no real response to Jacksonville’s attack. Trevor Lawrence went 10 of 14 for 210 yards and three touchdowns, while Bhayshul Tuten added 104 rushing yards and a score. The Jaguars kept landing big play after big play, and the Colts never slowed them down.
Penalties piled up too, adding to the mess.
Anthony Richardson entered for Jones in the fourth quarter, but whether that changes anything at quarterback remains to be seen. Shane Steichen will have to address that one.
There were a few individual bright spots in the wreckage. CJ Allen made his first start and flashed with a sack and a team-high 10 tackles. Jaylahn Tuimoloau also stood out, leading the team with three pressures and forcing a fumble.
But the broader picture is ugly. The Colts lost again in Jacksonville, and the skid there continues.
The New York Jets are also in line to benefit from this mess with a really good pick via the Colts in 2027. And at this point, the next GM is staring at a roster that clearly needs a major overhaul.
When a team can’t run the ball or throw it effectively, third downs become a dead end. That was the story here, and it made for a brutal all-around outing.
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