Banged-up Colts try to end a 9-game road skid against the winless Jaguars

Oct 3, 2024, 05:43 pm

Indianapolis (2-2) at Jacksonville (0-4)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS

: Jaguars by 3.

Against the spread: Indianapolis 3-1; Jacksonville 2-2.

Series record: Colts lead 27-19.

Last meeting: Jaguars won 37-20 on Oct. 15, 2023, in Jacksonville.

Last week: Jaguars lost at Texans 24-20; Colts beat Steelers 27-24.

Colts offense: overall (15), rush (9), pass (21), scoring (16).

Colts defense: overall (32), rush (31), pass (26), scoring (14T).

Jaguars offense: overall (25), rush (13), pass (28), scoring (29T).

Jaguars defense: overall (30), rush (10), pass (31), scoring (30).

Turnover differential: Colts even, Jaguars minus-2.

Colts player to watch

Joe Flacco. The 39-year-old quarterback replaced injured starter Anthony Richardson (hip) against Pittsburgh and played well in his Colts debut. He completed 16 of 26 passes for 168 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Flacco is 4-4 against Jacksonville, including a 31-27 victory with Cleveland last December. Flacco completed 26 of 45 passes for 311 yards, with three TDs and an INT.

Jaguars player to watch

Pro Bowl TE Evan Engram is expected to return after missing the past three games with a strained hamstring. Engram injured himself during pregame warmups in Week 2 and was unable to go. He returned to practice Wednesday and should be cleared barring a setback. Engram caught 114 passes for 963 yards and four TDs in 2023.

Key matchup

Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby versus an Indy defense that ranks 31st in the league against the run, allowing 164.8 yards a game on the ground. Etienne and Bigsby have been bright spots for the Jaguars, leading the way on a unit that ranks second in the NFL by averaging 5.74 yards per rushing attempt.

Key injuries

The Colts finished last week's game without eight starters: Richardson, RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle), C Ryan Kelly (neck), CB JuJu Brents (knee), DT DeForest Buckner (ankle), DE Samson Ebukam (Achilles tendon), CB Kenny Moore II (hip) and DE Kwity Paye (quadricep). Brents, Buckner and Ebukam are all on injured reserve and won't play. ... The Jaguars likely will be without DE Josh Hines-Allen (concussion). LB Devin Lloyd (knee) also missed practice Wednesday. And Jacksonville has four players — Etienne, Bigsby, WR Gabe Davis and CB Jarrian Jones — dealing with shoulder injuries.

Series notes

Jacksonville swept the series last season, giving the Jags wins in 10 of the past 16 meetings. ... The Jaguars have won the past nine home games against Indy, including one that was played in London. ... A season-ending loss at the Jags in 2021 prevented the Colts from making the playoffs. ... Jacksonville won the 2020 season opener against Indy, then dropped its remaining 15 games.

Stats and stuff

Indianapolis has consecutive wins. ... The Colts are tied for third in the NFL with 20 rushes of 10 or more yards and are tied for fourth with 17 total plays of 20 or more yards. ... Richardson has made eight career starts but has only finished four of them. ... Taylor has rushed for 100 yards twice this season and is ranked fifth in the league with 349 yards on the ground. He's scored in three of the four games and needs two more TD runs to pass Tom Matte (45) for the third most in franchise history. ... WR Michael Pittman Jr. had six catches for 113 yards, both season highs, in last week's victory. ... Alec Pierce is averaging a league-best 23.4 yards per catch. ... LB E.J. Speed has had eight consecutive games with double-digit tackles, tying him with Hall of Fame LB Zach Thomas for the NFL's longest streak since 1987. ... Speed and S Nick Cross share the lead league in tackles with 47. ... The Jaguars will induct former coach Tom Coughlin into the franchise's ring of honor at halftime. Coughlin will join OT Tony Boselli, WR Jimmy Smith, RB Fred Taylor and QB Mark Brunell alongside original team owners Wayne and Delores Weaver in the "Pride of the Jaguars." ... Jacksonville will debut “Prowler Throwback” uniforms in honor of the franchise's 30th season. ... The Jags are the NFL's only winless team. They have dropped nine of 10 going back to last season. ... Trevor Lawrence has lost nine consecutive starts, the longest current streak in the NFL. He has been at his best against Indy, going 4-1 with a QB rating of at least 90 in each of the past five games.

Fantasy tip

Jacksonville's Christian Kirk has been targeted 22 times the past two games, leading to 15 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown.

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