Colts and Jaguars hope their season finale provides meaningful answers heading into the offseason

INDIANAPOLIS -- — The Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars opened this season with playoff hopes.

Both had creative coaches, young quarterbacks, manageable schedules and what they anticipated were promising futures.

On Sunday, the AFC South rivals will finish their seasons looking to find a meaningful message that can apply to their offseason calculations.

“We’ve got a job to do no matter what the circumstances are,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. "We’ve got to put our best foot forward and try and win a football game. Meetings, practice – you’re still playing for something, right? We’ve all got jobs to do and we’ve got to go out and perform.”

The Colts (7-9) and Jaguars (4-12) have largely underperformed this season, and nobody is sure what's next.

Indy remains hopeful quarterback Anthony Richardson returns from severe back spasms after missing last week's playoff-eliminating loss. He watched last year's season finale from the sideline after having season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder.

Jacksonville, meanwhile, again will go with Mac Jones at quarterback since its starter, Trevor Lawrence, remains on injured reserve after having season-ending surgery on his non-throwing shoulder.

It's a different story for the team's decision makers.

Coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke have been rumored to be on their way out of Jacksonville for weeks now and many believe Sunday's game will be the final chapter — even if it's not the most pressing issue this week.

“Obviously, you’re trying to win the game, bottom line,” Pederson said. “The key is to make sure that everybody stays locked in and focused on the task at hand, right? I mean that’s the most important thing. I don’t necessarily use it as developmental for anybody.”

There have been similar murmurs in Indy regarding Steichen and longtime GM Chris Ballard after the franchise's playoff drought officially reached four seasons last week.

Most, however, expect the Colts to move on from defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, the Jaguars' former head coach who has been under fire all season.

“I think I would worry about it if I wasn’t embarrassed,” Bradley said, referring to the loss to the New York Giants. “I’m still upset and frustrated and we’ve got to get this right. My mindset is that we have one more game and it’s not for a playoff opportunity, but it does give us a chance to get this right and at least set the tone for what it needs to look like.”

And, of course, that means one more win that isn't so meaningless.

“It’s a big thing to do in the NFL — if you can stack some good practices and games and carry that momentum wherever it may go,” said Jones, who could become a free agent in March. “You definitely want to put your best foot forward."

Sack watch

Jacksonville's Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker are closing in on sack records. But Hines-Allen will have to wait until 2025 to get his.

Hines-Allen didn't make the trip because of a personal matter. He needs 2½ sacks to break the franchise's career mark of 55 held by Tony Brackens.

Walker, meanwhile, needs a half-sack to become the second player in team history to notch double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons, joining Calais Campbell.

“I think because of where we are as a team, it’s overshadowed,” Pederson said. “But that’s another bright spot with this team. ... There’s definitely more for them to get, and I think that’s the exciting part as you look ahead to the future.”

Pro Bowl bound

Despite the poor overall season, three Colts were selected to this year's Pro Bowl.

Left guard Quenton Nelson was chosen for the seventh straight year — every season of his pro career — and running back Jonathan Taylor is returning for the first time since he won the 2021 NFL rushing title. Taylor has 450 yards rushing and five TD runs over the past three weeks and ranks seventh among the league's rushers this season with 1,254 yards.

Linebacker Zaire Franklin is a first-time Pro Bowl selection. He leads the league in tackles (165) and has finished among the league's top tacklers each of previous two seasons.

‘Receiver U’ grad

Brian Thomas Jr. needs 135 yards receiving to pass Michael Clayton, Odell Beckham Jr. and Randy Moss to reach fifth among NFL rookie receivers in the Super Bowl era.

Maybe the most interesting part of the top 10: Five played at LSU. The five former Tigers are Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Beckham, Thomas and Malik Nabers.

“For a while, it was Alabama,” Pederson said. “Alabama was sending receivers to the NFL, and then now, it seems like LSU. It’s good company, and the year that (Thomas’) had, to be mentioned with those guys that came before him and are still playing at a high level, it just says something for that entire group.”

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AP Pro Football Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville also contributed to this report.

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