JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Indianapolis Colts protection had struggled all day, however one cease in a giant second might have erased the entire errors.
In a 34-34 sport Sunday afternoon towards the Jacksonville Jaguars with 2:40 remaining within the fourth quarter, the Colts had all their timeouts and all of the momentum. A 65-yard landing move from Colts quarterback Joe Flacco to extensive receiver Alec Pierce had simply shell-shocked the Jaguars and put their winless AFC South rivals on the ropes.
All of the protection wanted to do was land the haymaker. Get a cease and get the ball again into Flacco’s fingers, and the Colts might depart Jacksonville with some uncommon achievements: a victory in Duval County and a three-game successful streak.
However they couldn’t do it. In truth, they couldn’t even drive a 3rd down till it was too late. QB Trevor Lawrence marched the Jaguars proper down the sphere: 9-yard achieve, 5-yard achieve, 11-yard achieve, 14-yard achieve, and earlier than you knew it, Jacksonville was in field-goal place. After three runs that compelled the Colts to burn their timeouts, kicker Cam Little drilled a 49-yard discipline aim with 17 seconds left that lifted Jacksonville to a 37-34 victory.
#Colts Week 5 recap:
• Duval County curse continues
• Indy’s protection offers up massive performs
• Joe Flacco will get cooking late
• Alec Pierce’s enormous 4Q
• Indy’s protection unable to get final cease
• Will Fries breaks his proper tibiaExtra @TheAthleticNFL —> https://t.co/lgXxqadgsm pic.twitter.com/IPSYuGWslU
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) October 6, 2024
The Colts’ gut-wrenching defeat marked their tenth straight street loss towards the Jaguars. However past extending the Duval County curse, Sunday’s loss signified one thing extra regarding: Indianapolis’ protection is damaged.
“We all know we’re higher than the efficiency we put on the market (Sunday) on all three ranges,” Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin stated.
However are they? Actually?
The Colts simply surrendered 37 factors to the Jaguars, who hadn’t scored greater than 20 factors this season. Indianapolis additionally conceded 497 whole yards and eight.7 yards per play, which is the Jags’ highest yards/play whole since 1998. That 12 months, some man named Peyton Manning was in his rookie season with the Colts.
Jacksonville scored on 7 of its 12 possessions Sunday, together with three touchdowns and a discipline aim in its final 5 possessions. The Jaguars scored each on lengthy drives, and in flash, uncorking three performs of 60-plus yards Sunday: an 85-yard TD move from Lawrence to rookie extensive receiver Brian Thomas Jr. within the second quarter that seemed to be the results of a protection bust involving Colts security Nick Cross and cornerback Dallis Flowers; a 61-yard move from Lawrence to Christian Kirk early within the fourth quarter that arrange one other landing; and a 65-yard landing run by Tank Bigsby with simply over 5 minutes left within the sport.
TANK BIGSBY STIFF ARMS HIS WAY TO A 65-YARD TD.
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📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/oVugPI0X5s— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024
On Bigsby’s run, which was the longest of his profession and gave Jacksonville a 34-20 lead, he ran proper previous the outstretched arms of Cross, defensive finish Laiatu Latu, linebacker E.J. Velocity and Franklin, earlier than working by means of the arms of diving security Julian Blackmon, on the way in which to the tip zone.
“(Our) tackling was atrocious (Sunday),” Franklin stated. “We made that boy (Bigsby) appear like one thing that I don’t essentially consider he’s, however he did (it).”
And that’s the purpose. The Colts protection — which entered Sunday Night time Soccer ranked thirty first within the NFL in proportion of opponent drives that finish in punts (23.6%, league common is 35.5%), thirty second in forcing three-and-outs (18.2%, league common is 32.4%) and thirty second in yards yielded per drive (37.7, league common is 30) — appears to be permitting historic and career-high performances each week.
Bigsby had by no means recorded a 100-yard speeding sport by means of his first 21 NFL contests. He exploded for 101 yards on simply 13 makes an attempt Sunday. Lawrence had misplaced 9 straight begins, failing to throw for a minimum of 300 yards in any of these video games; he even didn’t throw for a minimum of 180 yards in his first three begins this 12 months. On Sunday, the 2021 No. 1 choose accomplished 28-of-34 passes for a career-high 371 yards towards the Colts and, save for an ill-advised move within the third quarter that led to a Cross interception, had an total good day.
One massive motive why: He was virtually by no means beneath stress. Indianapolis didn’t sack Lawrence. In truth, the Colts by no means even hit him. In accordance with TruMedia, they pressured him one time in 34 dropbacks.
“You gotta get stress on the quarterback. We all know that,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen stated. “I’ve full religion that we’ll get that carried out transferring ahead.”
However ought to Steichen nonetheless have in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s unit? They haven’t carried out a lot this season to warrant that “religion,” although Steichen insisted that his staff has the gamers to rebound.
Perhaps at one level that was true, nevertheless it might not be now. The Colts are too banged up. Beginning defensive finish Kwity Paye (quad) and beginning defensive sort out DeForest Buckner (proper excessive ankle sprain) have been sidelined Sunday and have missed a number of video games this 12 months. The Colts have been additionally lacking beginning cornerbacks Kenny Moore II (hip) and JuJu Brents (MCL), in addition to beginning defensive finish Tyquan Lewis (elbow) on Sunday.
However that’s not an excuse for his or her poor efficiency. Certain it contributed, however loads of groups throughout the NFL are coping with vital accidents and put a greater product on the sphere Sunday.
Additionally, think about what the Colts offense completed.
Indy was down three offensive starters to start out Sunday’s contest — QB Anthony Richardson (proper indirect), working again Jonathan Taylor (proper ankle sprain) and middle Ryan Kelly (neck) — and misplaced beginning proper guard Will Fries (proper tibia) within the third quarter. But the offense, led by Flacco, nonetheless discovered a solution to rating 24 factors within the fourth quarter to rally and tie the sport.
A valiant effort although it was, the protection spoiled the enjoyable. However that doesn’t imply it must be ignored.
Flacco received issues going for a Colts offense that sputtered for a lot of the sport with an 18-yard TD move to Mo Alie-Cox simply six seconds into the ultimate body earlier than connecting with Pierce thrice for 134 yards, marking the third 100-yard sport of Pierce’s profession.
Deep menace AP strikes once more. 🚀
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— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 6, 2024
Pierce’s first two receptions, a 24-yarder adopted by a 46-yarder, set Trey Sermon up for a 1-yard landing run that minimize the Jaguars’ result in simply seven factors. Flacco then discovered Pierce once more on the following drive for the 65-yard catch-and-run that knotted the sport with slightly below three minutes left.
“I believe he’s hell of a participant,” Flacco stated of Pierce. “So, I used to be truly feeling dangerous like, ‘Man, we gotta get him concerned on this sport. … How can we try this?’ After which growth, he makes an superior catch on the sidelines after which issues simply begin rolling. So, a number of credit score to him to type of preserve his head within the sport.”
JOE TO ALEC AND WE’RE ALL TIED UP.
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— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 6, 2024
Flacco completed 33-of-44 passing for 359 yards and three touchdowns, nevertheless it was all for naught. The 39-year-old stated Sunday’s matchup was one when “you need the ball final,” which was his well mannered method of admitting his protection couldn’t be trusted.
Franklin concurred in a largely silent locker room that was nonetheless considering easy methods to swallow one other embarrassing loss in Duval County.
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“Joe did a outstanding job of simply preserving us in it. … A.P., man, I can’t say sufficient of about him and the job he’s doing this season,” Franklin stated. “The protection, we gotta do our half. We ain’t do our half (Sunday). That’s the ethical of the story.”
(Photograph of Tank Bigsby: Mike Carlson / Getty Photos)
