JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As probably the most disappointing seasons in franchise historical past involves an in depth this weekend, there stays one small, optimistic factor the Jacksonville Jaguars can accomplish.
By beating the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), the Jaguars can clinch a profitable file within the AFC South for simply the fifth time — and a 3rd season in a row.
“To complete that approach, to complete robust, it sends a very good message to the staff which you can nonetheless have a maintain in your division when you try this subsequent week,” head coach Doug Pederson mentioned after the Jaguars’ 20-13 victory over Tennessee on Sunday. “You have to win the sport, clearly, [it] reveals you’ll be able to form of management [the division].
“… It will likely be a very good message to the fellows if we are able to accomplish that.”
The Jaguars would not actually management the AFC South with a victory on Sunday as a result of the Houston Texans can go 5-1 with a victory at Tennessee. Even when the Titans pull off the upset and each groups end 4-2, the Texans swept the season collection towards the Jaguars. Houston has already gained the division for the second consecutive season.
The Jaguars’ season has fallen aside due to accidents (together with season-enders to quarterback Trevor Lawrence, receiver Christian Kirk, and tight finish Evan Engram), a protection that ranks final in passing yards allowed (357.7 per sport) and turnovers (9) and thirty first in yards allowed (387.5 per sport), and a free agent class that has made minimal impression. The Jaguars are also 3-9 in one-score video games – the 9 losses are tied for essentially the most in a single season within the Tremendous Bowl period (since 1966).
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Contemplating all of that, beating the Colts in Indianapolis would permit the gamers not less than one little bit of positivity heading into an offseason that would embrace a training and basic supervisor change, defensive finish Josh Hines-Allen mentioned.
“The entire season hasn’t been the place we wished it to be, but when we are able to dominate our division — we win that sport and we’re 4-2 in our division — we are able to maintain our heads up excessive, realizing that we maintain dealing with our enterprise within the division then after we get outdoors it, we’ll be in a very good area,” Hines-Allen mentioned.
The Jaguars’ 31-21 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium final season snapped a five-game dropping streak in Indianapolis. The Jaguars have solely gained back-to-back street video games there as soon as — the 2011 and 2012 seasons — and have swept the season collection with the Colts simply thrice (2011, 2017 and final season).
A victory Sunday can be the primary time the Jaguars have gained back-to-back video games since Weeks 11 and 12 of final season.
“I am glad we beat the Titans,” operating again Travis Etienne Jr. mentioned. “I bear in mind final 12 months they beat us [and] saved us out of the playoffs, so simply having the ability to sweep them and having the prospect to go sweep the Colts is simply actually thrilling. Particularly like when it is a division rival. We do not just like the man, they do not like us, and we have simply bought to go on the market and deal with enterprise.”
