The Jacksonville Jaguars will have a chance to prove in Week 10 that their 9-6 win over the Buffalo Bills was no fluke. They will take on an Indianapolis Colts team that has some pretty talented players.
Although Indy currently holds a 4-5 record, there are different things that they do well. Their offense ranks seventh in the NFL in points scored, and they are the second-best at forcing turnovers with 20. Also, their defense lead the league in fumbles lost with 10. Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the Jaguars’ offense will have to play significantly better than they did last week. Simply, nine points won’t do against the Colts.
The other side of the coin is that all Indianapolis’ wins this season have come against teams with a losing record. If the Jaguars’ defense performs the way they did in Week 9, they may have a shot at pulling the upset.
Here are five Colts that could make it difficult for the Jaguars to win their third game of the season.
Colts player the Jaguars must keep an eye on No. 1 – WR Michael Pittman Jr.
Quarterback Carson Wentz has several weapons at his disposal. but his best one is wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. The USC product has gone on to become the Colts’ number one option in the passing game, hauling in 50 receptions for 658 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Stopping him will be a big priority for the Jaguars, that’s why they will probably task cornerback Shaquill Griffin to travel him for most of the game.
Colts player the Jaguars must keep an eye on No. 2 – DeForest Buckner
Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is listed as questionable for the game but the Colts are optimistic he will play. Head coach Frank Reich recently explain that the 2020 First-Team All-Pro suffered a back injury during practice that “locked up on him”.
If Buckner misses the game, protecting Trevor Lawrence will become a bit easier. On the other hand, it’s not a given he will sit out. The 2016 first-round pick is the kind of player teams must account for and double team on every play. He currently ranks among the top 10 defensive linemen in the NFL, logging four sacks, 30 total pressures, and 42 total tackles.
Colts player the Jaguars must keep an eye on No. 3 – Darius Leonard
After a relatively down 2019, linebacker Darius Leonard went back to playing at high-level last year. This season is no different and he’s on pace to earn the third All-Pro designation of his career. So far, he’s appeared in all nine games and has logged, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, five passes defensed, and 67 total tackles.
Leonard is the kind of player that keeps offensive coordinators around the league awake the night before the game. He can give the Jaguars fits in the passing game and the rushing attack. His Pro Football Focus grade of 74.1 is the second-best among Indy defensive players and both his pass rush and run defense grades are the best in the team.
Colts player the Jaguars must keep an eye on No. 4 – Jonathan Taylor
The 2021 running back class was a productive one. Antonio Gibson became a workhorse for the Washington Football Team and Jonathan Tayor has become a key cog on the Colts defense. The Jaguars also added a stud in James Robinson but he went undrafted. Still, it should be argued the former Redbird has played as well as those selected early in the draft.
Last season, Taylor totaled 1,468 yards and 12 total touchdowns. He’s having an even better 2021 campaign, having already logged 1,114 total yards with eight trips to the end zone. Moreover, he’s averaging 5.9 yards per carry. The Jaguars defense will have their work cut out, trying to stop the second-year running back in Week 10.
Colts player the Jaguars must keep an eye on No. 5 – Carson Wentz
Slowing Taylor down will be a key to pulling an upset but the Jaguars can’t devote too much attention to him, otherwise, they run the risk of letting quarterback Carson Wentz torch the secondary. Although the second overall pick in the 2016 draft has made a few baffling decisions in his first year in Indy, he’s been pretty efficient at throwing the football, completing 63.3 percent of his passes for 2,198 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions.
It will be up to the Jaguars’ front seven to play the way they did against Buffalo in Week 9, and pressure Wentz, which may not come easy, as the Colts offensive line has gelled in recent games and hasn’t allowed more than one sack since Week 6.