Jaguars vs. Colts: 5 bold predictions for the season final

With all the things that are going on with the Jacksonville Jaguars, it’s easy to forget there’s still one game left on the schedule, their Week 18 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Indy needs to beat the Jags in the season finale if they want to qualify for the postseason and keep in mind that they haven’t won a game at TIAA Bank Field since 2014. That’s a pretty long streak, one they will try to end Sunday. The Colts are favored by 15 points and are the better team overall.

On the other hand, the Jaguars came close to beating the Colts in their last meeting, overcoming a 17-point deficit to start the game and pulling to within 23-17. In the end, Jacksonville’s comeback attempt fell short but they never threw in the towel and played until the last second. If they can bring in the same kind of intensity in the last game of the regular season, things could get interesting. Here are five predictions for the game.

1. Laviska Shenault will have his best game of the year in Week 18.

Wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. showed promise as a rookie but didn’t make a big leap in Year 2. His best game of the 2021 season came in Week 4 when he caught six passes for 99 yards but other than that, he’s been relatively quiet. That will change in Week 18.

Shenault will finish the season strong and will haul in seven receptions for over 100 yards against the Colts. The 2020 second-round pick is still the same player he was last year but the coaching staff hasn’t put him in a position to succeed and just like other Jaguars players, he’s been likely affected by the dysfunction that has surrounded the franchise this season.