Jaguars stunned Colts in season finale despite HC Frank Reich’s warning

Looking at the odds and predictions by most talking heads, the Indianapolis Colts were going to have no trouble disposing of a Jacksonville Jaguars’ team coming off eight straight losses in Week 18 of the 2021 season. However, Indy was in for a rude awakening once they stepped on TIAA Bank.

Looking back, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the Jags beat the Colts, some thought it was possible. After all, they have not been able to win in Jacksonville since 2014. Something that should make the loss even most frustrating for Indy is that head coach Frank Reich saw it coming. He even warned his players not to underestimate the Jaguars.

During the Hard Knock’s in-season finale, Reich told his players not to look down on the Jaguars and added that they could lose if they didn’t prepare and give their best. Here’s what the Colts head coach said via, Pro Football Talk.

"I promise you this: They’re sitting in their meeting right now, thinking they’re gonna beat us. Thinking they can beat us and ruin our season. And you know what? They’re right. We’ve got to acknowledge that we know that’s right. They can beat us. If we don’t prepare, if we don’t give our best right now, if we don’t prepare our best this week, we can get beat. We’re in a do-or-die situation. Win-and-get-in situation. The stakes are the highest the stakes get in this business."

The Jaguars need to build off the win over the Colts for the 2022 season.

As impressive as the Jaguars’ Week 9 victory over the Buffalo Bills was, their win in the season finale was even more impressive. Simply, they were the better team on the field and at no point of the game did Jacksonville take their foot off the gas pedal. It was probably the first time in the 2021 you had the feeling they were going to win once they got ahead.

The fact that the Jaguars knocked Indianapolis out of the playoffs and still managed to clinch the first overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft made it even more sweet. Also, the loss led to Colts owner Jim Irsay meeting with Reich and genearal manager Chris Ballard for more than two hours. You know things get bad when your employer rightfully wants to know how you went from a playoff team in 2020 to not-goo-enough to qualify in spite of trading for quarterback Carson Wentz in the offseason.

Their Week 18 win gives the Jaguars are reason for optimism moving foward, as it showed their young players, Trevor Lawrence included, how good they can be if they continue to work hard. If they make the right moves this upcoming offseason, wins like the one against the Colts will come more often.