Jaguars beat Colts in Week 1, end 5-game losing streak at Indianapolis: 3 takeaways

It wasn't easy but the Jacksonville Jaguars were able to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 of the season opener, and in the process, they ended a five-game losing streak as a visitor. A 5-point favorite for the game, the Jags struggled to put Indy down, and at one point the game was 14-14.

At one point, the Colts were leading 21-17 thanks to a fumble recovery that defensive tackle DeForest Buckner took to the end zone. However, the Jaguars were able to turn things around to beat Indianapolis 31-21. With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the Jaguars' first game of the season.

Don't expect Jaguars RB Travis Etienne to lose carries to rookie Tank Bigsby soon

One of the biggest plotlines surrounding Jaguars' training camp (and later the preseason) was rookie Tank Bigsby's ascension on the depth chart. A third-round pick in this year's draft, the former Auburn Tiger did enough throughout the offseason to earn the primary backup role behind Travis Etienne.

But when it was time for Bigsby to deliver, he came crashing down. He failed to secure a pass that led to an interception early against the Colts. He later fumbled and the Colts promptly got ahead on the scoreboard. To make matters worse, he wasn't effective as a runner, toting the rock seven times for a measly 13 yards. He did score a touchdown later in the but that doesn't take away the fact that he hurt his team early on.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how the coaching staff handles Bigsby. Does D'Ernest Johnson, who signed a one-year deal in free agency, get promoted? Or do they keep giving the rookie running back chances?

One thing is certain, you can put to rest those offseason talks about Bigsby supplanting Etienne as the top back in the backfield, at least for now. Keep in mind that this is Bigsby's first game as a pro and there's a chance he'll be fine. For the time being, the Jaguars will most likely keep riding with Travis Etienne, who fared well despite not having optimal protection against Indy.

The Jaguars should be feeling fidgety about the offensive line ahead of Week 2

Heading into the regular season, the pass rush rotation was seemingly the Jaguars' biggest weakness. After one game, it's clear the offensive line is a bigger cause for concern. It's true that Jacksonville went against Indy's front four, one of the best in the league, but that doesn't explain the inability to get anything going in the running game or throughout the air.

In football, you'll win a few matchups, lose others. That's the nature of the sport but the offensive line was manhandled. Travis Etienne managed to make a few positive gains and even broke off a touchdown run but that was a direct result of his explosiveness. Meanwhile, Tank Bigsy struggled whenever he tried to run through the middle.

Trevor Lawrence was his efficient self but had to dump the ball and look for his safety reads more often than he would've probably wanted because he didn't get optimal protection. In particular, the right side of the offensive trenches struggled. Rookie Anton Harrison looked like... a rookie, with defensive end Kwity Paye consistently beating him.

Then, the Jags lost right guard Brandon Scherff to an ankle injury. He briefly got back before leaving the game for good. But even before Bartch got hurt, he was struggling to contain the duo of Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner.

Maybe the Jaguars will be fine down the road but those doubts about the offensive line potentially being a liability will keep looming for at least one more week. Offensive line coach Phil Rauscher has his work cut out going into Week 1. He'll need to find whatever didn't work against the Colts and fix it.

Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley is good as advertised vs. the Colts

The Jaguars didn't make many changes to their starting offense this offseason but the one they made was huge. Last year, they traded for wide receiver Calvin Ridley. At the time, he was serving a suspension, so he couldn't join the team after the deal was completed. Instead, he had to apply for reinstatement earlier this year and his request was granted in March.

Ridley wasted no time to join the team and quickly got to work. Right off the bat, he made it clear that his goal was to prove he was the dynamic playmaker he was early in his career. Throughout offseason activities, training camp and the preseason, he did enough to make everyone think he was going to meet his goal. In his debut with the Jaguars, he showed he's still that player.

On the Jags' second offensive drive, he reeled in a 24-yard pass and later was on the receiving end of their first touchdown. Due to his presence, Indy couldn't stack up the box. Similarly, Ridley opened things up for his teammates, especially in the middle for tight end Evan Engram, who tallied five receptions for 49 yards.

In the end, Ridley finished the game with eight catches for 101. Moving forward, he shouldn't be asked those questions about whether he's "rusty".

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