Jake's Takes | Colts Breathe Life into Playoff Chances vs. Jaguars

The Colts got a big home victory on Sunday, beating the Jaguars 34-27 and improving to 3-2-1. It was their first win in the division and makes their chances of eventually making the playoffs at the end of the season more realistic.

On Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts saved their best performance of the season for a team that made them look like a completely opposite version just four weeks ago.

At home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts put a season-high 34 points on the board en route to their first win in the AFC South this year, improving to 3-2-1 overall. Ultimately, they put together a total team effort for a 34-27 victory.

Here are my main observations from Sunday's win.

Mandatory Credit: Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports

—Rookies no longer. The Colts have gotten so much help from their rookie class this season, and a pair of them on offense were an enormous part of the Colts' win on Sunday. Wide receiver Alec Pierce had 3 catches for 49 yards and his first-career touchdown, which gave the Colts a five-point lead with 0:17 remaining in the game. He also drew two important pass interference calls on the defense. Tight end Jelani Woods contributed his own touchdown early in the fourth quarter, which gave the Colts a lead at the time. Safety Rodney Thomas II saved a few big plays from being even bigger gains for Jacksonville while safety Nick Cross fell on the game-sealing fumble.

Ladies & gentlemen, @AlecPierce.

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/A9tN0XeiCv

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 16, 2022

Mandatory Credit: Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports

—More change on the offensive line. I'll give the Colts credit for not being complacent with their biggest issues and actually attempting to do something about them. They trotted out yet another new offensive line configuration on Sunday, featuring rookie Bernhard Raimann at left tackle, Quenton Nelson at left guard, Ryan Kelly at center, Matt Pryor at right guard, and Braden Smith at right tackle. Raimann was pulled near the end of the first quarter in favor of veteran Dennis Kelly, who did quite well. The moves that the Colts made paid off handsomely, as it was easily the best protection that quarterback Matt Ryan has had all season despite a whopping 58 pass attempts. Because of the positive performance of the line, the offense was able to get some rhythm and have their most productive day of the season. They set a season-best in points (34) and had their second-most yards (434) and first downs (29). It was also their first game with no turnovers or sacks given up.

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

—Defense had an uncharacteristically leaky day. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a productive game, predictably, leading the quick-strike offense. However, the Colts got gashed in the screen game and on the ground. Travis Etienne Jr. totaled 12 touches for 106 yards, James Robinson had 55 yards of offense, and JaMycal Hasty even had a 61-yard touchdown. The Colts will absolutely need to clean that up against Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans next week.

Mandatory Credit: Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports

—Michael Pittman Jr. is that dude. This was Pittman's second big performance of the season and was a career day, as he set new bests in receptions (13), targets (16), and receiving yards (134). The fact that other pass-catchers like Pierce, Woods, and Parris Campbell are stepping up their game lately makes Pittman's dominance an even bigger factor in the Colts' offense.

© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

—Deon Jackson steps up in a big way. The Colts were down their top two running backs, Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, entering the game and needed to rely heavily on the second-year Jackson. He responded with a huge day, totaling 22 touches for 141 yards of offense and 1 touchdown. His ability to catch the ball with ease was a huge boost for the Colts' offense, as it's a skill both Taylor and Hines possess. He did, however, leave the game early with a quad injury.

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

—Big day for Colts linebackers. After a rough start to the season, the Colts' linebackers have settled nicely into Gus Bradley's new defense. Bobby Okereke, Zaire Franklin, and E.J. Speed combined for 30 tackles (3 for loss) and were flying all around. They were especially effective at and behind the line of scrimmage, sniffing plays out and killing them upon arrival.

© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

—It might be time to bump Brandon Facyson in favor of Isaiah Rodgers. It wasn't all good on Sunday. The Colts have used Brandon Facyson as one of the outside cornerbacks in three-plus cornerback sets throughout the season, which puts him on the field often. Unfortunately, he has become a liability against the run over the last few weeks. He failed to seal the edge on a 19-yard touchdown run two weeks ago and took a brutal angle against a run on Sunday that led to a 48-yard run for Etienne. It's one thing to miss tackles but he seems to shy away from the contact whereas the much smaller Isaiah Rodgers often relishes competing against the run. Rodgers is also one of the team's most explosive players so it only makes sense to put him on the field more often.

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