3 Things Colts Offense Must Accomplish to Defeat Jaguars

As the Indianapolis Colts prepare for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the young offense will be leaned upon to make plays to obtain the upset victory.

The Indianapolis Colts are less than a week away from the start of their 2023 regular season and the debut of rookie QB Anthony Richardson. However, the offense is raw and young with offensive guru Shane Steichen also making his debut in his first game as an NFL head coach.

The fact that the opponent to kick off the year is none other than the 2022 AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars is an obstacle. With head coach Doug Pederson and QB Trevor Lawrence on the rise in the league, the Colts offense will need to make the most of their opportunities and play efficiently enough to help their defensive counterparts to have any chance of snagging a week one victory.

With this in mind, here are three things that Indianapolis must accomplish offensively to have any shot at upending Lawrence and the Jaguars.

1.) Exploit Jaguars' Pass Defense

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This is a simple one, but the Colts must get Richardson into a rhythm to have a chance at not being one-dimensional. With superstar Jonathan Taylor out for the first four games at the least, the Colts will need to utilize a committee approach to the running backs.

Since it’s essentially a given that Indy will need to run the ball well to set up the passing, it could make more sense to use the passing to set up the ground attack.

The Jaguars do boast some solid defensive players, like outside linebacker Josh Allen who can disrupt any play on any given down. But, defense isn’t the strength of Jacksonville, especially against the pass. In 2022, they finished 28th in the league in passing yards allowed per game with 238.5.

While it was a year ago, they also lost veteran mainstay and former Pro Bowl cornerback Shaquill Griffin to the Houston Texans through free agency. This leaves the linebackers and secondary somewhat thin, which could allow receivers like Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr. to take advantage, giving Richardson a better chance to get into a rhythm early and help the running game later.

There is also a shot that tight end Kylen Granson has an impact. Granson has been a favorite target of Richardson’s through training camp and the preseason.

Running backs Evan Hull and Deon Jackson will likely be used as receivers out of the backfield to help Richardson get some easy completions.

Anything is possible with such a new offense like the Colts, but the Jaguars might not be equipped to handle a passing game that’s on point. Should Indianapolis hit some early throws they may open up other offensive play-calling possibilities as the game unfolds.

2.) Pass Protection

Mandatory Credit: Robert Scheer-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts made sacks allowed a week-by-week occurrence last year, finishing second in the NFL in that category. However, they have a more mobile passer now and a revamped sense of duty.

With the aforementioned Allen being the Jaguar’s best pass-rusher, Indianapolis can’t allow him to be an issue for Richardson in his first NFL outing.

One thing to note is that the Jaguars didn’t have anyone outside of seven sacks last year (Allen was the team leader) and as a group finished with 35. The Colts’ offensive line has a golden chance to bounce back from last season and right out of the gate to start the year. The Jaguars aren’t slouches with their pass rush, but it’s also not one of the better ones in the NFL.

Pass protection will be of the utmost importance for the Colts offense. If they fail to contain the Jaguar’s defensive front or blitzes, Richardson could have a rough afternoon to start his career. 

3.) Great Clock Management

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An easy concept on paper, but tougher in practice. With Lawrence as the quarterback and a highly potent offense headed by a great coach like Pederson, the Colts should focus on using their offense to negate the Jaguars’.

It’s no secret that the Colts have a young secondary. Playmakers like Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram will look to break the Colts’ corners and safeties early. The solution? Don’t let them on the field for as long as possible.

While I mentioned the passing game should be a high priority since the Jaguars are better against the run, so too should chewing the clock.

During the preseason there were moments where the Colts were moving quickly, with more of an urgency to hurry up to the line and get plays off fast. However, given that the Indy defense might have some issues with the Jaguars’ passing game, perhaps Steichen will take more time and use short/screen passes to open up vertical shots and eat time up.

While it will take the Colts moving the ball in rhythm to accomplish this, it could also completely change the offensive game plan of Pederson should Indianapolis stay on the field longer than expected with their offense. 

Outlook

The Colts must have a lot of things go right for their young offense to prevail against the Jaguars on Sunday.

But, it’s possible. While the Jaguars have a red-hot offense, the weakness is the defensive side of the ball. If the Colts can move the chains and prevent empty drives, turnovers, and quick three-and-outs, they may just have a shot at shocking the AFC South with a win over the defending divisional champs.

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