Colts: 3 Good, 3 Bad in Loss Against Jaguars

While there were highs and lows, ultimately the Indianapolis Colts had their worst showing of the season at EverBank Stadium Sunday afternoon.

The Indianapolis Colts fell to 3-3 on the year after getting flattened by the host Jacksonville Jaguars 37-20.

There were plenty that expected this to be a far more competitive game given that, despite not having Anthony Richardson at QB, the Colts still had the best passing insurance policy in the NFL, Gardner Minshew. Also, Minshew would get the chance to defeat his former team that favored now-field general Trevor Lawrence over his services.

What would ensue isn’t the Hollywood story you’d expect for Minshew, but a Halloween-worthy nightmare instead.

With these subjects documented, let’s get into the good and bad from the Colts’ humbling defeat in this AFC South clash.

The Good – CB JuJu Brents

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Look, this was a bad game from the Colts overall, so it was a bit tougher this time to snag “good” from the 17-point loss. However, rookie cornerback JuJu Brents continued to display promise in the secondary.

He’d finish the game with 7 tackles, 2 passes defended, and an interception on the day. While there were moments where receivers Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk had their wins, Brents ultimately shined, showing that he can be an issue for passers of Lawrence’s level.

This is a big win for the Colts so far, who traded to get Brents in the second round out of Kansas State through this year’s draft. It will be exciting to see Brents' star continue to rise, even after a brutal loss in Jacksonville. 

The Bad – Offensive Ground Game

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After crushing the Tennessee Titans with 193 rushing yards last week, the Colts would muster up an unacceptable 44 this go around in the loss to Jacksonville.

Running backs Zack Moss and Jonathan Taylor weren’t a factor, getting only 40 total rushing yards between the two (Moss 21 and Taylor 19). Minshew would sprinkle in 4 yards to the total, but altogether, this was a disappointing effort.

Yes, the Jaguars possess an above-average run defense, but the aforementioned Titans were far superior in this department and the Colts made them look foolish. This could have been due to the Jaguars being able to prep for the less mobile Minshew, while the Titans had to deal with him after prepping for the generational athletic talent Richardson.

Regardless, the Colts will go back to the drawing board as they look to get their identity back in the ground game after it was stolen by the Jaguars. 

The Good – DE Samson Ebukam

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The new arrival from the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason, defensive end Samson Ebukam has continued to impress and did so again in the routing Sunday afternoon.

Ebukam would tally multiple pressures on Lawrence, as well as 3 tackles (1 for loss), 2 QB hits, and a sack. In 6 games for the season, Ebukam now has 15 tackles, 4 sacks, and a forced fumble.

The big incentive for Ebukam to come to Indy wasn’t just money, but more playing time. Even in a tough divisional loss, it’s easy to see that Ebukam is making a statement and could approach or eclipse 10 sacks by the end of the 2023 season. 

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The Bad – Containing RB Travis Etienne

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Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had a solid showing in his first game against the Colts. However, he would do so again in the form of scoring through volume in the second.

While Etienne’s overall ground numbers don’t look too intimidating (18 carries for 55 yards), his 2 touchdowns on the ground were what started a landslide showing from Doug Pederson’s strong offense.

At the start of the second quarter, the Jaguars would punch Etienne in for his first score, going up 7-3. However, the Colts would have a sack-fumble on Minshew from Jaguars’ defensive end Josh Allen to kick off their next drive. This would get the Jaguars the ball at Indy’s 22-yard line.

Right after, Etienne would dash for a 22-yard score, his second and final for the game.

Etienne is proving to be an issue for the Colts' defense and Gus Bradley’s plans since last season. Even when he’s limited to 3.1 yards per carry for 55 rushing yards and 3 catches for 28 receiving yards in a game, he still makes a lasting impact that helps decide the score and get the victory for Jacksonville. 

The Good – WR Michael Pittman Jr.

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Colts top pass-catcher Michael Pittman Jr. shined, yet again. In the loss to Jacksonville, he would post 9 catches for 109 receiving yards (season-high) on 14 total targets (season-high).

Pittman now has played for a ridiculous seven different QBs in his short career, yet continues to produce and be as reliable as any in the league. On the season he’s stacked up 40 catches for 406 receiving yards (10.2 avg) and a receiving touchdown. He’s currently the undisputed leader of the receiving corps and will likely keep that spot on the mantle for the rest of 2023. 

The Bad – Gardner Minshew Turnovers

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The Colts' early game plan was pass-heavy due to Jacksonville’s defensive game plan to halt Taylor and Moss. However, this lack of variety allowed the Jaguars' defense to snuff out anything Minshew had to offer.

While Minshew is arguably the best backup in the NFL, he’s also far more limited than Richardson. Minshew would have what was likely the worst game of his career, throwing 3 interceptions and also losing a fumble, totaling 4 turnovers.

Minshew came into the contest as efficiently as possible when it came to taking care of the football, having no interceptions on the year. This is a wake-up call to Steichen that the running game and vertical passes have to ramp up, even with the more safe, but limited Minshew under center.

In the fourth quarter, Shane Steichen started to open up the field and Minshew was hitting passes downfield, forcing the Jaguars to switch their game plan to a degree. But, it was too little, too late.

On the year, Minshew is 90/138 (65.2%) for 882 passing yards, 3 TDs/3 Ints. He will look to right the ship in a return to Lucas Oil Stadium next week against the top-level Cleveland Browns defense. 

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