Jaguars Suffer Record-Breaking Loss to Colts in Season Finale

The Jacksonville Jaguars have now lost an NFL-record 10 one-score games after an overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Jan 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) slides as Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II (23) moves in to tackle during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christine Tannous/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Christine Tannous/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Sunday served as the last hurrah for the 2024 season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and perhaps for the tenure of head coach Doug Pederson as well.

The Jaguars entered Sunday's season finale with a chance to end the season on a two-game winning streak and with season sweeps of both the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans. While it would have little impact on Pederson's future, it would be one last chance for the Jaguars to show that there is something -- anything -- positive to take away from one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Instead, the Jaguars stayed true to the aspect of their team that had defined the Pederson tenure with another one-score loss. This time it was a 26-23 loss in overtime that dropped the Jaguars to 4-13.

The potential end of the Pederson era got off to a fitting, yet still disappointing, start. On the first drive of the game, the Jaguars were picked apart through the air by veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who completed his first three passes for 70 yards and a 40-yard strike to Alec Pierce, putting the Jaguars in a quick 7-0 hole.

Jacksonville quickly answered back with a scoring drive of their own, with Tank Bigsby, Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Etienne, and Brenton Strange all picking up gains of 10 yards or more en route to a one-yard touchdown from Bigsby. The touchdown tied the game at 7-7 and capped off a 10-play, 70-yard drive that resulted in some boos from the home Colts crowd.

After each side traded punts, the Colts began to find some momentum and got near midfield until the Jaguars forced a fourth-and-short. With Flacco seeing some open grass near the sideline, he broke out of the pocket and seemed to be on his way toward extending another drive.

Instead, rookie Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones came through with yet another impressive play in what has been a memorable rookie campaign. This time, the Florida State product flew in from the secondary to force Flacco out of bounds short of the first down, forcing a turnover on downs.

After a 53-yard field goal from Cam Little gave the Jaguars a 10-7 lead, the Colts decided to start leaning on the running game and gave Jonathan Taylor seven carries on an eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive. A six-yard rushing touchdown from Taylor gave the Colts a 14-10 lead, putting the onus back on the Jaguars' offense.

After a big 41-yard catch by Thomas, the Jaguars managed to make it a 17-13 game with Little's second field goal of the day. The Colts managed to pick up chunk yards before a pass interference penalty by De'Antre Prince got the Colts to the Jaguars' 17-yard line led to another Colts field goal, making it 20-13 at half.

Jacksonville's offense struggled out of the gates in the second half, though they did eventually find some momentum toward the middle of the quarter. Despite the Jaguars getting near scoring position, another Jaguars drive stalled as a result of an interception from Jones on an underthrown ball to Thomas.

The interception marked Jones' eighth interception in his stint as the Jaguars' starter, while it was his sixth such interception on throws of 20 yards or more.

Luckily for the Jaguars, the Colts didn't do much with the gift from Jones and ended up giving the ball right back after a missed field goal. Jacksonville's offense would then go up-tempo and put together a drive thanks to big catches from Strange and Thomas and a 22-yard run from D'Ernest Johnson on 3rd-and-11.

Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington then scored his second touchdown in as many weeks on a unique play, catching a pass before fumbling it without being tackled down. Since Washington wasn't down, he was able to recover the ball and then bring it the rest of the way into the end zone, tying the game at 20-20.

The Colts then drove the ball to the Jaguars' 22-yard line and appeared set to attempt a 4th-and-1 conversion before a delay of game forced them into a 4th-and-6 and a Matt Gay field goal. Gay's 45-yard field goal gave the Colts a 23-20 lead with 3:52 left in the contest.

Little continued his massive day with his second 53-yard field a 12-yard scramble from Jones put the Jaguars into solid positioning, tying the game at 23-23 with under two minutes left.

While the Colts appeared poised for a game-winning field goal, Travon Walker recorded sack No. 10.5 on the season with a drive-ending sack to send the game into overtime. The sack was Walker's fourth of the season against the Colts.

On the Colts' first offensive possession of overtime, a third-down pass deflection by Jarrian Jones forced the Colts into another field goal from Gay to make it 26-23.

While it appeared the Jaguars were going to get into field goal position of their own, a third-down sack taken by Jones led to 4th-and-22 and, ultimately, a loss.

The Jaguars season will now end with a 4-13 record and an NFL-record 10 losses in one-score games.

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