Jaguars Break Through Against Colts, Secure First Win

The Jacksonville Jaguars are no longer winless thanks to a gutsy win against the Indianapolis Colts.

Oct 6, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Trevor Lawrence, Tank Bigsby, and scoring more than the other team.

Those were the key components to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ first win of the 2024 season, a 37-34 victory over AFC South rival Indianapolis.

On the Colts’ first drive, it felt otherwise. Joe Flacco expertly picked apart the Jaguars’ secondary on three consecutive passes, 13 yards, 19 yards, and 20 yards. The drive would go for 12 plays, 71 yards and over six minutes. Momentum? Colts.

A key fourth-and-2 on the Jaguars’ first drive. A great play by Colts’ Jaylon Jones breaks up a Lawrence-to-Thomas pass. Déjà vu? 10th straight game of being shutout on the first drive.

The defense was able to stop the Colts the second time around, with the secondary giving a competent showing.

Give Lawrence a chance to even it up. Lawrence connected with Travis Etienne Jr. for a first down. Easy route over the middle. A killer penalty, false start on Brenton Strange, made a third-and-manageable (four yards) a third-and-9.

Lawrence to Thomas, fourth-and-1. Another gut check moment. Lawrence powers through for a first down. Exhale. Something is brewing. Lawrence and the run game seemed to find a rhythm until the Colts clamped down on the goal line.

Settle for a Cam Little 23-yarder. 7-3. Could be worse.

A big spot challenge would go in favor of the Jaguars and the Colts would be halted early into their next drive.

Lawrence and the offense get a chance again. Only takes one play – a home run ball to rookie wide receiver and blossoming star, Brian Thomas Jr. 85 yards. 10-7 lead.

Could there be hope after all?

Flacco came back, showing again what age can do for poise and precision. A Josh Hines-Allen sack was not enough to stifle the Colts. Tyler Goodson, one half of the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor replacement tandem, came alive.

Big run, big screen pass. Lots of momentum. But the Jaguars defense held on. Colts’ Matt Gay is forced to convert on a 30-yard attempt to tie it at 10.

The Jaguars had two timeouts and 1:44 on the clock before the half. Chance to double-dip since they would receive after the half. Third-and-6, Lawrence connects with Strange for a crucial first-down. No huddle, up-tempo.

All for naught.

Third-and-10, Lawrence connects with Gabe Davis for 22 yards, Davis fumbles, and the Colts recover. Story of the Jaguars’ season. A big momentum killer reminiscent of the Week 1 loss to Miami.

And then something miraculous: Travon Walker, the former first-overall pick whose silence in 2024 was cause for concern, strip-sacked Flacco. His Hines-Allen scoops it and takes it far enough for an easy 30-yard field goal for Little.

That’s football. Life comes at you fast.

Jaguars up 13-10 at half. Ball back at the start of the second. A chance for a double-digit lead. Jobs on the line.

The second half started strong. Power running balanced with Lawrence-to-Thomas. A favorable third-and-2 blown up thanks to a head-scratching decision to hand it off from the gun.

They forced the Colts to punt anyhow, no damage.

And then, after moving the ball, Lawrence threw an interception to the Colts’ Nick Cross. It could have been more costly, but the Jaguars defense came to play. The Colts punt and Devin Duvernay returned it 50 yards.

Big opportunity for the Jaguars, but could they capitalize and get more than a measly three points?

Only took one play for that answer. Tank Bigsby took on just about every member of the Colts defense, with help from his pushy offensive lineman, for a 19-yard touchdown.

Flacco and the creative Colts’ offense refused to die, though. Offensive lineman Will Fries’ injury hurt an already depleted Colts’ front. The Colts still marched, thanks to the Flacco-Adonai Mitchell connection.

The Jaguars’ third-down defense continued to struggle getting their opponent off the field.

With just a quarter left, the Jaguars held a 10-point lead. Flacco needed just one play to connect with Mo Alie-Cox, a jump ball in the end zone. 20-17, but the Jaguars still on top.

Lawrence and the Jaguars responded with a 61-yard pass to Christian Kirk. One of the best throws Lawrence had made all season. It left the Jaguars with a key red zone possession. On third-and-goal, it was Lawrence finding Strange to restore the 10-point lead.

This was the offense Pederson and Taylor had promised. Sustained drives, motion, up-tempo. Verticality.

The problem? Flacco and the Colts were resilient. The solution? Travon Walker playing his best game of the season, notching another sack of Flacco and on the next play impacting the quarterback’s throw.

And then on third down, Flacco (at 39 years old) scrambles for a 21-yard first down. The Jaguars hold them to a gut-check third-and-9. Flacco was inches away from a touchdown to Alie-Cox.

Football, the grandest game of inches.

The Colts were forced to settle for three. Jaguars up 27-20 with six to go. Time for situational football (that elusive element of the game that these Jaguars had been most inept at this season) to win out.

Bigbsy decided to make it easy. He burst up the middle for an explosive 65-yard touchdown run. Did Bigsby call game?

Flacco, pure Teflon, led the Colts on quick response – two successive deep passes of 40+ yards. Trey Sermon punched it in.

A seven-point game once again, Jaguars beginning to sweat. Could they finally close out a game? A three-and-out did not lend much confidence. Not when the Colts seem to have all the answers.

Those answers came quick, again, via the unthinkable.

Flacco connected with Alec Pierce for a 65-yard touchdown. Left wide open. Absymal secondary play. Ryan Nielsen, Jaguars defensive coordinator, fell to his knees. 34-34 when the Jaguars had a two-touchdown lead.

A two-minute drill was required for the Jaguars’ first win of the season. Lawrence made the right throws with one of his best drives of the season.

Little put it through from 49-yards.

The Jaguars would not be shut out of the win column in 2024. It was an ugly win, but it might have been enough for Pederson to stay just a little longer in Duval.

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