Jaguars vs. Colts: 5 Matchups to Watch

Which matchups will determine whether the Jaguars win or lose on Sunday in a critical AFC South affair?

After a hot start to the 2022 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars have come back down to earth in a big way the last two weeks, losing two games in a row and falling 13-6 at home vs. the Houston Texans in Week 5. Now, they will face a familiar foe as they hope to get back to .500. 

Now, the Jaguars are set for a Week 2 rematch against the Indianapolis Colts, who they beat 24-0 last month. With the simple rule for every NFL game being to win individual matchups, the Jaguars have quite a few pivotal ones set to unfold on Sunday.

But how do the Jaguars stand in terms of these matchups this year, specifically in Week 6 vs. the Colts? Which matchups are going to make or break the Jaguars and their hopes to get to 3-3? We examine below.

Evan Engram vs. Colts' secondary

There is no question Evan Engram was one of the Jaguars' biggest contributors in their Week 2 win over the Colts, leading the team in targets (eight) and catches (seven), which included two pivotal third-downs to keep the Jaguars on the field. Engram didn't have any huge explosive play, but he did consistently keep the chains moving for the Jaguars' offense, earning tough yards after the catch on even Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

“Yeah, Evan has been a great contributor for our offense," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said about Engram on Thursday. 

"Obviously, he’s had more of the receiving yards production the last two weeks, but even going back and watching this game in Week 2, he had some huge third down conversions for us, where he caught the ball underneath and was on a corner and broke tackles or ran away from a guy to make first downs that really kept the drives alive. He’s been a big contributor for us in the offense, the ball hasn’t really gone his way until the last two weeks, and he’s produced at the level we expected of him."

It will be interesting to see how the Colts play Engram -- and how the Jaguars utilize him -- after Week 2. Can the Jaguars continue to get him matched up with smaller defensive backs? Or do they unleash him as a vertical threat this week against the Colts' safety group? With Engram actually being one of the Jaguars' more consistent weapons lately, it is worth considering making him a big part of the game plan.

Tyson Campbell vs. Michael Pittman Jr.

The Jaguars knew they could key in on the run in Week 2 because the Colts were without starting wide receivers Michaell Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce. Instead, the Colts had to rely on Asthon Dulin as a downfield threat, which allowed the Jaguars to play with some heavy boxes and not be afraid to send blitzers. Pittman is back this week, though, and his impact can't be ignored.

"He’s a go-to guy. He’s their guy. If they need one, he’s the one they look to make a play," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said this week. 

"For us, he’s a bigger receiver. He’s a guy that we understand that they want to get him the ball, so we have to make sure we have coverage around him, put people around him, and see how it goes."

The Jaguars don't travel their corners, and Pittman has lined up almost equally as the left outside receiver then as the right outside receiver. Still, if the Jaguars have had one cornerback show he is capable of forcing turnovers consistently, it is Tyson Campbell. Shaquill Griffin will draw his fair share of snaps against Pittman, too, but Campbell is the one who could potentially make a game-changing play.

Jaguars DL vs. Matt Pryor

The Colts are doing the right thing and letting rookie offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann learn on the job, ending the Matt Pryor experiment at left tackle. Raimann is just a rookie with one career start under his belt, but Pryor had 18 pressures in his time don't he field -- nine more than the No, 2 Colts' offensive lineman in terms of pressures allowed. 

With Pryor having a chance to start for the Colts at right guard this week, he is the weak link in the offensive line the Jaguars need to target. Whether it is with Arden Key, Dawuane Smoot, DaVon Hamilton, or Roy Robertson-Harris, the Jaguars will need their interior pass-rushers make Pryor look like the liability he has been the first five weeks.

Luke Fortner and Tyler Shatley vs. Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner

The Jaguars need to get their running game back on track. The last two weeks have shown the Jaguars have issues in terms of getting the running game producing consistently, with a few explosive runs taking the place of an efficient rushing attack. The Colts were a tough draw for them in Week 2 in terms of the running game, too, making Sunday's battle between Luke Fortner and Tyler Shatley vs. Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner key.

“They’ve done a great job of stopping the run. Really, when you go back to our game, they did a great job against us in the run game," Press Taylor said this week. "We obviously broke off the one big run with James but for the most part, it was tough sledding against these guys."

Both Buckner and Stewart are powerful and athletic interior linemen who can completely shut down a running game with ease, something they did in Week 2 when they gave Fortner fits. With Shatley stepping in at left guard in place of the injured Ben Bartch, the matchup doesn't get any easier. Both Buckner and Stewart are ranked top-10 in run stops among interior linemen, per PFF. The Jaguars will have their hands full.

Doug Pederson vs. Gus Bradley

Week 2 was probably one of the finest games Doug Pederson has ever coached. He consistently took advantage of the Colts' Cover 3 scheme, taking what the defense gave them and frequently getting the Jaguars' most explosive weapons in mismatches in space. Pederson's usage of the quick passing game and of Christian Kirk especially was masterful, and now he will need to do it again. 

"Well, that is the conversation. The thing is, when you play teams with defenses like this, last week Houston and now this week. The Lovie Smith’s and the Gus Bradley’s of the world, those coordinators. Their defenses, they don’t do a lot, but what they do, they do it well and they’re very disciplined," Pederson said. 

"From an offensive mindset, we have to stay disciplined and we have to be patient and even as playcallers, myself. We have to be patient with that sometimes. They keep everything in front of you, they don’t want to give up the big play. That’s just the mentality and that’s the mindset as you play teams like this.”