What Are the Keys to a Jaguars Victory vs. the Colts?

If Jacksonville wants to get a huge road win against the Indianapolis Colts, what are some of the key things the Jaguars will need to accomplish?

The Jacksonville Jaguars will hit the road this weekend, traveling to play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, a pivotal game for each club. 

The Jaguars come into the game with a 4-5 record, whereas the Colts are 5-4 and are trying to stay ahead of Jacksonville in the AFC South standings. Nick Foles will also return at quarterback for Jacksonville in this game, so a lot of eyes will be on him. If the Jaguars are going to make a run at a division title and a playoff run, this game is a must-win.

So, with the Jaguars needing a huge win against a hungry Colts team that they have battled tough in the past, what are the keys for Jacksonville if the Jaguars want to come away with the win?

Offense

With Nick Foles returning, there are many questions that will arise. Will he be back at full health? Can the Jaguars offense remain consistent enough during drives to earn a win? These questions will be answered on Sunday. 

One main key for this Jaguars offense is to get into the red-zone often and convert those trips into scoring. Foles hasn’t played since Week 1 when he was injured against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he is back this week and will have full control of the offense. After the success that Gardner Minshew had in the backup role with SIX rookie of the week awards, it will be interesting to see how the offense plays with Foles back under center.

Continuing with the offense, Leonard Fournette could use another big game this week. Jacksonville’s ability to effectively run the ball against the Colts’ defense will be a deciding factor in this game as it can help open up the rest of the Jaguars' offense. Moving the ball down the field is crucial in any game, but Fournette needs to have positive yards after contact in this match-up on Sunday.

Defense

For the Jaguars’ defense, maintaining pressure in the backfield could be a momentum shift. The Jaguars’ defense has to be focused at every position. The interior defensive line needs to get through the opposition and get in the backfield as well. Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakouye have been respectively solid so far through the first nine games, and they will need big games on Sunday.

A.J. Bouye needs to be a viable component of the secondary this week as well. He’s played well this season, but winning the line of scrimmage battle against the receivers for Indianapolis is a major key for him in general this weekend. 

Finally, Jacksonville has to avoid mental mistakes on each side of the ball. Line up at the right time, avoid the inept penalties that could kill drives or extend drives for the Colts. Defensively, the coverage has to be spot on. No pass-interference penalties. 

Overall, Jacksonville needs an all-around well-played game in all phases to earn a road win this Sunday. Foles has to perform, the run game has to be productive and the team needs to not make self-inflicted mistakes.