Jacksonville Jaguars: Colts Game Make or Break

By Tyler Spinnenweber | Oct 3, 2015

“This game isn’t going to define us.”

That is what quarterback Blake Bortles said last Sunday’s blowout loss against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

That game may not define the Jacksonville Jaguars or their 2015 season, but this Sunday’s matchup against division rival, the Indianapolis Colts, will.

Also on NFL Spin Zone: Where Does Bortles Rank Among QBs?

Coming into Sunday’s matchup, Jaguars senior writer John Oesher said the Jaguars must prove themselves…again. Oesher said, “The Jaguars proved a point in Week 2 against Miami – namely, that they were better than they played against Carolina in Week 1. This team darned sure believes it’s better than the final result against New England. Now, it must show it.”

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Last Sunday, it appeared the Colts were going 0-3, but Andrew Luck rallied his team for a come from behind victory against the Tennessee Titans.

Both teams are at 1-2, and the Colts slow start has been surprising. What’s even more surprising are Luck’s dismal numbers. This week, Luck was limited in practice with a shoulder injury, he is questionable for the game but there is no doubt he will be at the helm. Will Luck get himself, and his team, back on track this week? Or will he be hampered by his injury and replicate his last three performances?

For the Jaguars, we also aren’t sure of what to expect. The Jaguars opened up with a poor performance against the Carolina Panthers. They followed that with an impressive victory against in-state rival the Miami Dolphins. Will we get the week 2 performance? Or weeks 1 and 3?

Since the inception of the AFC South in 2002, the Colts have won nine divisional titles. The Jaguars haven’t won any.

Sunday’s game vs. the Colts is a make or break game for the franchise and will help give clarity and direction on where the Jaguars are headed.

So far, head coach Gus Bradley is 8-27 in his three seasons since taking over in 2013. However, Bradley took over a team that had little to begin with. General manager David Caldwell has done his best to provide Bradley with talent with the likes of Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson, Luke Joeckel, Telvin Smith, and Jonathan Cyprien. Some of these players look to be the cornerstones of the franchise for years to come, others look destined to be average.

Regardless, these players will need to have a good game on Sunday, or if anything, show glimpses that they can be counted on for the future. If some, or all, play poorly, the Jaguars could be looking at another rebuild in a season or two.

The Jaguars are 8-20 all-time against the Colts, but Sunday’s game is very winnable for this franchise. Other than Luck, the Colts are a team that lacks talent all over the field. Blake Bortles should be able to move the ball on the Colts, and the defense should be able to generate a pass rush against the Colts porous offensive line.

If the Jaguars want to win, they’ll need to pressure Andrew Luck. Oesher said, “The Jaguars did it last year in Indy. It resulted in a tight game at halftime, and a game the Jaguars could have won had their offense been effective. Whatever else the Jaguars must do Sunday, they gotta do this. The fact that Luck has a right shoulder injury? Well, that just makes this all the more critical.”

Sunday’s game will give the fan base an idea if they have the right team going forward. The Jaguars haven’t made a playoff appearance since 2007 and won a division title since 1999. A win could catapult the Jaguars into ending those streaks, or a loss could spiral the team into dismay and another top 10 pick come April.

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