Jacksonville Jaguars: Road to the playoffs runs through Indianapolis
By Larry Brake
The Jacksonville Jaguars still have a chance to make the playoffs but their road to the postseason runs through Indianapolis.
In Week 10, the Jacksonville Jaguars will chart their course to the playoffs. The first half of the season was filled with injuries and turmoil. Jacksonville realizes that the road to the postseason runs through Indianapolis.
The Jaguars have seven games left in their regular season. Three of those games are against AFC South divisional opponents. Two of those three games are on the road.
The second half of the season begins and ends with Indianapolis. Not to give the Jaguars any extra pressure but their margin for error has remarkably shrunk as the season has unfolded. The return of Nick Foles should help the offense down the stretch.
The Indianapolis Colts defense ranks 10th in total defense, by giving up an average of 327.6 yards per game. Their strength on defense is their pass defense. They are the ninth-best NFL secondary by allowing 223.2 yards per game but are giving up over 100 rushing yards per game.
Jacksonville must get Leonard Fournette going early and often. Through nine games, the Jaguars are averaging 129.6 rushing yards per game. Fournette has rushed for 831 yards and has caught 40 passes for 295 yards. The key to victory in Indianapolis is winning the battle in the trenches.
Jacksonville has struggled, at times, along the offensive line. Penalties have been the major cause of thwarting potential scoring drives. According to The Football Database, Jacksonville leads the NFL with 19 offensive holding penalties, while Indianapolis has been called for only eight offensive holding calls.
Defensively, Jacksonville has to unleash their ferocious pass rush. The Jaguars have recorded 30 sacks through nine games. Josh Allen leads the Jaguars with seven sacks. He has been a bright spot this season.
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The Jaguars can make a run for the playoffs this upcoming Sunday with a decisive road victory. Foles has been in pressure situations before, in Philadelphia. The road to the playoffs is long but, remember, it runs through Indy.