Aw man, here we go again…
Somehow, someway, the Indianapolis Colts created another chapter to their nightmare novel after Sunday’s 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. For the 11th straight trip to Jacksonville, the Colts failed to avoid the inevitable worst collective performance of the season. The Jaguars claimed sole possession of first place in the AFC South, while the Colts have slipped in a free fall from contending for the top seed, to clinging onto the final wild card spot with just a one game advantage over the rival Houston Texans.
Indianapolis never held a lead in a loss that felt like it was ripped straight from the next Grand Theft Auto VI mission where the Colts get mugged in Duval County in broad daylight. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. The Colts stellar 8-2 start is starting to unravel on a weekly basis after dropping four of their last five games. Indianapolis has not emerged victorious stateside since the last Sunday of October.
Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones exited early after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon. Colts head coach Shane Steichen acknowledged “it’s not looking good”, when discussing the season-ending injury for Jones. There is a burning question that will constantly loom around Indianapolis over the next nine months, because there’s just no way the plan is to bring back Jones for 2026… right?
This devastating injury almost certainly pushes the Colts back into the quarterback carousel, a cycle now old enough to have a driver’s permit. Jones became the eighth different Week 1 starter for the Colts in the last nine campaigns when Steichen handed him the reins before the season opener against the Dolphins. Will Jones be healthy enough to return before the 2026 season opener? Is next year’s starting quarterback currently not on the active roster, or in the league for that matter?
More looming questions concerning the availability of third-year quarterback Anthony Richardson must be answered over the next few days. Will Anthony Richardson miraculously get activated while recovering from a broken orbital bone and finish off the regular season? Is it even worth risking future injury by deciding to play a rusty Richardson?
Will rookie quarterback Riley Leonard lead the way under center in the final month? Leonard handled the offense completing 18 of 29 passes for 145 passing yards and scored his first NFL rushing touchdown on the Colts final drive.
Jacksonville looked comfortable like the Jaguars have lived this script for more than a decade as Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 244 passing yards and two touchdowns. Running back Travis Etienne gashed the Colts for two rushing touchdowns, including a 28-yard score that gave the Jaguars a 21-10 lead.
The win-now approach from the front office that has desperately tried to build an AFC contender may backfire. Just weeks ago, Indianapolis shipped two first-round picks to the New York Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner, betting on an immediate defensive impact. Gardner has two pass breakups and 11 total tackles through three games with the Colts, but elite coverage only does so much when Gardner is available.
The trade deadline has passed, so there’s no way to search the market to rent a starter for a month. The December gauntlet isn’t getting easier as the Colts travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks next Sunday.
The Colts host the San Francisco 49ers for a critical Monday Night Football showdown in Week 16. Indianapolis closes the home slate with a rematch against Jacksonville before heading to Houston for another regular season finale.
Aw man, here we go again…
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