The Colts will do battle with the Jaguars on Sunday and here’s how they’ll get the job done.
On Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts will be looking for revenge against the Jacksonville Jaguars after the division rivals won last year’s Week 17 matchup by a score of 38-20.
On the Colts’ side in that one, Jacoby Brissett struggled and only threw for 162 yards with no touchdowns while the running game was held in check. The bread and butter of the Colts is getting the running game going behind the No. 1- ranked offensive line and then executing play action passes with T.Y. Hilton going deep and burning the defense. The defense struggled in pass protection, which led to the high score. However, the one bright spot was Anthony Walker logging 17 tackles with 12 solo and five for a loss.
Now, as we’re here ready for Week 1 in 2020, it’s a completely different story.
Chris Ballard went out and filled all the holes from last season with players who we desperately needed. Ballard drafted Wisconsin running back Jonathon Taylor and USC receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and signed Philip Rivers in free agency. Then, in a blockbuster trade, the Colts got DeForest Buckner from the San Francisco 49ers to fill the need for interior pressure.
The Jaguars have lost some key players, notably running back Leonard Fournette, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, and cornerback Rashaan Melvin, while the Colts have only gotten better.
Here are the three keys to victory for the Colts, who need to start off 2020 with a statement win.
3. Rushing Attack
The Colts’ two-headed monster of Marlon Mack and Jonathan Taylor should crush.
The Colts’ strength is their rushing attack and the ability to control the pace offensively against their opponents. For all the failures they had last year, particularly in the second half of the season, many forget the huge win on Sunday Night Football against the Chiefs at Arrowhead stadium. The Colts were without Darius Leonard and Malik Hooker and still held the Chiefs to 13 points while beating them on the ground. The rushing attack is the most important key to the victory with a veteran quarterback.
In the blocking department, Quenton Nelson is the most important player on the Colts right now. The third-year player hasn’t allowed a sack in 30 straight games and provides pancake highlight reels. Nelson can pull and pass block, and his awareness is some of the best in the at the guard position.
Last season, Jacksonville allowed a 5.1 yards per carry on the ground and that number increased to 5.7 YPC against the Colts. In the victory against them, the Colts running game had nearly every player logging at least some yardage. Jordan Wilkins led the team with 116 yards, Marlon Mack had 109, Nyheim Hines registered 11, and even Chester Rodgers recorded 18 yards. While Jacoby Brissett, again, only threw 148 yards, the difference was the rushing game and the ability to move the ball on the ground with ease, leading to a 20-point victory.
Pound the ball on the ground. Open up the passing game. Give the defense ample rest. That’s a recipe for victory.