The Indianapolis Colts head to Jacksonville for their second divisional game of the season on Sunday.
However, Indianapolis heads into their Week 5 matchup with more weight on their shoulder than just a division battle.
A Decade of Road Trauma
The team’s last win in Jacksonville came during the Andrew Luck era in 2014. Now, 10 years later, the Colts have the talent and the coaching to put an end to a curse that the Jags and their fanbase have hung over Indy fans for a decade.
Shane Steichen’s squad currently sits in second place in the AFC South with a 2-2 record. Meanwhile, the Jaguars have yet to grab their first win of the season. However, at 0-4, Jacksonville is no slouch, and the Colts should know that.
Don’t Underestimate the Jaguars
Jacksonville may be winless, but the team has been in nearly every game this season, excluding the beatdown the Bills handed them on Monday night football. The Jags were in striking distance to take down Houston Texas in Week 4 before CJ Stroud’s late-game heroics. In addition, Doug Pederson’s team will be in desperation mode looking to avoid 0-5 at all costs.
However, if Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor can suit up on Sunday, the Colts could be in prime position to leave their disastrous road record in Florida in the past. The dynamic duo both got banged up in the team’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but recent reports suggest that Richardson has a chance to play and the team isn’t considering Injured Reserve for their star running back.
So the #Colts offense appears to have dodged two injury bullets Sunday: RB Jonathan Taylor’s high ankle sprain is mild, per @RapSheet, and no major injury for Richardson either. Both will be evaluated throughout the week. https://t.co/HrzpfgMmK4
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 30, 2024
Even then, veteran Joe Flacco showed the ability to get the job done for the majority of the game against the Steelers. If Richardson can’t suit up, Steichen will have a full week to put a gameplan around the 39-year-old, and an underrated receiver room to support him.
Nonetheless, with a semi-healthy offense and a defense that has risen to the occasion in the past two weeks, there’s no better time than now for Indy to put an end to the curse.