2024-10-07 10:55:02
JACKSONVILLE – The day was wet, weird and wild – and historical.
Most important: The Jaguars won when they really needed to win, and now have a bit of momentum as they prepare for their two-game stretch overseas.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw two for touchdowns and running back Tank Bigsby ran for two more as the Jaguars won on “Throwback Sunday” – a heart-stopping 37-34 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on a wet, gray October Sunday at EverBank Stadium.
“Today it all came together,” Head Coach Doug Pederson said after the Jaguars’ first victory of the season. “I’m proud of the guys for pulling this one out.”
Rookie kicker Cam Little’s 49-yard field goal with :17 remaining gave the Jaguars the lead – and the victory – after the Colts rallied from 14-point fourth-quarter deficit.
“It feels good to win,” Lawrence said. “It’s why you play the game. It feels great to win. It feels good for the hard work to pay off. It’s cool when it all clicks and pays off and you get a chance to win. We’re going to use it to propel us.”
The Jaguars drove 39 yards in eight plays for the game-winning field goal.
“I’m proud of the guys for the way finished; a great team effort today,” Pederson said, calling the final drive, “Huge.”
“It was an opportunity to go win the game,” he said. “It’s good for us to do that as a football team. This was a really good complementary game today.”
The Jaguars wore their Throwback Prowler jerseys – based on the ones first worn in their 1995 expansion season – for the first time Sunday. Former Head Coach Tom Coughlin, the franchise’s first head coach, was inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars at halftime.
The Jaguars, who play the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots in London the next two weeks, are now 1-4. The Colts are 2-3.
“There’s a weight off everybody’s shoulders,” Pederson said. “There’s a weight off my shoulders, too. Now you guys can get off my tail.”
The Jaguars won their 10th consecutive home game against the Colts, who last won in Jacksonville in 2014.
Lawrence completed 28 of 34 passes for 371 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, with his 85-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. giving the Jaguars a 10-7 second-quarter lead.
“Obviously this team had a rough start, but we’ve kept our confidence,” Lawrence said. “We’ve kept swinging.”
Lawrence also threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Brenton Strange, and Bigsby’s two touchdowns both came in the second half – a 19-yarder in the third quarter that gave the Jaguars a 20-10 lead and a 65-yarder with 6:00 remaining that pushed their lead to 34-20.
Colts quarterback Joe Flacco, starting for injured starter Anthony Richardson, completed 33 of 44 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Flacco rallied the Colts repeatedly in the second half, with the Colts scoring two touchdowns in less than four minutes to tie it 34-34 before the Jaguars’ game-winning drive.
The Jaguars registered four sacks Sunday with one takeaway, with defensive end Travon Walker registering three sacks and defensive end Josh Hines-Allen registering one. Walker’s second-quarter sack forced a fumble that Hines-Allen recovered to set up a field goal by Cam Little that gave the Jaguars a three-point halftime lead.
Walker’s final sack came on the game’s final play.
“I told the guys if they just continue to stick together and work hard and trust what we’re doing and buy in … that’s what you’re seeing,” Pederson said. “Is it perfect? No. It never going to be perfect. But we’ve had five games. Four of them have been one-score games. These games are going to come to the last drive or two of a game.
“As a team we have to embrace and we have to learn to do that. Today was a good step.”
- Wide receiver Michael Pittman capped a 12-play, 71-yard opening drive with a one-yard reception from Flacco to give the Colts a 7-0 lead with 8:49 remaining in the first quarter.
- Little’s 23-yard field goal capped a 14-play, 84-yard drive and cut the Colts’ lead to 7-3 with 8:57 remaining in the second quarter; Bigsby’s 28-yard reception on a screen pass on second-and-6 gave the Jaguars a first down at the Colts 24. Thomas’ 85-yard touchdown reception from Lawrence came one play after a Colts punt and gave the Jaguars their first lead of the game – 10-7 – with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter. Colts kicker Matt Gay’s 30-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining in the half tied the game 10-10. Little’s 30-yard field goal with :04 remaining in the second quarter gave the Jaguars a 13-10 halftime lead, with the field goal coming one play after Hines-Allen recovered Walker’s strip sack on Flacco.
- The Jaguars maintained momentum and pushed the lead to 20-10 when Bigsby ran up the middle or a 19-yard touchdown with 7:13 remaining in the third quarter, a play that came one play after wide receiver Devin Duvernay’s 53-yard punt return.
- Tight end Mo Alie-Cox’s 18-yard touchdown reception from Flacco on the first play of the fourth quarter cut the Jaguars’ lead to 20-17 with 14:54 remaining. Lawrence capped a seven-play, 70-yard drive on the ensuing possession with a four-yard touchdown pass to Strange for a 27-17 lead with 9:59 remaining; wide receiver Christian Kirk’s 61-yard reception from Lawrence keyed the drive. The Colts cut the lead to 27-20 with Gay’s 30-yard field goal with 6:00 remaining. Bigsby’s 65-yarder came on the ensuing series, with Colts running back Trey Sermon’s one-yard run with 4:27 remaining again trimming the Jaguars’ lead to seven – 34-27. Colts wide receiver Alex Pierce’s 65-yard reception from Flacco on the ensuing Colts series tied it 34-34 with 2:40 remaining.
Notable Moments:
- Tight end Evan Engram was among seven inactive Jaguars players Sunday, missing a fourth consecutive game with a hamstring injury.
- Hines-Allen played/started after clearing concussion protocol Saturday and safety Darnell Savage played/started after missing three consecutive games with a quadriceps issue. Linebacker Devin Lloyd played after missing a loss to the Houston Texans last Sunday with a knee injury.
- Other Jaguars inactives Sunday: Linebacker Yasir Abdullah (neck), rookie defensive end Myles Cole, rookie offensive lineman Javon Foster, offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen, rookie defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson and safety Daniel Thomas (hamstring).
In-Game Injury Report:
- Duvernay sustained a hamstring injury in the second half.
