Knee-jerk Reactions: Colts Defeat Jaguars 34-27 Behind Offenses Best Performance of Season

The Indianapolis Colts are actually 3-2-1 on the 2022 season and earned their first divisional victory Sunday, defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-27. The Colts are actually 5-0 at dwelling within the Frank Reich period in opposition to Jacksonville.

Listed below are my greatest takeaways after Indianapolis’ big-time division victory over the Jaguars.

OFFENSE PUTS TOGETHER FINEST PERFORMANCE OF SEASON

Regardless of being down two of their greatest gamers on offense in operating backs Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, the Colts’ offense was capable of put collectively their best efficiency of the 2022 season Sunday.

Quarterback Matt Ryan had loads of time to throw all afternoon, because the Colts’ offensive line didn’t give up a single sack for the primary time this season. Ryan was pressured on simply 24.1% of his dropbacks, in accordance with TruMedia.

The veteran quarterback accomplished a career-high 42 of his 58 passes (72.4%) for 389 passing yards and three touchdowns and tossed the game-winning rating to rookie wideout Alec Pierce, which accomplished Ryan’s third game-winning drive of the season.

Indianapolis’ offense combined in a ton of up-tempo and no-huddle for a lot of the recreation, which helped within the general manufacturing on Sunday. Wideouts Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Parris Campbell have been instrumental within the offensive manufacturing in opposition to the Jaguars. Pittman Jr. hauled in a career-high 13 receptions for 134 yards; Pierce caught his first-career landing whereas hauling in three receptions for 49 yards and Campbell had seven receptions for 57 yards and a landing and helped convert a number of first downs as nicely.

Operating again Deon Jackson stepped up within the absence of Taylor and Hines, placing collectively one other sturdy efficiency and totaling 121 yards from scrimmage (42 dashing, 79 receiving) to go together with a dashing landing.

When the Colts traded for Ryan, Sunday’s efficiency supplied a glimpse into what the offense might appear to be when all the things’s clicking. Ryan and Co. deserve a ton of credit score for his or her 434-yard, 34-point efficiency, and it’s one they’ll look to construct off of going ahead.

PASS RUSH GETS TO LAWRENCE AS DEFENSE KEEPS JAGUARS’ PASSING ATTACK IN CHECK

Let’s additionally make sure to give credit score to Indy’s cross protection, which restricted the Jaguars’ passing assault. Whereas Lawrence did full 20 of his 22 cross makes an attempt, he solely managed to throw for 163 passing yards and a landing.

Not a single Jaguars receiver surpassed the 100-yard mark and Indianapolis’ protection got here away with stops when it mattered. Coming into Sunday’s recreation, Lawrence had solely been sacked a complete of six occasions, and the Colts’ cross rush stepped up but once more, particularly in essential downs early on. Indy’s cross rush sacked second-year signal-caller 4 occasions Sunday.

There’s room to enhance, and we’ve seen the Colts’ protection play exceedingly higher than it has finished for probably the most half Sunday. However within the NFL the place wins are onerous to come back by, typically it comes down to creating performs when it’s wanted most, and Indianapolis’ protection did simply sufficient to assist seize a victory Sunday.

UNCHARACTERISTIC PERFORMANCE FROM RUN DEFENSE

Going into Sunday’s recreation, Indianapolis’ run protection ranked fourth within the league in dashing yards allowed per recreation. In an especially uncharacteristic efficiency, Indianapolis’ top-notch run protection was gashed by Jacksonville’s operating backs Sunday. There’s no query that the absence of Kwity Paye, arguably the staff’s greatest run defender, was felt Sunday.

Operating backs Travis Etienne, James Robinson and JaMycal Hasty mixed for 243 yards on the bottom on 33 makes an attempt whereas averaging a whopping 7.4 yards per try, which is by far probably the most the Colts’ run protection has allowed all season.

Indy’s run protection cleaned issues up within the second half, however the general efficiency was one the Colts have to overlook. One thing to bear in mind: The three-2 Tennessee Titans are up subsequent, the place Derrick Henry, who had 114 dashing yards on a median of 5.2 yards per try when dealing with the Colts again in Week 4, awaits.