By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire
Jaguars’ head coach Doug Pederson had continuously stated that his team has played hard all season.
And for the most part, the Jaguars have.
Despite coming into Indianapolis Sunday for their season finale against the Colts (7-9). Pederson is confident his 4-12 team will be energized enough to fight for their fifth win on the season.
This easily can be anxiety mixed with malaise. Jaguars players as well as Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke can be headed in various directions beginning Monday.
“Obviously, you’re trying to win the game, bottom line,” said Pederson at a recent press conference. “The key is to make sure that everybody stays locked in and focused on the task at hand, right? I mean that’s the most important thing. I don’t necessarily use it as developmental for anybody.”
It certainly will be continued development for Jags’ rising star receiver Brian Thomas Jr. along with rookie defensive tackle Maason Smith and rookie kicker Cam Little among some others.
Thomas Jr. needs 135 yards receiving to move into the top five in league history for rookie receiving yardage. Regardless, he is becoming a heavy favorite to become the Jags’ first Rookie of the Year.
Little hit a 49-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the game that gave the Jags a 37-34 victory in their first meeting Oct. 6 at EverBank Stadium.
It also can be the final chapter for some Jags’ player and a time of reflection and regret from some veterans who didn’t quite reach their potential this season.
Mac Jones, who had maybe his finest game as a Jaguars’ quarterback last week in their win against Tennessee, will likely be in a quarterback battle against aging Joe Flacco, who looks like this may be his final roundup. The soon-to-be 40-year-old lately has looked like his vintage Ravens’ days.
This finale isn’t likely to be an offensive juggernaut as the Jags’ offense is ranked 26th overall, while the Colts are 15th.
The Jags likely will be without tackle Walker Little and possibly guards Ezra Cleveland and Brandon Scherff may be sidelined.
Defensively, the Jags’ defense has tumbled to 31st overall, and the Colts’ defense has slipped to 29th. Jags’ defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen has been feeling the heat for his unit’s decline, notably in the secondary.
Still, Josh Hines-Allen is 2½ sacks shy of breaking the franchise’s career mark of 55 held by Tony Brackens.
Travon Walker needs a half-sack to join Calais Campbell as the only two players in team history to notch double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons.
Along with Pederson and Baalke, Colts’ head coach Shawn Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard. Defensive coordinator and ex-Jags head coach Gus Bradley has been under fire all season.
So, this finale lines up as a matchup with two underachieving teams who both lost their budding starting quarterbacks – Indy’s Anthony Richardson could return from his back spasms – and lost their identities as well.
For Jacksonville and Indianapolis, they let playing a reasonable schedule slip out of their hands as well as a AFC South that was extremely winnable. Houston isn’t a solid team.
Winning Sunday’s game will be a priority for both teams.
The Jags will play hard, but who will it help in the coming weeks?