2024 Week 5: Colts 34, Jaguars 37

That Jaguars won on a last-second field goal and looked like the better of the two teams. The Colts (2-3) are headed in the wrong direction this season. The defense is incredibly injured and has allowed the most yards in the league, and may have a QB controversy between Flacco and Anthony Richardson. More on that later.

The Jaguars (1-4) were overdue for a win and got it. This was an early battle to decide who would finish last in the AFC South and Jacksonville came out on top. A good win to keep their non-last-place hopes alive.

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QB Report:

- There are two schools of thought for the Colts QB room.

1) Let Joe Flacco (33/44 for 359 yards, 3 TDs) play now, probably win more games, and have Richardson learn under him, or 2) Play Richardson and send him a positive message while also developing his skills in a trial-by-fire sort of way.

Indianapolis’s head coach, Shane Steichen, has already backed Richardson, which I think is what needs to be done. Committing to Flacco for the rest of the year tells the world and AR that they don’t have faith in him, that’s the worst thing you can do for a young, face of the franchise QB. The Colts team is so hurt that it makes sense to put AR out there and get used to playing more NFL-level talent, while also learning when to take hits and when to slide. If he doesn’t figure that out his career will be over before it starts. However, the issue you run into is Richardson might just try to play hero-ball and get himself hurt again. I say put him out there, he’s already had a season's worth of bench riding thanks to injury so the people who want to sit QBs to develop should be satisfied… and the people who want to throw young players in and hope for the best also get what they want.

What could derail all of this is the severity of Richardson’s hip injury. I wouldn’t be surprised if he finds himself on the IR so Flacco keeps playing + Richardson heals + Richardson learns behind an uber-experienced vet + avoids any QB controversy.

WR Report:
- It’s tough to really make any conclusions about this Colts offense until we know what’s happening with the QB situation. As I said last week, Josh Downs (9-69-0/12) and Michael Pittman (5-37-1/8) are the big winners if Flacco stays in, and Alec Pierce (3-134-1/3) gets knocked down a peg. With Richardson Downs moves down a touch, Pittman much more, and Pierce would stay relatively the same, maybe a slight move up in production.

- For the Jaguars, it was sort of the same thing as when a worse team gets blown out… but the Colts offense was able to keep up. The Jaguars faced a bad defense and put up big numbers… and the Colts offense faced a bad defense and put up big numbers. Neither of these performances will be the norm for any passing game.

RB Report:

- We have a bit of a developing story here with Tank Bigsby (13-101-2, 1 catch for 28 yards) that I’ve been discussing since Week 1… Bigsby is starting to take over the lead role from Travis Etienne (6-17-0, 6 catches for 43 yards).

- This game started with Etienne taking the majority of the snaps but he wasn’t productive, and when Bigsby was in for relief, he was getting the job done. As the game wore on Bigsby became the lead, D’Ernest Johnson (1-1-0, 2 catches for 9 yards) was the 3rd-down back, and Etienne was in the relief role. Tank Bigsby played himself into the starting position this week. Jacksonville and Etienne are tied at the hip bc of draft position so this won’t be a full takeover but rather some sort of split where they ride the hot hand. I wish we had real takeovers but coaches are too scared to be wrong. They won’t give up on Etienne easily if at all.

- Trey Sermon (10-38-1, 6 catches for 25 yards) was the lead for Indy as everyone suspected, and this is likely the reason they lost. Sermon was stopped short of first downs or touchdowns 4 different times, 3 of which they needed 1 yard. Tyler Goodson (5-26-0, 3 catches for 31 yards) looked like the better back but he never made any headway into taking snaps from Sermon. I wonder what the split will be if Jonathon Taylor is out next week.

D/ST Report:
- Man I wish more people were talking about what Jags Corner Montaric Brown (8 tackles) has been doing this season. He’s been sensational in every game he’s played. He should be the CB2 whenever Tyson Campbell returns. Montaric Brown and Denvers Riley Moss are my front runners for most improved this season… and both are corners.

image source: (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)