The Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts week 18 matchup is the 2024 season finale and will be the last chance to see some of the Jagaurs’ core pieces of the roster before the offseason begins. With both the Jaguars and Colts eliminated from postseason contention, this matchup only affects the 2025 NFL draft order.
But before the offseason begins, the Jaguars will have one more chance to secure a win before 2024 comes to a close.
Jaguars vs Colts Season Finale: Keys To Victory
Back in week five, when the Jaguars beat the Colts, the Jacksonville came out on top thanks to big performances from Travon Walker, Brian Thomas Jr., Christian Kirk, Brenton Strange, Tank Bigsby, and Trevor Lawrence. Of that group, Lawrence and Kirk will be out for the Jaguars vs Colts season finale. But the Jaguars have the necessary pieces to secure another win in their 2024 season despite two key players on offense being out.
To sweep the season series against the Colts and bring home their fifth win, the Jaguars will need three phases of the game to work at a high level.
The most obvious one is the Jaguars offensive line holding up for Mac Jones. Another huge factor will be the pass rush getting home against a good Colts offensive line. Lastly, the Jaguars will need Thomas to have another massive performance to close out a dominant rookie season.
Protecting the Quarterback With Reserves
As the 2024 season comes to a close, the Jaguars are heading into the final matchup with multiple starters along the offensive line out or banged up. Ezra Cleveland is questionable to play, as is Brandon Scherff. Cleveland is more likely to go than Scherff, and if one or the other is out, Blake Hance will step in. Anton Harrison, the Jaguars second-year tackle, is expected to play. Mitch Morse is also expected to go, but the Jaguars will be down Walker Little once again for the Jaguars vs Colts season finale.
Cole Van Lanen will fill in for Little for the second time, as he’s coming off a performance against the Tennessee Titans where he only allowed two pressures and no sacks or hits on 26 pass protection reps. The offensive line has some health issues, but the backups have filled in valiantly in 2024, something that most teams don’t have the luxury of having.
The Jaguars’ offensive line will have the tough assignment of blocking the Colts’ dynamic and deep defensive front. Indianapolis has 13 different players with a sack in 2024, and it’s led by ascending young stars along the edges and a dominant interior tackle.
Kwity Paye, rookie Laiatu Latu, and Dayo Odeyingbo make up the Colts’ strong edge rushing trio. Meanwhile, DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart provide further pressure up the middle from their defensive interior spots. Overall, the Colts don’t have one elite pass rusher who is making the lives of offensive linemen a living hell, but their depth and consistency across the line make for a formidable front.
Facing off against the Colts’ pass rush will be a challenge for the Jaguars offensive line, but with the Jaguars finding their groove in recent weeks offensively under Jones, the Jaguars have a chance to negate one of the Colts strongest parts of their roster.
One way to protect Jones in the Jaguars vs Colts matchup is by getting the ball out quickly, even if the pass rush doesn’t hold up. Fortunately, the Jaguars hit a home run with their first-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft class with Thomas, and he would be another key to victory in the Jaguars vs Colts season finale.
More on The Plate Of Thomas
If the Jaguars had to name one player as their team MVP for the 2024 season, it would be Thomas Jr. The rookie has immediately ingrained himself as an elite receiver and is one of the biggest 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Snubs. Thomas is the focal point of the Jaguars offense, and even with a backup quarterback, he’s taken his play to new heights each week.
In the Jaguars vs Colts season finale, the biggest key to the Jaguars victory will be getting the ball to Thomas. Protecting Jones is a good start, but the matchup that Thomas will face is also important. Fortunately, the Colts defense, especially in the passing game, is coming off one of the worst performances in NFL history.
Week 17 saw the Colts give up an explosive day to the New York Giants, who have had a completely stagnant passing offense all year. The Giants’ performance was the Giants’ best passing performance since 2019. Lock had 309 yards on 17 completions and four passing touchdowns, while the Giants’ leading receiver, Malik Nabers, had 171 yards on five receptions and two touchdowns.
In that matchup, Kenny Moore II, one of the Colts’ best cornerbacks who will line up opposite Thomas in the slot during the Jaguars vs Colts season finale, allowed 120 yards and two touchdowns, according to Pro Football Focus. Moore has been the Colts’ best cornerback all year long, and he just had one of the worst performances in his career.
Jaylen Jones is the Colts’ primary outside corner, where Thomas will line up most of the time, and has allowed the most yards among all Colts defenders in pass coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. Between Jones struggling all year and Moore coming off one of the worst days of his career, Thomas is poised to have a huge day.
Despite being a meaningless game in the standings and only affected by draft stock, the Jaguars wide receiver can further cement his breakout rookie campaign in the record books with one more huge day. Thomas is fifth in the NFL in receiving yards and tied for fifth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns.
He has 1,179 receiving yards heading into the Jaguars vs Colts season finale, 35 yards ahead of Brock Bowers and 39 ahead of Nabers for the lead among rookies. Thomas has a three-touchdown lead at ten compared to any other rookie pass catcher, further cementing his dominant rookie season.
For the Jaguars’ chances of success, getting the ball to Thomas is the priority, and with a good matchup on tap, it’s a great opportunity to extend Thomas’s lead among rookies in yards and touchdowns.
A strong finish to Thomas’ rookie campaign can be something that can carry over into 2025 and could also be a good asset for a top head coaching candidate to fall in love with. Having a dominant, young, cheap wide receiver can be a massive bargaining chip when pitching the Jaguars head coach or general manager job in the offseason.
Front Seven In The Pass And Run Game
The third and final key to victory will focus on the Jaguars’ front seven in both the pass and run game. With Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson missing the Jaguars vs Colts season finale, the Colts will be starting Joe Flacco. He has had a tumultuous season, having up-and-down performances all year.
Regardless of his play, there are two things he is aided by that can alleviate his burden significantly, and it’s the Colts pass protection and run game. Starting with the pass protection, the Colts have one of the top offensive lines in 2024, ranking 12th in the NFL pass-blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus.
They’re led by superstar offensive guard Quenton Nelson, and with Braden Smith and Bernhard Reimann, the Colts’ pass protection has been very solid. While those three have been solid for the Colts all year, Smith is going to miss the Jaguars vs Colts season finale as he’s on the NFI-R list for a personal reason.
Filling in is Matt Goncalves, who is coming off a week 17 performance where he allowed five pressures and a pass-blocking grade of 37.7, according to Pro Football Focus, the worst on the Colts. Outside of the right tackle, the Colts ‘ blocking group has been great.
Ryan Kelly at the center and Mark Glowinski at right guard round out the starters on the line and will be a tough challenge for the Jaguars pass rush. Walker and Josh Hines-Allen will have the opportunity to line up against Goncalves, which could provide a ripe opportunity to finish the 2024 season strong with a couple of sacks in the new year.
The Colts’ offensive line is a great overall pass protection unit, but the Jaguars’ defenders will have to be more wary of the Colts in the run game. With Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, the Colts’ combination of running back and offensive line makes for one of the toughest running games in the NFL.
The Colts are the fourth-highest run-blocking team according to Pro Football Focus, but they’re third worst when it comes to run grade. This comes from the down year that Taylor has had, along with the rest of the rushing attack during the 2024 season being subpar with Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson.
Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd will have the responsibility to fill running lanes and make the tackles when needed on Taylor if the Jaguars want to stifle the running game. Making sure the run game doesn’t generate explosives or consistent production is the best way to limit the Colts’ offense, especially without Richardson’s threat to run.
When looking at the Colts’ strengths, the offensive line and the running back come to mind immediately, and with the Jaguars’ defense coming into their own down the final stretch of the season, they have a chance to limit the production of the Colts rushing attack in the Jaguars vs Colts week 18 season finale.
Final Expectations
The Jaguars’ defense had been better and healthier as the season progressed, and with only one week left to play, their core was finally established. From the defensive backs all healthy to the front seven figuring out their roles, the defense has been playing better since their bye week. The offense hasn’t lagged, either.
The main part of the offense, Thomas Jr., has been exploding since the bye. He had a good rookie season up through the bye, but since week 12, Thomas has been playing at an elite level. He was the reason why the Jaguars beat the Titans and has been the difference-maker in every game he’s played.
His emergence as not only a high-level rookie but one of the best wide receivers in the NFL has made the Jaguars 2024 season, despite all its brutal losses, an encouraging one. Young players like Thomas, Cam Little, and Jarrian Jones have made a tough season palatable.
But, before 2024 comes to a close, the Jaguars vs Colts season finale provides one last chance to see the future of the Jaguars play live game action. From veterans proving their worth to rookies playing for starting roles in 2025, the Jaguars vs Colts season finale is an opportunity to see what the Jaguars have to offer.
It’s been a long and tumultuous season, and the Jaguars vs Colts season finale is one last look at what the players on the Jaguars roster have to offer.
Main Image: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images
