Indianapolis @ Jacksonville preview
EverBank Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 15, 2023 ) Indianapolis 20, Jacksonville 37
The Jacksonville Jaguars are the NFL's only remaining winless team after four games, and a climb out of that big of a hole to reach the postseason has occurred just once in league history.
Jacksonville isn't waving the white flag, but prospects of a turnaround will grow even bleaker if the Jaguars don't defeat the visiting Indianapolis Colts in an AFC South clash on Sunday.
The 1992 San Diego Chargers are the lone 0-4 team to recover and reach the playoffs. That team started slowly while adjusting to new coach Bobby Ross and had strong leadership from Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau.
In Jacksonville, coach Doug Pederson is in his third season and is fielding questions about losing the locker room. His Jaguars have been outscored 109-60 to start the campaign.
"I talk to these guys every day. I see them every day. And no, I have not lost the locker room," Pederson said Wednesday. "I think these guys have done everything I've asked. They continue to play and practice hard and battle."
Pederson said the team will not make any excuses for the slow start that includes last week's 24-20 road loss to the Houston Texans. Yet on the other hand, he seemed to point blame toward the players.
"We need our elite players to play elite. And that's it," Pederson said. "Sometimes, that's what it comes down to. Are they going to be elite every week?"
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is getting paid like he's elite -- he was given a five-year, $275 million extension in the offseason -- but he's not performing at that level.
Lawrence's completion percentage of 53.3 is second worst in the NFL among qualifiers -- only Anthony Richardson (50.6) of the Colts is lower.
Worse is that the Jaguars (0-4) have lost each of Lawrence's past nine starts.
"I've dealt with a few of these (slumps) in my career unfortunately. It's never fun," Lawrence said Wednesday. "You have to be thick-skinned. You have to be persistent when you're in a situation like this. Keep your head down and keep working."
Indianapolis (2-2) has lost in each of its past nine visits to Jacksonville.
Colts coach Shane Steichen isn't the least bit concerned with the Jaguars' record.
"I don't care that they're 0-4," Steichen said. "They're a damn good football team. They've had some close games, obviously, that could have went either way. And we've got a division opponent that we gotta go beat."
It appears the Colts won't have Richardson (oblique) available after he exited last week's 27-24 home victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Richardson was a limited practice participant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and was downgraded to doubtful on Saturday. Joe Flacco likely will step in and start after he completed 16 of 26 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh.
Running back Jonathan Taylor injured an ankle against the Steelers and was ruled out after missing practice every day this week. Taylor is fifth in the NFL in rushing yardage (349) and missed practice on Wednesday. Trey Sermon will start in Taylor's place.
Defensive end Kwity Paye (quadricep) and cornerback Kenny Moore (hip) were ruled out, center Ryan Kelly (neck) was downgraded to doubtful, and tackle Braden Smith (knee) is questionable.
Jacksonville star defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (concussion) missed practice on Wednesday, but returned in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday.
Hines-Allen is questionable along with five of his teammates: tight end Evan Engram (hamstring), linebacker Yasir Abdullah (neck), linebacker Devin Lloyd (knee), safety Darnell Savage (quadricep) and safety Daniel Thomas (hamstring). Engram has missed the past three games and is not expected to play, per an ESPN report on Saturday.
--Field Level Media