The Indianapolis Colts are going into Week 5 on a two-game win streak and the Jacksonville Jaguars are approaching Week 5 on a four-game losing streak. By all accounts, it should seem like the Colts have the upper-hand in this matchup. However, according to ESPN Bet, the Jaguars are the favorites to win. One of the reasons why is because the Jaguars have beaten the Colts in Jacksonville nine straight seasons. The last time the Colts won in Jacksonville was in 2014 when Andrew Luck was in his third season.
This unfortunate streak has loomed over the Colts head the last few seasons. In order for this painful streak to come to a much anticipated end, the Colts might need to rely on Joe Flacco. They might also need to rely on Trey Sermon. However, the key for the Colts to get the victory against the Jaguars in Week 5 will come down to the defense.
Why the Colts Defense Will Be the Key to Victory Against the Jaguars In Week 5
Put Pressure on Trevor Lawrence
The Jaguars enter week five winless at 0-4 and are desperate for a win in order to keep their season alive. There were a lot of high expectations for the Jaguars coming into this season. Jags quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, had high expectations himself as he signed a massive contract extension. For a quarterback whose confidence has been shot this season, it will be crucial for the Colts to get pressure on him up front. The key to achieving this will be with rookie edge rusher, Laiatu Latu.
According to reports, Latu is set to make his first NFL start on Sunday. After a relatively slow start to his season, Latu has turned on the jets as of late. In the last two games, Latu has had one pass defended, one sack, one forced fumble, one tackle for loss, and two quarterback hits. Needless to say, his presence is felt on the defensive line.
After having a rough start to the season on defense in which they ranked worst against the run in most major categories, the Colts have come on strong as of late in playing complimentary defense. Their most notable improvement has been with getting pressure on the quarterback. This allows for negative plays, which makes it harder for opposing offenses to convert third downs. Through four games, the Colts have accumulated 12 sacks which ranks tied for sixth in the league
Force Turnovers
Through the first four weeks, the Colts have averaged 1.5 turnovers per game which ranks eighth in the league. However, the Jaguars have not been a team that has turned the ball over this season. They rank fourth in the league in terms of giveaways per game with 0.8. The issue that the Jags have had this season has been at the hands of their inefficiency on offense. They rank 30th in third down conversion, 27th in touchdowns per game, and 26th in red zone scoring percentage.
In this matchup, the reason why forcing turnovers is the key is because, in the last nine meetings in Jacksonville, the Jaguars have only given the ball away seven times, while the Colts have given the ball away 20 times. This lopsided stat is evident as to why the Jaguars have been dominating this matchup.
On paper, the Jaguars have one of the more talented offenses in the league. They have Trevor Lawrence, who is tied as the second-highest-paid quarterback in the league. They still have Travis Etienne, who has had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Lastly, they also brought in Gabe Davis from the Buffalo Bills and college standout Brian Thomas Jr. this past draft. Needless to say, the Jaguars record does not depict just how good this team can be. Therefore, if the Colts want to avoid waking a sleeping giant, they will need to force turnovers.
Main Image: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
