Jaguars snap Colts' 16-game win streak in AFC South, 51-16
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) The Streak is over, ending in lopsided fashion and against an unlikely foe.
Now, if the Indianapolis Colts are going to maintain their stranglehold on the AFC South, they're probably going to need to start a new one against Houston next week.
Blake Bortles threw for three touchdowns and ran for another - all in the second half - and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat Indianapolis 51-16 on Sunday to end the Colts' 16-game winning streak in the AFC South.
It was the longest division streak in NFL history.
The Colts (6-7) dominated the AFC South for three years, beating Houston, Tennessee and Jacksonville in a variety of ways, bullying them home and away.
On Sunday, the Jaguars (5-8) finally fought back - in a big way.
''We've been waiting on this,'' Jacksonville defensive tackle Roy Miller said. ''I feel like we can do this every week if we want to. I know we've got all the tools to be as special as we want to be.''
The Jaguars scored on offense, defense and special teams in the same game for the first time since 2011, the franchise's most complete performance under third-year coach Gus Bradley.
It helped Jacksonville gain ground in the muddled division, moving a game behind co-leaders Indianapolis and Houston with three to play.
The Colts, who have won nine of 13 division titles since realignment in 2002, can regain control of the AFC South by beating the Texans at home next Sunday.
''We need to find that switch and hit it,'' said Colts veteran rush end Robert Mathis, who scored Indy's lone touchdown on a fumble recovery in the end zone. ''We're still digging, still clawing. When you win, everything's all right. When you lose, all hell breaks loose.''
Indianapolis' previous loss against the AFC South came on Dec. 16, 2012, at Houston.
This one also was the second straight 35-point setback for the Colts, who fell 45-10 at Pittsburgh last week.
The Jaguars had lost six in a row in the series, but ended that skid with a dominant second-half performance. Jacksonville outscored Indy 42-3 after the break and finished with its most points in a regular-season game. The Jags beat Miami 62-7 in the 1999 postseason.
Seven different players scored for Jacksonville in this one.
''It feels good,'' cornerback Davon House said. ''We're a step closer to where we want to be. I don't know how many games we're back, but anything's possible.''
Here are some things we learned from Jacksonville's first win against Indianapolis since Sept. 23, 2012:
HURTING HASSELBECK: Colts QB Matt Hasselbeck left the game in the fourth quarter with a rib injury. He also seemed irritated with Jaguars LB Telvin Smith, who shoved him out of bounds on the play. Regardless, it was the second straight week the 40-year-old backup got banged around. Hasselbeck completed 18 of 35 passes for 252 yards and was sacked three times before giving way to Charlie Whitehurst.
YELDON INJURED: Jaguars RB T.J. Yeldon left the stadium on crutches and declined to discuss his injured left knee. Yeldon hurt his knee in the third quarter, replaced by Denard Robinson. Yeldon and Robinson helped the Jaguars finish with a season-high 154 yards rushing.
SCORING BARRAGE: The Jaguars went the first 29 minutes of the game without scoring a touchdown and then scored three in a 4-minute span, turning a 10-point deficit into a 10-point lead. Andre Branch started the barrage with a 49-yard fumble return for a score late in the second quarter.
LOSING STREAK? The Colts haven't dropped consecutive AFC South games since losing to Jacksonville in the 2011 season finale and then again in Week 3 the following year.
MYERS MISSES: Jaguars rookie Jason Myers missed his league-leading seventh extra point. It didn't matter in the blowout, but the 33-yard kicks have to be in his head now. Myers made his only field-goal attempt, his 16th in his last 17 tries, and was good with his final six extra points. The Jags are committed to sticking with the youngster through this season.
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