The Good, Bad, & Ugly From Colts' Tragic Loss vs. Jaguars

The Indianapolis Colts walked out of their matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars with more questions than answers. What was expected to be a competitive AFC South showdown turned into a frustrating, momentum-killing defeat that highlighted the glaring weaknesses the Colts had hidden during the first half of the season.

The early-season momentum the Colts had built up has gone to waste, and they'll now be forced to finish the season without starting quarterback Daniel Jones under center.

This loss marks the Colts' 11th consecutive road defeat in Jacksonville and their third straight defeat after their Week 11 bye. Let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from Indy's catastrophic loss.

The Good

Colts Remain the Only Team to Force a Turnover in Every Game

Although the defense didn't play well, they kept their turnover streak alive thanks to a forced fumble caused by defensive tackle Grover Stewart.

Stewart ripped the ball out of Bhayshul Tuten's hands, allowing linebacker Germaine Pratt to pick up the rock and give the offense the ball at midfield. Unfortunately, the turnover amounted to nothing as the Colts failed to move the chains and turned it over on downs.

Riley Leonard Didn't Look Lost

Riley Leonard was thrown into an extremely tough road situation for his first NFL snaps, but he actually fared pretty well against one of the league's best defenses.

The sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame finished the day with 18 completions on 29 attempts for 145 yards and an interception. He ran in a five-yard touchdown for his first career score in garbage time to give the Colts 19 points on the day.

Leonard also had a couple of touchdown throws called back. He threw one right in the bucket to Michael Pittman Jr., but the veteran receiver was flagged for offensive pass interference. He later made a nice throw to Alec Pierce, but Pierce didn't maintain possession while going to the ground.

With Anthony Richardson Sr. still on injured reserve, Leonard becomes the team's starting quarterback only three months into his first professional season.

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The Bad

Colts' Turnover Issues Continued

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) scoops up a fumble recovery as Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) looks on during the second quarter of an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Similar to their loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Colts once again had turnover issues plague them on the road against a playoff-level opponent.

Both Jones and Leonard threw interceptions (although one can argue if Leonard's pick should have been overturned), and star running back Jonathan Taylor fumbled while trying to extend his arm for an extra yard. The Colts lost the turnover battle three to one.

Giving up short field position to opposing offenses is an easy recipe for disaster, and the Colts did that multiple times on Sunday. The Jaguars scored two touchdowns on drives that spanned less than 30 yards.

Jonathan Taylor Can't Get Going

At the start of the season, Taylor was a legitimate MVP candidate. He was on pace to shatter scoring records, but the past few weeks have been a complete letdown.

Taylor found the end zone once against Jacksonville, and he finished the day with 21 carries for 74 yards. That averages out to 3.5 yards per carry, which is his second-lowest mark of the season.

It's hard to blame Taylor for anything, especially when the Jaguars were stacking the box with Leonard under center, but the Colts' workhorse hasn't been himself since the bye.

The Ugly

The Colts are on the Quarterback Carousel

If you weren't convinced the Colts were cursed in Jacksonville before this game, you must be now.

Daniel Jones is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, and just weeks after the team thought they had their quarterback of the future, he goes down with a brutal non-contact injury.

The Colts were interested in bringing back Jones before his injury, but now that he has a fractured fibula and torn Achilles, who knows how much teams will be willing to pay him? Indy can't afford to dump its cap space on a quarterback who may not be ready for the 2026 season, which puts them in a tricky spot.

Richardson still has one year left on his contract, but after he lost the starting job, rumors have emerged that Richardson has interest in taking his talents elsewhere while he's still in his athletic prime.

The Colts have so many questions left to answer, but it's not looking pretty.

The Pass Rush

The Colts finished the day with zero sacks and zero quarterback hits. That's right, Trevor Lawrence was practically untouched on Sunday.

The Colts needed their defense more than ever once Jones went down, but instead, they produced absolutely nothing. Yes, there was a turnover, but Lawrence simply cannot be allowed to sit in the pocket unpressured.

If Indy wants any chance of postseason football, the pass rush issues must be resolved.