Jaguars @ Colts
Final score: Colts 23, Jaguars 17
Writer: Matthew Bevins (@MattQbList on Twitter/TheLongSpring on Reddit)
In Sunday’s matchup in Indy, we got an opportunity to watch one of the most exciting quarterbacks of the future, Trevor Lawrence, attempt to kick off his coming-out party against former prodigy-turned league average aficionado Carson Wentz. The Colts were able to pull out a tighter than necessary matchup, and they were thankful that Trevor Lawrence and company fumbled the ball on the final drive of the game. We saw a couple of bright spots in the rushing game, but most of James Robinson’s managers could mostly be relieved that his recent heel injury had “heeled” up enough for him to make it out on the field this week.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Quarterback
Trevor Lawrence: 16/35, 162 Yards | 5 carries, 33 yards, 2 Fumbles (1 Lost)
Trevor Lawrence is going to be a great NFL quarterback someday who will likely bolster your fantasy rosters in the future, but as of right now, with a below-average offensive weapons chart and a need to coalesce with new NFL coach Urban Meyer, we may just be in wait and see mode for a bit. Trevor Lawrence spent the entire game dwelling in the basement points-wise and therefore was unable to spread the game between consistent rushing and passing attacks. Much to the dismay of James Robinson‘s managers, we watched as the Jaguars finished three-and-out drives at an increasingly frustrating clip, as Lawrence continued on his quest to finish the season with the worst quarterback average on third down competitions. The arrival of Dan Arnold has absolutely helped Lawrence have someone in the middle of the field, and a reliable check-down option, but not much else good could be found here, as likely most of us will be waiting to use this guy next year or later in our fantasy squads.
Running Backs
James Robinson: 12 carries, 57 yards, TD | 5 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards
Carlos Hyde: 2 carries, 4 yards | 2 targets, 1 reception, 0 yards
James Robinson isn’t interested in the Travis Etienne experiment ever coming to fruition. Robinson, fresh off just needing one game off to get his heels back under him, looked like a decoy for the squad early in the game, but saved face with a late-game touchdown eruption, diving over the pile on a second effort. Robinson was certainly missing some of the burst and bloom he can usually excel with, but the most enjoyable part was seeing Robinson back on the field so closely removed from a heel injury many worried would be nagging. Robinson, who was truly my favorite story last year, is definitely not going quietly in the light down in the Sunshine State. Robinson broke off his longest run late with an 18-yard swagger rush, but for the most part, he was a three-yards per carry average running back today, which is downright pedestrian. We should, however, look at this as someone who is mostly hampered by an injury that most would likely not play through.
I would say, with this Jaguars team all but out of the playoff race, they likely could start to rest Robinson and take it easy on his body, if they’re at all hoping to make him a part of their future, after another season defying their expectations for him. Check out that goal line boom below!
James Robinson behind DEFENSIVE LINEMAN MALCOM BROWN for the TD! 💪🏻
— Andrew Gibson (@1010XLAG) November 14, 2021
Wide Receivers
Jamal Agnew: 5 targets | 3 carries, 79 yards, TD
Dan Arnold: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 67 yards
Marvin Jones: 6 targets, 2 receptions, 35 yards
Laquon Treadwell: 1 target, 1 reception, 18 yards
Laviska Shenault: 8 targets, 3 receptions, 15 yards | 2 carries, 6 yards
Tavon Austin: 1 target
For today’s game, with Lawrence’s accuracy, these numbers are mostly the number of times these receivers had their hairs buzzed by overthrown passes. Jamal Agnew was a small bright spot, and that was mostly due to a dynamic end-around play devised early on before Robinson even sniffed the backfield touches.
Jamal Agnew is really fast, 66-yards run for the score.pic.twitter.com/XldUzAkJxB
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 14, 2021
Agnew is kind of starting to seem like the newest version of gold struck by the Jaguars. While fantasy writers such as myself await direly the full arrivals of Laviska Shenault and year ended early dynamo D.J Chark , Agnew is the one who is quietly getting things done in Jacksonville. He is a speed demon, can find gaps in the defense to make an opportunity out of, and is pretty sure-handed. The inability for Lawrence to keep the Jaguars from consistently hitting third downs they couldn’t convert, as well as a lack of a healthy and dynamic running game, was the end of this Jaguars offensive attack as we know it. Dan Arnold looks the part in Jacksonville and is understandably a darling for this team, as they actively traded to get him on the team. Arnold was open and available across the middle of the field often, as he was the only receiver with over one target who caught more than half of his targets.
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
Carson Wentz: 22/34, 180 yards | 4 carries, -1 yard
Carson Wentz may just never be what we expected him to be after his incredible start in Philadelphia before injuries took a potential star down. And that may just be fine in Indy, where they’re rolling out two of the best offensive talents on a weekly basis, plus an exciting and energetic defense. Wentz is playing not to lose the game. He found Pittman across the middle of the field a bit and also attempted to bring T.Y Hilton back into the fold after his return from a neck injury. Watching Carson Wentz, most of the game is predicated on how to direct the ball to Jonathan Taylor, which is understandable but hampers any opportunity to have Wentz be a quarterback you need on your personal rosters. Wentz didn’t make mistakes today, and for the most part, on a lot of the 12 missed competitions, he’s normally throwing the ball into the ground, or out of the end zone.
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor: 21 carries, 116 yards, TD | 8 targets, 6 receptions, 10 yards
Nyheim Hines: 2 carries, 12 yards | 4 targets, 2 receptions, 17 yards
Jonathan Taylor is currently the best running back in football. It’s not really something I think we even need to argue. One offensive play into the game, he’s ripping off a 30-yard rush. He’s dynamic, and his rushing nature is borderline unpredictable, and he doesn’t even take much contact, as the majority of his rushes are falling to the ground after a 30-yard scamper, or out of bounds to avoid a hit. Taylor had over 90 yards… in the first freaking quarter. The guy has wheels, he’s being schemed up against by defenses, and it really doesn’t even matter. Taylor also had a roughly 25-yard rush taken back from him in the early second half due to a holding penalty. Later into the second half, the Colts eased off their running game, partly due to game planning, but also partly due to the fact that the Jaguars were making a push to come back into the game (and it almost happened!). Taylor’s rushing style is likely going to push him well over 100 yards most games on the ground, but he’s also able to dip out from the backfield and catch passes. Taylor is quickly making case for the best running back for a while. Man, what fun to watch. 100 total yards in seven straight games.
Jonathan Taylor goes OVER 89.5 rushing yards… IN THE FIRST QUARTER 💰 #JAXvsIND
pic.twitter.com/XZUSvMN5gK— PFF NFL Podcast (@PFFNFLPod) November 14, 2021
Wide Receivers
Michael Pittman: 5 targets, 5 receptions, 71 yards
Jack Doyle: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 31 yards
Ashton Dulin: 1 target,1 reception, 16 yards
Kylen Granson: 1 target, 1 reception, 15 yards
Zach Pascal: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 9 yards
Mo-Alie Cox: 2 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards
T. Y Hilton: 5 targets 1 reception, 5 yards
This is an offensive team that will absolutely be dominated and soaked in offensive opportunity by how well Jonathan Taylor is running on any given week. In Week 10, Wentz wasn’t out to beat the universe, and so the Michael Pittman opportunities were mostly lengthened by Pittman’s legs, but he was unable to dip behind coverage to break off a large reception.
The Colts also couldn’t decide who they want to be their tight end one when they grow up, as Mo-Alie Cox, Kylen Granson, and Jack Doyle combined to soak up nine targets off the top. Pittman will continue to be the touch leader on this wide receiving core, as he continues to make the case he’s a top 20 wide receiver rest of the year, and for next year, but the addition of T.Y. Hilton will likely drawback a bit of the look that Pittman would normally receive. What can be said is the inability to see down the field and make those “Ace in the hole” plays that dynamic and top five quarterbacks can make will absolutely limit the ceiling that Pittman can have on a given week. Kylen Granson only made a single catch in the game and received one target, but the inconsistency and injury history of Jack Doyle leads me to believe that both Cox and Granson need their numbers to be watched on a given basis, as the tight end position in Indy clearly holds some cache.
— Matthew Bevins (@MattQbList on Twitter/TheLongSpring on Reddit)