Big Cat Country
Welcome to Big Cat Country’s staff roundtable!
Today, we’re previewing Week 14’s matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium.
Question 1: What should the Jaguars’ biggest focus be this week to beat the Colts and remain in first place in the division?
Dillon Appleman: The obvious answer here is to stop Jonathan Taylor, but I think a statistic that is more specific and ties into that emphasis is to win the time of possession battle. The Jaguars are 5-2 this season when they win T.O.P., and even the two losses (CIN and HOU) probably should have been wins if not for some self-sabotaging. Controlling the clock with the run game and converting on third down will go a long way in the outcome of this game.
Travis Holmes: Jacksonville’s biggest focus this week should probably be a continuation of their in-house, self-evaluation. The primary team to beat the Jaguars this season has been Jacksonville. If they can simply, for one Sunday, find a way to minimize the penalties in a game that’s expected to be raining, this would go a long way towards a Jacksonville victory.
Gus Logue: Win in the trenches. Offensive/defensive line play is paramount in any game, but especially in gritty divisional matchups — and especially those being played in rainy conditions. Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner is out for the season, but can the Jaguars’ IOL take care of run-stuffing DT Grover Stewart? On the other side of the ball: can Josh Hines-Allen continue his hot streak? (He leads the NFL in pressures since Week 9.) And how effective will Travon Walker and Arik Armstead be on Sunday, assuming they return from their respective injuries?
Henry Zimmer: Outside of getting healthy across the board, the Jags need to focus on continuing to do the little things correctly. Drops weren’t an issue over the weekend and the team had the right attitude. Playing at home will help the team get up for the game, but another 13-penalty day will definitely ruin that. Playing clean and playing smart are your keys to winning Sunday.
Question 2: What’s a matchup you’re looking forward to watching?
Dillon: With Sauce Gardner out on Sunday, the matchup I’m looking forward to most is the Colts CB2 (Mekhi Blackmon or Jaylon Jones) against the Jags trio of wide receivers. CB1 Charvarius Ward is a good player, but with Gardner out, it allows Jacksonville to have a mismatch with one of Jakobi Meyers, Brian Thomas Jr. or Parker Washington against depth pieces for Indy. I expect Liam Coen to attack that matchup early and often in the passing game.
Travis: The matchup between Colts’ TE Tyler Warren and Jacksonville safety Eric Murray (and the Jaguar LBs) is the one to watch for me. Warren averages about 5 catches a game and is third in the NFL for receiving yards from a TE (behind only Trey McBride and Travis Kelce). Meanwhile, Jacksonville has struggled heavily against the position in 2025....
