Like the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Indianapolis Colts have struggled to win many games in recent years. But unlike their division foes, Indy chose to keep their head coach and general manager. It's fair to say that both of them are entering make-or-break seasons, and the Jags will have a chance to seal their fate if an NFL Schedule leak turns out to be true.
Twitter user NerdigonNFL, who has a high hit rate, posted that Jacksonville will face the Colts in Weeks 14 and 17. While it's a bit early to tell how things will play out, this is a favorable set of games for Jacksonville.
If Indianapolis is hurting and the Jaguars are in the midst of a playoff run, facing their division foe could propel them into the postseason. Heck, if head coach Shane Staichen and general manager Chris Ballard are on the hot seat, losing to Jacksonville could also be the straw that broke the camel's back.
The Jags don't even have to be in a playoff run, as long as they make the Colts fire their head coach and general manager, and put an end to their playoff hopes. As the saying goes, the second-best thing after making the playoffs is making sure you're division foes are eliminated from contention.
Why would the Jaguars love to knock out the Colts in the 2025 season?
Again, this is just a leak, but facing the Indianapolis Colts late in the season is good news. Granted, divisional bouts are always tough, but they haven't done much to make you think that they'll be a contender in 2025.
While the Jacksonville Jaguars addressed most needs and raised the roster ceiling in the offseason, Indy failed to fill glaring holes, including the quarterback position. So far, Anthony Richardson has failed to live up to expectations after flashing as a rookie in 2023. That's why the Colts brought in competition in the offseason. The issue is that they signed former first-round bust Daniel Jones, who doesn't inspire much confidence.
Oddly enough, Chris Ballard deviated from his usual "draft and develop" philosophy and went into a spending spree in free agency because he's feeling the heat. That said, he failed to properly take care of one of his team's biggest needs: The offensive line. As it is, the prospect of starting Jones or Richardson doesn't look great. Add the fact that they might not get optimal protection, and the Colts could be ripe for disaster, which isn't ideal for Shane Steichen.
Back in 2023, Indianapolis hired Steichen to replace Frank Reich. Although he showed progress in his first season at the helm, he struggled to rack up wins last year. If the losses keep piling up, he and Ballard could be on their way out before the year ends.
If the Colts have a losing record late in the season, the Jaguars would love to put the final nail in Ballard's and Steichen's coffin.
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