The Indianapolis Colts are currently the team to beat in the AFC South. In fact, their odds of winning the division went up the moment they traded for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. That said, they're not invincible. They're coming off a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and just made the decision to place one of their top defensive players on Injured Reserve. And just like that, the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance to narrow down the gap with their dreaded rivals.
Stephen Holder of The Athletic broke the news that Indy was placing DeForest Buckner on IR after he sustained a neck injury in the loss to Pittsburgh. Not long after, Indianapolis announced the move.
Because the Colts have their BYE in Week 10, the earliest the All-Pro defensive tackle can return is Week 15. This means that the Jags won't have to face him when these divisional rivals meet in Week 14.
Losing DeForest Bucker is a huge blow for the Colts and gives the Jaguars a break
Since being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2016, DeForest Buckner has been one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL. And since he was traded to the Colts in 2020, the Jaguars have had to deal with him twice nearly every season. One of the exceptions was last year, when the three-time Pro Bowl nod sat out their first matchup with an ankle injury.
Buckner should be back in the fold for the Jaguars game in Week 16, but not having to deal with him most definitely gives Jacksonville a massive break.
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The Jaguars have a chance to narrow down the gap with the Colts
The Colts are 7-2 ahead of their BYE. Meanwhile, the Jags sit at 5-2 after beating the Las Vegas Raiders. They can narrow down the gap if they trounce the Houston Texans in Week 10. Sure, it won't be easy even without C.J. Stroud, as they still have to worry about their defense, which is one of the best in the league.
But if the Jags manage to beat the Texans, they'll find themselves in a great position to catch up with Indy. After all, they already dealt with the most difficult part of their schedule, while the Colts are about to enter their toughest stretch. That said, Jacksonville cannot uncork the champagne just yet. After all, even without DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis has enough talent to fend off its division rival.
With Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor leading the offense, the Colts have enough playmakers to put points on the scoreboard. On defense, Laiatu Latu and Kwity Paye can bring the heat, while Sauce Gardner should have no trouble neutralizing and taking away opposing wide receivers.
The bottom line is that things are aligning for the Jaguars to make a strong playoff push, but the Colts remain their biggest hurdle, even without DeForest Buckner.