JAGUARS AT COLTS – SUNDAY, JAN. 3
In Week 17, the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-14) travel to the Hoosier State to face the Indianapolis Colts (10-5) in the regular season finale on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 4:25 p.m. Sunday’s game will be broadcast regionally on CBS with Andrew Catalon providing the play-by-play, James Lofton providing the commentary and Sherree Burruss reporting from the sidelines.
SCHOTIME: LB Joe Schobert intercepted QB Mitchell Trubisky in the second quarter last week against the Bears, marking his third INT of the season and the ninth of his career. The University of Wisconsin product also forced a fumble in the second quarter and is one of two players in the NFL to record an INT and a forced fumble in the first half of the same game this season.
Schobert, who made his Jaguars debut in Week 1 against the Colts, leads all NFL linebackers in INTs (seven) since 2019 while Colts LB Darius Leonard ranks second. Since 2018, Schobert and Leonard are the only players in the NFL with at least 350 tackles and five INTs during that span.
Schobert (132 tackles) and Leonard (122) rank second and fourth, respectively, in the AFC this season.
QUOTABLE: “I think it’s a combination [of] being in the right place and the right time and taking advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. So, you have to take advantage of the opportunities when they come your way because NFL quarterbacks aren’t giving them out like candy. I [have] been able to do that, take advantage of that, put myself in the right spot, and a lot of that is putting yourself in the right spot comes with study in the game week.” – LB Joe Schobert on creating takeaways
DARE TO BE GREAT: RB Dare Ogunbowale is expected to make his second career start in Week 17 after serving as the Jaguars starting running back last week against the Bears. Ogunbowale took full advantage of his opportunity when he rushed for a career-high 71 yards, including 39 on Jacksonville’s opening drive.
The Milwaukee, Wisc. native attended the University of Wisconsin, where he began his career as a walk-on cornerback prior to making the switch to running back as a sophomore. Ogunbowale recorded 1,118 scrimmage yards (819 rushing yards, 299 receiving yards) as a junior in 2015 and 714 scrimmage yards as a senior in 2016. After Ogunbowale’s college career concluded in 2016, now-Colts RB Jonathan Taylor took over as the starting running back for the Badgers from 2017-19 and totaled 6,174 rushing yards in three seasons (2017-19). Taylor was drafted in the second round (41st overall) of the 2020 draft, and his 916 rushing yards this season are the second-most among rookies behind RB James Robinson (1,070 rushing yards).
QUOTABLE: “[Dare Ogunbowale] gets some good reps. He had a good run the other day on the draw, and he’s done some good things in the passing game as far as protections. Now, we just have to put more on his plate. I think he’s up to the challenge. He’s been at a couple different teams. I had him at Washington, he’s been at Tampa, so he’s an experienced kid that plays hard and is very smart and fundamentally sound. I think given the opportunity, he will be ready.” – Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden
SUCCESS AGAINST INDY: Since Doug Marrone took over as head coach in 2017, Jacksonville is 5-2 against Indianapolis, including a 27-20 victory in Week 1 this season. The Jaguars also beat the Colts in Week 17 last season, 38-20, marking the third-most points in a game since 2017.
Of the Jaguars’ seven shutouts in franchise history, their most recent two shutouts have come against the Colts. Jacksonville blanked Indianapolis, 6-0, on Dec. 2, 2018 and defeated the Colts on the road, 27-0, on Oct. 22, 2017.
QUOTABLE: “Right now I’m putting everything into trying to get this win and ending the season with a win. That’s where all my emotion and everything is generated. I’ve always said the one thing I’ve always been able to do my whole entire life, maybe that’s because you grow up in the Bronx, I’m able to block stuff out, literally just really focus in and kind of really hone in on what the opportunity is and what the job is and not let anything else really come into play. That’s how I feel like I’m approaching this week and [it’s] no different than I’ve approached every week.” – Head Coach Doug Marrone
VERSATILE VISKA: WR Laviska Shenault Jr. caught five passes for 48 yards, including a 34-yard TD, in Week 16 against Chicago. Shenault has now tallied 52 receptions, the second-most in franchise history by a rookie receiver. With 17 receiving yards on Sunday, Shenault will pass WR Allen Robinson for the fourth-most receiving yards by a rookie wide receiver in team annals.
Shenault scored his first career TD in the Week 1 victory against Indianapolis on a 15-yard reception and added 10 rushing yards. Shenault can become the second wide receiver (WR Mike Thomas, 2010) in franchise history to record 500-plus receiving yards and 100-plus rushing yards in a single season with 7 rushing yards on Sunday.
QUOTABLE: “It was good to see Laviska get behind the defense. That’s something that he’s going to have to continue to work on in his craft. I think a great offseason for him will be important where he can get his body right and really work on his routes, his get offs, his finishing speed. He has a great future in the NFL for sure. There’s a lot of things he can work on, but to see him have some success early in his career has been exciting and I think the future is very bright for Laviska.” – Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden
A FLASH BACK: On Nov. 9, 2003, the Jaguars defeated the Colts, 28-23, for their first victory against Indianapolis in team history. RB Fred Taylor led the Jaguars with 28 carries for 152 yards and two TDs, including the team’s first and last touchdown of the game. Former Colts TE Marcus Pollard – and current Jaguars director of player engagement and youth football – caught a 13-yard TD pass with 28 seconds remaining in the second quarter to put the Colts ahead, 20-7, prior to 14 unanswered points by the Jaguars. After the Colts retook the lead on 27-yard field goal from K Mike Vanderjagt with 9:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, Taylor rushed 32 yards for the game-winning score with 1:08 remaining. Both S Donovin Darius and Deke Cooper intercepted league MVP Peyton Manning.
QUOTABLE: “Storybook ending; I couldn’t have written it any better.” – RB Fred Taylor on his 32-yard game-winning TD
