INDIANAPOLIS – Areas of interest in the Indianapolis Colts’ season wrap-up against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium:
*Kickoff: 1 p.m.
*Broadcast: FOX59.
*Spread: Colts by 3½.
*History lesson, Part I: The Colts lead the overall series 27-20, but have lost five of the last six. That includes a 37-34 setback in week 5 at Jacksonville. And it includes the last meeting in Indy: a 31-21 loss in the 2023 season opener, which was the NFL debut for Colts’ QB Anthony Richardson.
*History lesson, Part II: The humiliating loss to the New York Giants in MetLife Stadium last Sunday eliminated the Colts from playoff contention. You know that. This marks the fourth straight season they’ll miss the postseason, which is the longest drought in the Indy era since 1988-94.
*Draft outlook: Heading into the weekend, the Colts sit No. 12 in the pecking order for the April draft. That’s subject to change.
*Hello, goodbye, Joe: It’ll be Joe Flacco vs. Mac Jones. The No. 18 overall pick in the 2008 draft vs. the No. 15 overall pick in 2021.
The Colts will follow Flacco out of the tunnel because Anthony Richardson is dealing with back spasms and a disc issue in his lower back. They’ve kept him out of the past two games. The Jaguars have followed Jones’ lead for the last four games after stepping in when Lawrence suffered a concussion against Houston in week 13. Lawrence subsequently was placed on IR with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.
Flacco was signed to a one-year contract worth a maximum of $8.7 million to serve as an insurance policy for Richardson. Sunday will be his sixth start this season and 191st in his 17-year career. For those keeping track, Flacco has completed 66.8% of his passes for 1,497 yards with 11 TDs and 7 interceptions.
The Colts are 1-4 with Flacco has started. The Jags are 2-4 in Jones’ six starts.
Flacco, 39, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He has given every indication he wants to play an 18th year, but it’s highly doubtful it will be with the Colts.
*What’s left?: It’s a worn-out cliché, but the season finale is all about pride for both teams. While there figures to be significant personnel changes with the Colts this offseason, players are putting out video for the other 31 teams. One of the evaluation tools by scouts is game video.
Also, linebacker Zaire Franklin is in line to lead the NFL in tackles. He enters week 18 with 165, 10 more than Arizona safety Budda Baker. In the Indy era and according to NFL stats, only three Colts have led the league in tackles: Shaq Leonard in 2018 (163), Mike Peterson in 2000 (159) and Barry Krauss in 1984 (163).
Jonathan Taylor needs 146 yards to reach 1,400 for the second time in his career. He would join Hall of Famer Edgerrin James as the only Colts with multiple 1,400-yard seasons. James did it four times, each time cracking 1,500.
*One last time?: We mentioned players are auditioning for their futures – either to be retained, re-signed or relocated – and the Colts’ list of looming free agents is long. It’s debatable how many will be deemed worth re-signing.
The most prominent free-agent-to-be: Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly. He’s in his 9th season, the longest-tenured Colt and in the final year of his contract.
Sunday might be the final time he runs out of the tunnel for the team that selected him in the first round of the 2016 draft.
“I’ll play Sunday like it is,’’ Kelly said. “I don’t have a contract after that day. You just come to terms with you don’t know what the future holds. I know I’m in this facility for this week and after this week I don’t know what happens.’’
The Colts’ notable free agents: Kelly, Flacco, quarterback Sam Ehlinger, linebacker E.J. Speed, safety Julian Blackmon, tight ends Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, offensive linemen Mark Glowinski, Will Fries, Westley French and Danny Pinter, running backs Tyler Goodson and Trey Sermon and wide receiver Ashton Dulin.
*And the winner is: Colts 27, Jaguars 17. No explanation because no one really cares.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.
