OVERVIEW …
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Jaguars on Sunday played really, really inspired for a half.
Then, came the second half.
Quarterback Andrew Luck passed one yard to tight end Jack Doyle with :09 remaining, rallying the Indianapolis Colts to a 24-20 victory over the Jaguars in front of 65,160 at Lucas Oil Stadium in the 2016 regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.
Indianapolis outscored the Jaguars 21-3 in the second half. The Jaguars led 17-0 in the first half.
Luck drove the Colts 75 yards on eight plays after Jaguars kicker Jason Myers' 41-yard field goal with 1:33 remaining that gave Jacksonville a 20-17 lead.
Jaguars linebacker Dan Skuta had blocked a punt on the first play after the two-minute warning, giving the Jaguars possession at the Colts 30 to set up Myers' field goal.
The Jaguars (3-13) lost for the 10th time in 11 games. They had beaten the Tennessee Titans last week in Doug Marrone's debut as interim head coach. Marrone replaced Gus Bradley after a loss at Houston two weeks ago.
The Colts finished 8-8.
Quarterback Blake Bortles completed 25 of 39 passes for 301 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, playing efficiently for the second time in as many weeks. He passed for 325 yards and a touchdown in a 38-17 victory over Tennessee last week.
Running back Corey Grant rushed for 122 yards on 18 carries for the Jaguars. That was the first 100-yard game of the second-year veteran's career.
Luck completed 24 of 40 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns.
The Colts, after trailing 17-3 at halftime, cut into the Jaguars' lead on their first drive of the second half.
A seven-yard run by Robert Turbin made it 17-10, Jaguars, with 10:16 remaining in the third quarter.
A 15-yard pass from Luck to tight end Dwayne Allen tied the game 17-17 with :12 remaining in the third quarter.
The Jaguars took a quick early lead with the defense shutting out the Colts early and the offense moving efficiently.
Myers' 47-yard field goal capped the Jaguars' first drive, and Bortles passed 14 yards to tight end Ben Koyack to cap the second. That gave the Jaguars a 10-0 lead with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter, and the Colts did not have a first down at that point.
The Colts didn't have a serious scoring chance until the second quarter. Linebacker Telvin Smith made a diving interception of a pass by Luck to end the Colts' first extended drive at the Jaguars 19 with 8:55 remaining in the second quarter.
The Colts immediately regained possession when nose tackle Zach Kerr recovered a fumble by Bortles, but Adam Vinatieri missed a 48-yard field goal to end the possession. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey had a pass breakup in the end zone on the series and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue forced the field-goal attempt with a sack.
Grant's 57-yard run on the ensuing series pushed the Jaguars' lead to 17-0 with 5:45 remaining in the second quarter.
Vinatieri's 45-yard field goal with 2:41 remaining in the second quarter made it 17-3, Jaguars.
PLAYER OF THE GAME …
Corey Grant, running back. The second-year running back rushed for more than 100 yards for the first time in his career in his first NFL start.
OFFENSIVELY …
The Jaguars produced 320 first-half yards and 14 first-half first downs. They finished with 470 total yards and 23 first downs.
DEFENSIVELY …
The Jaguars allowed the Colts to 384 total yards and 24 first downs. Indianapolis went three and out on its first four possessions and did not have a first-quarter first down, finishing the first half with 105 total yards and five first downs.
SPECIALLY …
Myers converted an early 47-yard field goal in addition to his 41-yarder in the fourth quarter, but missed from 30 and 54 yards.
INJURY UPDATES …
Jaguars center Brandon Linder left the game with a concussion in the first quarter. He was replaced by Luke Bowanko.
Ivory missed Sunday with a hamstring injury. He was de-activated an hour and a half before kickoff.
The Jaguars' other inactives for Sunday: quarterback Brandon Allen, defensive tackle Jordan Hill (calf), tight end Neal Sterling (concussion), wide receiver Allen Hurns (hamstring) and defensive end Chris Smith.
NOTABLE …
*With Ivory out, Grant started at running back. Denard Robinson, Bronson Hill and Joe Banyard also were active at running back. The Jaguars had placed running back and leading rusher T.J. Yeldon on injured reserve Monday and running back Daryl Richardson – claimed off waivers Monday – was inactive. …
*Wide receiver Allen Robinson's 42-yard reception in the first quarter was his longest of the season. The play set up Myers' early 47-yard field goal. …
*Ngakoue's second-quarter sack was his eighth of the season. That set a franchise record for sacks by a rookie, surpassing Tony Brackens (seven, 1996). …
*Jaguars defensive tackle Malik Jackson registered two sacks on the Colts' final drive. He finished the season with 6.5 sacks. …
