JACKSONVILLE – The NFL currently is offering fans free access to its Game Pass platform, making any game dating to 2009 available for viewing. In the coming weeks, we at jaguars.com will highlight Jaguars games from that era. Today, we highlight a 31-28 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in 2010 that remains one of the most memorable victories in franchise history.
The teams: Jaguars versus Indianapolis Colts
The date: October 3, 2010.
The site: EverBank Field, Jacksonville.
The setup: The Jaguars entered the 2011 Week 5 game with a 1-2 record – a game behind the defending AFC South and AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts at 2-1. The Jaguars had lost back-to-back games by 25 points and entered the game having lost three consecutive games to the Colts. They also hadn't beaten the Colts in Jacksonville since December 2006.
Quotable I: "That game was unbelievable." – Jaguars quarterback David Garrard
The gist: The Colts took an early 7-0 lead, but the Jaguars never trailed after Garrard tied the game 7-7 late in the first quarter with a 25-yard touchdown run. The Jaguars took leads of 14-7, 21-14 and 28-21 with a dominant running game and clutch passing from Garrard, but the Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning tied it 14-14, 21-21 and 28-28 in front of a packed and frenzied EverBank Field crowd. That set up late-game dramatics by Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee, who had a history of beating the Colts. Garrard turned around his season in this game, having thrown five interceptions in the previous two games.
The clincher: Scobee connected from 59 yards on the game's final play.
The hero: Scobee was and remains one of the most popular players in franchise history. While this game – and the game-winning kick – was perhaps his career highlight, he had a knack for late-game heroics against the Colts. Scobee had beaten the Colts twice previously on 50-yard-plus late field goals – a 51-yarder with four seconds remaining in 2008 and a 53-yarder with 38 seconds remaining in 2004.
Quotable II: "It might be the only thing people ever ask me about or tell me about – where they were either in the stands or where they were watching the game at the time when I made it. … When you're a kicker, you have these dreams and moments you think about hoping for that opportunity. There are guys who played longer than me who didn't get that opportunity – or if they did, they might not have made it. When I did get it, it was a dream come true.''
Quotable III: Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew: "That kick was so famous that my son became the biggest Scobee fan ever – more than he was my fan. (Laughing) It happens."
Making history: Scobee's 59-yarder not only set the Jaguars' franchise record, it also was the eighth-longest field goal in NFL history at the time.
Quotable IV: "I've never been that excited to hit a field goal in my life." -- Scobee
The statistics: Garrard (17-22 passing, 163 yards, two touchdowns, one interception; five carries, 44 yards, one touchdown), Jones-Drew (26 carries, 105 yards, one touchdown), Jaguars wide receiver Mike Thomas (five receptions, 68 yards) and wide receiver Tiquan Underwood (three receptions, 41 yards); Manning (33-46, 352 yards, two touchdowns, one interception); Colts running back Joseph Addai (16 carries, 63 yards, two touchdowns); Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne (15 receptions, 196 yards) and tight end Dallas Clark (seven receptions, 68 yards, one touchdown).
The key series: Manning's one-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Austin Collie made it 28-28 with :48 remaining, leaving the Jaguars time to move for a game-winning field goal. Garrard moved the Jaguars past midfield with a 22-yard pass to Underwood, but the drive stalled with Colts cornerback Kelvin Hayden having a chance for a would-be interception on the final series. Underwood was big in multiple ways on the final series, breaking up the pass that Hayden had a chance to intercept. The Jaguars initially appeared to be playing for overtime on the final series, but when the Colts called timeouts early in the series the Jaguars changed approach and drove to the Colts 41 with :05 remaining to set up Scobee's kick.
Quotable V: "Anytime we beat the Colts it was a big win for us. They were at the top of our division forever. We knew they were going to bring it. They weren't going to make many mistakes. To beat them, you had to be on top of your game. That's what made me better as an individual and us better as a team. We had to go up against those guys twice a year and we knew if we didn't come correct it wasn't going to be a good game for us." – Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis
