JACKSONVILLE – This was just what they needed.

And in that vein, the Jaguars' most explosive offensive day of the season – with explosions coming a lot of times at just the right time – couldn't have come in a bigger circumstance or in trickier conditions.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed multiple big, well-timed deep passes in a 36-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium Sunday – a game the fifth-year quarterback called "the best we've played from a passing game perspective all season."

"It was a good day as far as that goes," Lawrence said, with defensive end Josh Hines-Allen saying afterward:

"Trevor is taking that next step of eliteness."

Lawrence completed 17 of 30 passes for 244 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions as the Jaguars (9-4) moved into sole possession of first place in the AFC South. He completed touchdowns of 14 yards to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and 7 yards to wide receiver Tim Patrick.

"Trevor played great today," wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. said. "He threw a lot of great passes. Even through the elements, it was raining out there, he was throwing darts. Trevor played great."

Lawrence in slick, rainy conditions not only didn't commit a turnover, he completed multiple critical passes downfield. Those included:

• A 39-yard pass to Thomas in the first quarter that converted third-and-5 from the Jaguars 30 and led to Lawrence's touchdown pass to Meyers.
• A 37-yard pass to Patrick in the second quarter that converted third-and-15 from the Jaguars 40 and led to Lawrence's touchdown pass to Patrick.
• A 30-yard pass to Thomas in the third quarter that converted second-and-10 from the Jaguars 47 and led to a 35-yard field goal by kicker Cam Little.
• A 26-yard pass to Patrick in the fourth quarter that converted third-and-9 from the Colts 44.

Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen called the plays mostly "great throws and catches from those guys."

"When you can attack every blade of grass is something that ultimately we want to be able to do," Coen said. "That's a huge part of this game is being able to stretch people vertically. So much of our pass game has been a little bit more intermediate in trying to create more zones and catch and run.

"These guys just made plays today in a lot of ways. Those weren't phenomenally schemed up plays. Those were our players going out and being special."

Added Coen, "We've worked at it. Credit these guys for sticking with it and continuing to have confidence in each other to go make plays. I think that us being able to run it may have helped in some of those, but really a few of those were just those guys going out and making huge plays."

Lawrence, too, credited an offensive line that did not allow a sack of a hit on the quarterback Sunday.

"We protected really well," Lawrence said. "No sacks. This is a defense that's really good, generated a lot of pressure, brings a lot of pressure, and I thought we had a really good plan. Did some good things. So it was a good day as far as that goes."

QUOTABLE

• Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen: "League-wise, I think to them, we're still the Jags. They're just waiting for us to slip up, but, for us, if we continue to trust that process, trust our grind, and we're going to continue to keep peaking, and all the people that are going to say that we're not a good team, we'll see you in the Super Bowl."

QUOTABLE

• Coen: "I think this team is continuing to gain confidence, especially our quarterback right now, and that's something that ultimately is going to continue to hopefully lead us."

NOTABLE

• Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. continued Sunday with what is perhaps the best of his four NFL seasons, rushing for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns – 3 and 28 yards – on 20 carries. Etienne, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2022 and 2023, now has 917 yards and 7 touchdowns on 201 carries this season. He said the key Sunday was "the O-line being physical." He added, "I feel like the O-line really was just intentional, just attacking the trenches. Anytime I get behind those guys, it's a great day."

QUOTABLE

• Thomas: "We are growing as a team, and we are getting better each and every week. That's what we are going to continue to do is keep getting better and keep growing. We are going to continue to fight, keep going out there and battling each and every week, trusting each other and being the best we can be. We're super confident right now. Especially when you get a big win like this. We have to come in next week just ready to go with no slip ups, no nothing."