Colts vs. Jaguars Week 8 Preview: Jonathan Taylor Takes On Jacksonville's 11-Game Home Win Streak Over Indy

The Colts spent the week shipping DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson out of town, and their reward is a trip to the one building that has haunted them for a dozen years. Indianapolis has not won at EverBank Stadium since 2014, and Jacksonville has now beaten the Colts in 11 straight home meetings, a run that even includes a 2016 detour to London. Jaguars left tackle Walker Little called it "one of those weird, quirky stats" this week, which is a polite way of describing a hex.

Kickoff is Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. The Jaguars (4-2) come in rested off their bye and sitting atop the AFC South, while the Colts (2-5) arrive on a three-game skid as 10-point underdogs and, depending on whom you ask, in the opening chapter of a rebuild. Jonathan Taylor is not asking. "Do you think we're rebuilding?" Taylor said Thursday, per the team's website. "We're going out there trying to win."

A Division Lead, a Fire Sale and a Very Long Road Hex

Jacksonville gained ground from the couch. Houston, Indianapolis and Tennessee all lost during the Jaguars' bye, so the Jags lead the division with the Colts and Texans tied behind them at 2-5. Their last outing still stings, though: Trevor Lawrence threw four touchdown passes in London and the Jaguars still lost 34-31 to Houston on a field goal as time expired. Liam Coen's group also has a track record after the break: Jacksonville went 9-1 following its bye last season, his first in charge. Coen said this week the Jags "should have some fresher legs," per the team's website.

Indy's three-game skid is part of an uglier stretch, 12 losses in its last 14 games going back to last season, per the AP, and this week the Colts traded away a team captain in Buckner and a cornerstone guard in Nelson. Shane Steichen insists the assignment has not changed. "Regardless of circumstances, we have a job to do, and we're excited for that challenge," Steichen said this week.

The home crowd should be loud, too. The Jags' six-game regular-season winning streak at EverBank has featured an average final of 38-11, and this is only their third game in Jacksonville this season after two designated home games in London.

Jonathan Taylor vs. the League's Stingiest Run Defense

This one starts and ends with Taylor. Indy's offense runs through him, and Jacksonville is built to make running backs miserable. The Jags allow a league-low 72.2 rushing yards per game and just 3.23 per carry, per the AP, and Woody Marks' 56 yards in London were the first time all season a running back cracked 40 against them. Taylor has 587 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 140 carries, and the Colts' website notes he leads the league in rushing scores. He ran for 95 yards and a 38-yard touchdown in last week's 16-10 loss at Minnesota.

There is history here, too. The last back to hit triple digits against Jacksonville? Taylor, who ran for 177 yards in a 26-23 overtime win in the 2024 finale, per the AP.

If the run stalls, the game lands on Daniel Jones, and that is a scary thought for Indy. Jones has four touchdown passes and seven interceptions, and the Vikings held him to 108 passing yards while sacking him four times last week. Steichen said after that loss he was not considering a quarterback change. Now he faces a defense that has blanked opponents in the first quarter five times this season, and four of its foes have reached halftime with three points or fewer.

Four Players Who Swing It

• Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars QB: 1,480 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions. He threw for 306 yards and four scores in the London loss and should enjoy a home crowd for a change.
• Jonathan Taylor, Colts RB: The whole plan. If he gets loose early, the Colts can shorten the game and keep Jones out of obvious passing downs.
• Parker Washington, Jaguars WR: A team-high 26 catches for 416 yards and four touchdowns. With Jakobi Meyers questionable, he figures to see plenty of targets.
• Adetomiwa Adebawore, Colts DT: A team-high four sacks, two of them at Minnesota. With Buckner gone, Indy needs his push inside more than ever.

Who's In, Who's Out

Per the team injury report, Jacksonville safety Antonio Johnson (ankle) is out and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (hamstring) is questionable. Offensive tackle Anton Harrison (knee), safety Caleb Ransaw (knee) and defensive end B.J. Green II (elbow) are on injured reserve.

For Indianapolis, wide receiver Anthony Gould (concussion) and cornerback Justin Walley (knee) are out, while linebacker Bryce Boettcher (groin) and tight end Drew Ogletree (knee) are listed as questionable. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (groin) is on injured reserve. The good news for Indy: Steichen said Friday that cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf) and tight end Tyler Warren (groin) will be available, per the team's website.

The Numbers Game

• DraftKings lists Jacksonville as a 10-point favorite with a total of 46.5, via ESPN, as of Saturday.
• ESPN's matchup predictor gives the Jaguars a 73.4 percent chance to win.
• The Jaguars have outscored opponents 229-68 during their six-game regular-season home winning streak.
• The Colts have won once in four road games this season and score 20 points per game away from home, per the AP.
• The Colts lead the all-time series 28-22, but the Jaguars won the last meeting 23-17 on Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis.

Our Call

Our pick: Jaguars 27, Colts 16. Taylor will rip off a few chunk runs, but Jacksonville's front has been too good against the run, and Jones has not shown he can win from the pocket when the ground game sputters. Add a rested Jaguars team, a franchise that has won this matchup at home 11 straight times and a Colts locker room that just lost two pillars, and this looks like another chapter in the AFC South's weirdest streak. Indy's best hope is ugly football: long drives, short fields and a couple of Jacksonville mistakes.

Odds from DraftKings via ESPN as of Oct. 31. Injury statuses from team reports via ESPN and colts.com. Quotes as reported by the Associated Press, colts.com and jaguars.com.