Jonathan Taylor and Joe Flacco lead Colts to 26-23 overtime win over Jaguars
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Taylor closed the season with a flourish. Joe Flacco may have walked off the field for the final time as a winner.
And the duo may have done enough to save the jobs of Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard.
Taylor rushed for 177 yards Sunday, including 33 yards on six straight carries in overtime to set up Matt Gay’s go-ahead 38-yard field goal, and the Colts ended the season with a 26-23 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“He ran hard, he’s been running hard for us all year,” Steichen said, hours before owner Jim Irsay announced the coach would return for a third season. “Obviously, a lot of positive yards for us, especially in overtime to get us down in there.”
Taylor’s 34 carries were a career best, and his fourth straight 100-yard game matched the longest streak of his career. Taylor ran for six TDs over those four games, including one on Sunday, all since dropping the ball before crossing the goal line against Denver — costing the Colts a touchdown and possibly a playoff spot.
Irsay didn’t need much time to make up his mind about next season, even though some fans who stayed until the fourth quarter on a snowy day were chanting “Fire Ballard.”
In a letter to fans Sunday night, Irsay said he was retaining Ballard and Steichen because he believes they can lead the franchise back to prominence more quickly than would happen under new leadership.
The 39-year-old Flacco, meanwhile is unlikely to return to the only team that offered him a contract for 2024. If this was the end of a 17-year career for the Super Bowl 47 MVP, he went out in style.
Flacco was 23 of 40 for 264 yards and threw a 40-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce on the third play of the game. He capped the day by leading the scoring drive on the opening possession of overtime for Indy (8-9).
“This doesn’t feel like the end. I don’t want it to be the end,” Flacco said just 11 days before his 40th birthday. “But like I said, sometimes those things are out of your control. I want to play, I want to be one of those 40-year-olds that has played in the NFL, and I want to play meaningful football.”
The future for the Jags (4-13) isn’t so settled.
They could be making big changes after losing three of their final four and eight of their last 10. After the game, offensive lineman Tyler Shatley announced his retirement after spending his entire 11-year career in Jacksonville.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan could move to replace both coach Doug Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke. Pederson attempted to take the high road during his postgame news conference.
“I’ll find out this week. It’s hard to speculate,” Pederson said when asked if he thinks he’ll be back next season. “Emotions are running high right now, but I hope I’m still here. Honestly, I feel like we have the makings of a good football team. I’m optimistic.”
Jags backup quarterback Mac Jones also could be on the move again after finishing 19 of 35 with 205 yards, one TD and an interception. Brian Thomas Jr. caught six passes for 83 yards.
For a game that was all about draft position, it certainly felt like more was at stake.
After Flacco’s early TD pass, Jacksonville answered with Tank Bigsby’s 1-yard TD plunge. The Jags opened the second quarter with a 53-yard field goal by Cam Little to take a 10-7 lead, before Taylor’s 6-yard TD run put the Colts back in front.
With 7:50 left in regulation, Jacksonville broke up a scoreless second half when Parker Washington caught a 9-yard TD pass after initially dropping the ball and then snatching it back before crossing the goal line. That tied the score at 20-all.
Gay broke the tie with a 45-yard field goal with 3:52 to go. Little made a tying 53-yarder with 1:44 left.
The Jags got the ball after Gay’s field goal in overtime, but Indy’s Zaire Franklin sacked Jones on third down to set up a fourth-and-22, and Jones’ deep pass fell incomplete to end it.
“Finishing the right way, that’s what we wanted to do — get a victory,” Steichen said. “To get a victory at the end of the year was huge, but, obviously, we’re not where we want to be. We want to be in the playoffs so that part is disappointing.”
Short-handed
Both teams were short-handed. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson and Jags defensive end Josh Hines-Allen were both inactive.
Richardson missed his second straight game with back spasms. Injuries forced him to miss four games this season and he sat out two more when he was benched.
Hines-Allen did not travel with the team because of a personal matter as he was closing in on Tony Brackens’ franchise record for sacks (55).
Farewell game
Colts head athletic trainer Dave Hammer, assistant video director John “Fuzzy” Starliper and chain crew member Bob Klein all worked their final games. Hammer and Klein each worked with the franchise for 41 seasons, while Starliper’s tenure lasted 42 seasons.
Injuries
Jaguars: S Andre Cisco left early in the first quarter with an injured groin and was ruled out early in the second half.
Colts: Second-year CB JuJu Brents, who was activated off injured reserve Saturday, suffered a groin injury in the first half. RT Matt Goncalves left in the second half after entering the concussion protocol. Rookie DE Laiatu Latu injured a shoulder.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
By MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer
