NFL: Second half surge helps Jaguars throttle Colts, 51-16
By MIKE BONTS
FLORIDA SPORTS WIRE
The Jaguars kept their playoff hopes alive with Rashad Greene's 73-yard punt return that competed a 10-point swing and gave Jacksonville a lead they never relinquished.
Luck, the Colts' starting QB, is out with abdominal injuries suffered in a victory over Denver. That left it up to veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck who led the Colts to a 16-13 OT win over the Jaguars in October.
Trailing 16-13 entering the second half, Jaguars' QB Blake Bortles threw an 80-yard TD pass to Allen Hurns. Later he would add a four yard score to Allen Robinson.
Bortles had a record setting day with threeTD passes including tight end Julius Thomas' fifth of the season and scored on a one-yard run..
Adam Vinatiera's 32-yard field goal was the most points the Colts could muster in the third quarter.
The end of the first half was highlighted by two miscues.
The Colts' Robert Mathis recovered a bad snap in the Jaguars' end zone to give the visitors a 13-3 lead. But Andre Branch stripped Hasselbeck on the next possession and returned the ball 49 yards to cut the lead at the half.
Indianapolis (6-7) already led Jacksonville (5-8) on Vinatiera's second field goal of the game, a 21-yarder with 13:47 to play in the second quarter.
Earlier the Colts tied the contest on a 25-yard field goal by Vinatieri with 7:47 to play in the opening quarter. Hasselbeck's 57-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton set up the score. Hilton caught three passes for 112 yards in the first half.
Jacksonville jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Jason Myers' kicked a 46-yard field goal with 11:17 to play in the first quarter. T.J. Yeldon ran for 28 yards and Bortles completed a 17-yard pass to Clay Harbor for the longest gain of the drive.
COLTS GAME NOTES: Denard Robinson scored his first TD of the season on a one-yard run...Jacksonville running back T.J. Yeldon left the game with a knee injury....the Jaguars were 0-6 on third downs in the first half...Blake Bortles had two fumbles in the first half.... Jason Myers missed the extra point on Branch's TD...Hurns TD catch was the longest play from scrimmage for the Jaguars this season and a career high for Bortles and Hurns....announced crowd was 62,372...Colts' third string QB Charlie Whitehurst came in for an injured (rib) Hasselbeck in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT: The Jaguars close out the home regular season against Atlanta Sunday at 1 p.m. The Falcons (6-7) were shutout by Carolina 38-0 in their last game. Jacksonville's final two games are on the road.
FLORIDA SPORTS WIRE
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Playing the Andrew Luck-less Colts, Jacksonville routed AFC South rival Indianapolis 51-16 at EverBank Field Sunday. The win set a club regular season record for most points scored.
The Jaguars kept their playoff hopes alive with Rashad Greene's 73-yard punt return that competed a 10-point swing and gave Jacksonville a lead they never relinquished.
Luck, the Colts' starting QB, is out with abdominal injuries suffered in a victory over Denver. That left it up to veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck who led the Colts to a 16-13 OT win over the Jaguars in October.
Trailing 16-13 entering the second half, Jaguars' QB Blake Bortles threw an 80-yard TD pass to Allen Hurns. Later he would add a four yard score to Allen Robinson.
Bortles had a record setting day with threeTD passes including tight end Julius Thomas' fifth of the season and scored on a one-yard run..
Adam Vinatiera's 32-yard field goal was the most points the Colts could muster in the third quarter.
The end of the first half was highlighted by two miscues.
The Colts' Robert Mathis recovered a bad snap in the Jaguars' end zone to give the visitors a 13-3 lead. But Andre Branch stripped Hasselbeck on the next possession and returned the ball 49 yards to cut the lead at the half.
Indianapolis (6-7) already led Jacksonville (5-8) on Vinatiera's second field goal of the game, a 21-yarder with 13:47 to play in the second quarter.
Earlier the Colts tied the contest on a 25-yard field goal by Vinatieri with 7:47 to play in the opening quarter. Hasselbeck's 57-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton set up the score. Hilton caught three passes for 112 yards in the first half.
Jacksonville jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Jason Myers' kicked a 46-yard field goal with 11:17 to play in the first quarter. T.J. Yeldon ran for 28 yards and Bortles completed a 17-yard pass to Clay Harbor for the longest gain of the drive.
COLTS GAME NOTES: Denard Robinson scored his first TD of the season on a one-yard run...Jacksonville running back T.J. Yeldon left the game with a knee injury....the Jaguars were 0-6 on third downs in the first half...Blake Bortles had two fumbles in the first half.... Jason Myers missed the extra point on Branch's TD...Hurns TD catch was the longest play from scrimmage for the Jaguars this season and a career high for Bortles and Hurns....announced crowd was 62,372...Colts' third string QB Charlie Whitehurst came in for an injured (rib) Hasselbeck in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT: The Jaguars close out the home regular season against Atlanta Sunday at 1 p.m. The Falcons (6-7) were shutout by Carolina 38-0 in their last game. Jacksonville's final two games are on the road.
