Biggest Takeaways from Indianapolis Colts' Week 14 Loss

Well, this is just getting embarrassing. 

It was bad enough that the Indianapolis Colts lost to a talented Pittsburgh Steelers team in a blowout in Week 13. But losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars and ending a 16-game division win streak with a 51-16 debacle? 

That's just too much. 

The Colts have sunk to the lowest of the lows, and it's a fitting way for the season to end. 

But, the season hasn't ended just yet. The Colts, somehow, have a chance to win the division, despite their 6-7 record. With a game against the Houston Texans next week, the Colts control their own destiny and could still end up in the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. 

That's the end goal, even if a higher draft pick does seem like a tantalizing prospect at this point. 

What can we learn about those chances from Sunday's loss in Jacksonville? 

Andrew Luck Is the Colts' Only Hope

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It is fitting, as the Star Wars event of the decade approaches, that we compare Andrew Luck to Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Luck is the Colts' only hope, both for the future as well as this season. 

For 2015, it should be clear by now that the Colts are dead in the water without Luck. The team has come apart at the seams over the last two weeks, further exemplifying its dependence on strong quarterback play. 

Against both the Jaguars and Steelers, the defense and run game started well, and the Colts were in the game, even leading for most of the first half. But the burden on those units is simply too much to bear with poor quarterback play. The Colts are built to have a consistently dangerous passing attack. Without any semblance of that, the team will crumble. 

This is also true for the long term, unless the Colts' team-building strategy takes an odd turn. Indy is going to pay Luck an exorbitant amount of money in the near future, and it will always rely on him.

Even if a better roster around him can handle short lulls in production, the big picture will always need exceptional play from Luck to contend.

T.Y. Hilton Was Worth the Contract

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Though it hasn't been the season that any Colts fan would want, one of the lone bright spots for Indianapolis is T.Y. Hilton. 

As the only downfield threat for Indianapolis all game on Sunday, Hilton racked up 132 yards, albeit on just four catches. Though he hasn't had as many dominating Sundays as he'd like, given the Colts' offensive state, Hilton has consistently been a contributor. 

Through Week 14, he ranks 10th among all wide receivers in receiving yards, and he is the only receiver with more than 40 catches to also average at least 17 yards per reception. 

He was spectacular at times against the Jaguars, exhibiting both his ability to make tough catches under duress and his penchant to get open down the field. 

Only having two games of 100 yards or more this season is disappointing for Hilton, as is his three games of less than 40 yards. But he's had Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback for six of those games and a struggling, hurt Luck for others. For him to still be 10th in the league in receiving yards is impressive, and it's an indication of his talent. 

The Red Zone Remains the Biggest Issue

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The problem with your best offensive player being a 5'10" deep threat, however, is that the offense tends to fall apart in the red zone. 

The Colts don't have a go-to red-zone threat, and with Luck not on the field, a playmaker in the red zone has been completely absent. Able to move the ball at times, the Colts offense has completely broken down in the red zone, wasting golden opportunities time and time again. 

Against the Jaguars, the Colts went 0-of-3 in the red zone and were forced to kick field goals from the Jaguars 14-, 7- and 3-yard line. 

Whether it was penalties (delay of game and holding), poor execution from the quarterback or poor offensive line play, the Colts consistently failed. This isn't a new thing, either. 

Out of every quarterback in the league with 10 red-zone pass attempts, only Sam Bradford, Ryan Mallett and Nick Foles have worse passer ratings than Hasselbeck's 66.8, per Pro-Football-Reference.com. This is one area that Luck can immediately help: His passer rating of 102.4 in the red zone is eighth-best in the league.  

Depth and Injuries Strike the Defense

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For many, this is another case of the same old Indianapolis defense. 

That's not the case—at least, not in the traditional sense. The Colts defense has played rather well for most of the season when you consider the offense it has had in support. But over the last two weeks, the defense has come unhinged, largely due to the slow effect of injuries piling up. 

Pittsburgh was simply too talented. That could be seen. But Jacksonville? That was a bit different.

The Colts defense played well throughout the first half, with tight coverage and a surprisingly effective pass rush that kept the Jaguars at bay. The Jaguars had eight drives in the first half, with just one field goal to show for it. They punted five times and fumbled on the remaining two drives. 

In the second half, however, the Jaguars took advantage of a few noticeable cracks. 

The first touchdown came on a fluky 80-yard touchdown pass, where the combination of Jalil Brown and Dwight Lowery somehow missed a golden opportunity at an interception. Allen Hurns took it the distance. 

The next touchdown came via a questionable 36-yard pass-interference penalty on Brown. The next two touchdown drives—fourth-quarter drives that sealed a game that was already out of hand—came via Denard Robinson's running and Blake Bortles hitting his tight ends and running backs in the passing game, attacking the Colts' backup linebackers. 

The injuries to starters such as Greg Toler, Erik Walden and especially Jerrell Freeman were far too much for this defense (which has already had its fair share of issues) to overcome. Hence, 37 offensive points. 

Chuck Pagano's Control Is Waning

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Losing to the Jaguars is not welcomed in Indianapolis. 

Losing by a blowout? Definitely not. 

Allowing a 50-burger? Chuck Pagano's bags better be close at hand. 

The problem isn't that the Colts lost or even that they got blown out. It's the way they've been blown out over the last two weeks. The Colts have given up, something that the team simply isn't supposed to do under Pagano. 

The Colts have given up in all three phases in each game, allowing punt returns for touchdowns, silly offensive turnovers and complete defensive collapses. The Colts have been outscored 66-3 in the second half of the last two games.

This is the team that never gives up, that always keeps fighting and that has had some incredible comebacks under Pagano. 

But it's also the team that has lost by 29 points or more in seven games since 2012, the most in the league. The Jaguars, Jets and Raiders are tied for second on that list with five such losses apiece. 

Never before had one of those games been a divisional game, however. The Colts are in the midst of a trial-filled season, and their ability to rebound from hardships will define them as well as Pagano's future. As of the last two weeks, that ability is nowhere to be seen.