Biggest Takeaways from Jacksonville Jaguars' Week 14 Win
An exciting second-half performance earned the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8) a huge 51-16 win over the Indianapolis Colts (6-7), and with the Houston Texans losing as well last Sunday, the Jaguars are now one game out of the AFC South lead.
The three games remaining are all winnable, and if the Jaguars want a realistic chance at the playoffs and the division title, they have to win out. They can't rely on the Colts or the Texans to drop games. Their hope rests on winning.
That would've seemed like an unlikely possibility before last Sunday, but the Jaguars showed a new side of themselves in their second-half rally. We've seen the team have spurts of dominance, but more often than not, the second half is the weaker of the two periods.
But that wasn't the case on Sunday, and that's a legitimate reason to think they may have overcome some issues. They've looked close to making the leap all season, but each glimmer of hope has been met with disappointment.
Now, the Jaguars have a win over a key rival and will be hosting an Atlanta Falcons (6-7) team that has lost six straight games. It's another game the Jaguars have to win, and their stunning display against the Colts makes winning a very real possibility.
Denard Robinson Can Step in for T.J. Yeldon
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Throughout the 2014 season, we saw running back Denard Robinson show flashes of being a legitimate weapon. While rookie RB T.J. Yeldon's arrival has significantly hindered his role, Sunday was the revival of that sentiment.
After Yeldon left the game with a knee injury, Robinson stepped in and absolutely carved the Colts defense. Running 14 times for 75 yards and a TD, Robinson was explosive and consistent play after play.
Yeldon's recovery time isn't known, but the Jaguars look like they may be able to skate by without him for a little while. Robinson has improved in a multitude of ways, but his natural vision to find holes and hit them with speed is what's allowing him to excel.
It's not often that a player can switch positions going into the NFL and pick it up like Robinson has, but the Jaguars' gamble has payed off. He's gotten bigger and smarter while looking more and more like a natural RB with each game.
Allen Hurns Makes a Huge Play to Announce Return
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Wide receiver Allen Hurns missed Week 13 with a concussion, and his absence and quick recovery provided a legitimate question on whether he would return with a bang this past Sunday. While he only had three total catches, his 80-yard TD pretty much answered that.
He totaled 105 yards, but his catch on quarterback Blake Bortles' incredible throw followed by a sprint down the sideline was probably the highlight of the offense's day. It was a massive play, and it's something that is always on the table with Hurns.
While fellow WR Allen Robinson makes plenty of huge plays, he doesn't quite have Hurns' knack to be in the right spot at the right time, and it's fair to say Hurns has breakaway speed against most defenses.
He can very much be the spark the Jaguars offense needs, and that's exactly what he did on Sunday. The first half was stagnant from start to finish, but Hurns opened up the second half with a special moment that ignited a rush of success.
The Jaguars are just as lucky to have Hurns as they are to have Robinson, and his successful return showed that. The offense is nearing its peak, and Hurns is a crucial component of that process.
Jaguars Defense Shuts Down Matt Hasselbeck
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Throughout the 2015 season, a major question of the defense was: When will there be an all-around performance against a QB? Players like corner Davon House have been excellent, but his teammates often let him down.
Sunday was different. The Jaguars had nine passes defended, and they all came from different players. This success also featured an interception by safety Johnathan Cyprien—a rare occurrence to say the least.
Colts QB Matt Hasselbeck completed 18 of 35 passes for 252 yards, but he was held out of the end zone and wasn't able to hit a lot of big throws. The secondary and members of the front seven came through, especially when the Jaguars offense started to find its groove.
Perhaps one of the secondary's best features was undrafted free agent CB Nick Marshall coming back from a bad play against Colts WR T.Y. Hilton to play an overall solid game. He still has a lot of room for improvement, but the potential is there.
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Jordan Tripp Suffices as Starting Inside Linebacker
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Linebacker Paul Posluszny's absence was one of the Jaguars' biggest headlines heading into last Sunday, and it was a major moment to see if undrafted free agent LB Jordan Tripp could start and hold his own against the Colts.
He didn't necessarily have Posluszny's stats with his four tackles, but he did a fine job overall. He wasn't a liability, and he actually did a lot better than Posluszny in coverage, albeit that was just one start versus Posluszny's years of starts.
Tripp obviously couldn't bring the stability and organization that Posluszny offers, but he embraced his job as a role player and made sure to constantly follow the ball and try and limit whatever offensive strategy the Colts employed.
"Poz" may be out a while longer with his fractured hand, but if Tripp can continue to perform similarly well, the Jaguars won't have a major problem. He won't be the playmaker and leader Posluszny has become, but he will certainly work hard.
Rashad Greene Continues to Show Promise as a Returner
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WR Rashad Greene has gotten into the end zone twice this season, but both were on short catches in the red zone, which is a little bit surprising considering his incredible speed and elusiveness. He's shown consistent promise as a punt returner as well, and that came to fruition on Sunday.
His all-important return against the Tennessee Titans in the Thursday night 19-13 win was the first major sign, but he wasn't able to get into the end zone. However, he finally got into the end zone last Sunday as he took a punt 73 yards for a score.
Greene showed great awareness of the Colts' overloaded coverage, and he quickly switched the field and found a whole lot of space. He was already running near top speed, but once he saw that space he accelerated and left the Colts no chance at stopping him.
The Jaguars have lacked a dangerous return option for quite a while now, but they have possibly found their guy in Greene. And as a solid receiving option as well, he could be a key player in the future.
Having a guy who can, at the very least, change field position dramatically and occasionally score on his own is huge in the NFL. Non-offensive touchdowns are often game-breaking moments, and Greene looks ready to offer that.
All stats provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.
Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.
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