Jacksonville Jaguars Have to Build on Massive Win over Colts

There are very few occasions in the NFL when a team simply puts it altogether in the span of a couple of hours, but the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8) did just that on Sunday. Forty-two points in the second half helped Jacksonville rout the Indianapolis Colts (6-7), and its 51-16 win will be a memorable one.

Now, does putting together a game like that mean the Jaguars have finally jumped their "finishing" hurdle? It's hard to say, but Sunday was something else entirely by the defense and offense.

The defense held the Colts to nine offensive points, zero touchdowns and were actually able to pressure the Colts quarterbacks, and the secondary sufficed throughout the day. 

The offense showed serious issues early, and QB Blake Bortles' two fumbles and bad misses were concerning. But the offense came out hot in the second half, with Bortles throwing for three TDs and running for one more, as seen below.

	Yards	Completion Percentage	Touchdowns (Turnovers)	Rating
1st Half	104	41.1	0 (2)	61.9
2nd Half	146	69.2	4 (0)	167.3
Total	250	53.3	4 (2)	114.6

Sunday featured a "Jekyll and Hyde" type of game, but when it clicked for the Jaguars, they absolutely dusted the Colts. And, rather than merely keeping in the game as they've done against opponents all season, they instead performed when it mattered and earned a deserved victory over a conference rival.

It was the first time the Jaguars scored an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown since 2011, and it was simply phenomenal. But can Jacksonville make it last?

The Jaguars and their fans asked the same question after two straight wins over the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans, but they followed it up with two losses to the struggling San Diego Chargers and the Titans. So, where are they now?

The only thing that would distinguish this performance from the two consecutive wins would be the continued offensive success, but the Jaguars finally executed on defense, as well. They made big plays, but they also shut down the Colts on third down, only allowing four conversions on 16 attempts.

Considering the Jaguars will take on the Atlanta Falcons (6-7) next week, who have lost six straight and Sunday lost to the Carolina Panthers 38-0, this may be the springboard the Jaguars needed to legitimately make a run at the AFC South title.

Depending on the result of the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Houston Texans (6-6) and New England Patriots (10-2), the Jaguars may be a single game behind both the Colts and the Texans next week.

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

If the Jaguars are serious about the playoffs, Sunday was the time to make the statement, and they certainly did. While that may not translate to wins over the next three weeks, this was the performance the Jaguars needed to show themselves that they could achieve that level of play.

They've been on the verge of it on multiple occasions but have just failed to execute in the dire moments. In fact, the Jaguars could easily be 8-5 or 7-6, but killer mistakes throughout the season have sunk them to 5-8.

There is life in the Jaguars, but they can't sit happily just because they ended the Colts' 16-game win streak over AFC South opponents. Instead, it is time to internalize Sunday to take momentum into the final weeks.

There are still obvious issues with this team, but it may have overcome them to the point that it can start consistently winning. The remaining competition has plenty of vulnerabilities as well, so learning and progressing is something the Jaguars have to do after Sunday.

The Jaguars are still playing meaningful games in mid-December, something that some, including myself, didn't think would be the case at most points this season. Despite the odds and follies, the Jaguars are relevant and have the chance for a late playoff push.

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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.