5 Keys to the Colts vs. Jaguars Matchup in London

The Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars are set to travel about 4,000 miles to play each other in London at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

The AFC South rivals, who are continuing what has become an annual tradition for the NFL, have more than the globalization of the game on the line.

Both teams enter the game below .500, with the Colts at 1-2 and the Jaguars at 0-3. A loss for either side would put their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy.

Avoiding a 1-3 or 0-4 hole will largely depend on these five keys to the game.

Blake Bortles' Ball Control

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As a rookie, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles threw 11 touchdown passes and 17 interceptions. In 2015, he led the NFL with 18 picks. This season, he's on pace for a whopping 32.

Of course, Bortles isn't likely to actually reach such depths. The last time a quarterback threw 30 or more interceptions in a season was 1988.

But even though he's unlikely to make dubious history, a trend has clearly been established in Bortles' career. He has a hard time taking care of the ball. And if he continues to be careless on Sunday, the Jags will all but be eliminated from playoff contention.

The Colts Secondary Has to Tighten Up

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As bad as Bortles has been, he could easily get back on track Sunday.

The Colts enter Week 4 with the sixth-worst pass defense in the league, giving up 305.7 passing yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks have a rating of 101.8 against Indianapolis.

And if that kind of shoddy play continues, Bortles could find the confidence and rhythm he's lacked all season.

A return from Patrick Robinson, who's missed the last two games due to the league's concussion protocol, would be a welcome boon for the Colts.

The Jags Have to Contain T.Y. Hilton

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After a 174-yard performance against the San Diego Chargers in Week 3, T.Y. Hilton now ranks seventh in the NFL in receiving yards and 11th in receptions.

If Hilton gets loose early, forcing the Jags to play catch-up, Bortles could get into trouble. To avoid that, Jalen Ramsey will be tasked at times with keeping Indy's top receiver relatively quiet. 

"Ramsey has done a good job against speedy receivers this season," Mike Kaye of First Coast News wrote. "If Ramsey can get physical with Hilton and disrupt his routes with safety help over the top, the Jaguars may be able to neutralize Hilton."

The Colts Need to Avoid Another Slow Start

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The Colts have trailed at halftime in two of their three games this season. In their lone win, they entered the locker room in a 13-13 tie with the Chargers. 

"You can't spot a team 18 points in the NFL," Andrew Luck said after a Week 1 loss, per the Associated Press (via Fox Sports). "I hate to say spot because I don't want to take credit from what Detroit did. They obviously forced us into that situation, but you can't do it."

Establishing themselves early and avoiding the kind of hole they faced against the Lions will be critical.

The Jaguars Need to Pressure Andrew Luck

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Only two quarterbacks, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton, have been sacked more than Luck this season. (Take that with a grain of salt, as all three have already faced the Denver Broncos' pass rush.)

To slow Luck down, the Jaguars need to exploit the Colts' struggling offensive line.

That may be a lot to ask of a defense that ranks 15th in sacks this season, but Dante Fowler has shown an ability to get into the backfield.