Jaguars take lead in AFC South as Colts' Daniel Jones suffers Achilles injury

The Jacksonville Jaguars have secured first place in the AFC South, as they defeated the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, 36-19. The unfortunate headline from this game was Daniel Jones' injury, as the Colts quarterback went down with a right Achilles injury in the first quarter. Rookie Riley Leonard replaced him under center.

The wet weather didn't affect this Jaguars offense. Trevor Lawrence completed 17 of 30 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, while Travis Etienne rushed 20 times for 74 yards and two scores as well. Jacksonville's defense forced three turnovers and a safety, in what was a complete performance from the new kings in the South.

Leonard completed 18 of 29 passes for 145 yards and one interception in his first extensive action, and also rushed for a touchdown. Jonathan Taylor was held in check by the best run defense in the NFL, as he rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown while averaging 3.5 yards per carry. He will be asked to carry the offense even more than he already has if Jones is set to miss time. 

Let's take a look at what went down in Jacksonville on Sunday.

Daniel Jones' injury

We knew Jones was dealing with a left fibula injury, but the Colts QB went down with a right leg injury on Sunday. It was non-contact, and certainly looked like an Achilles -- which was confirmed by the team. We do not know definitively what happened with Jones' injury, but there's a possibility it could be the Riley Leonard show from here on out. That's a major development when it comes to the AFC South, and the AFC as a whole. 

Indy is now 8-5 after losing four out of its last five, and has arguably the toughest remaining schedule in the NFL. The Colts have to play the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, the Jaguars again and then the Houston Texans to close out the season. You don't want to overreact just yet, but it's possible the team once viewed as the best in the NFL is in danger of missing the playoffs. 

Who is Riley Leonard?

The Colts selected Leonard with the No. 189 overall pick in the sixth round this year out of Notre Dame. He led the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff National Championship game last year, where they were defeated by the Ohio State Buckeyes. In 16 games played, he completed 66.7% of his passes for 2,861 yards, 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Leonard was known for his rushing ability, as he racked up 906 yards and a whopping 17 touchdowns on the ground in 2024. 

All things considered, Leonard didn't play poorly on Sunday. He had a touchdown pass to Michael Pittman Jr. taken off the board due to offensive pass interference, and threw a dime to Alec Pierce late in the fourth quarter that was almost a touchdown as well. Even the interception he threw was a 50/50 ball. 

Trevor Lawrence was impressive

It may not make much sense since the weather was so bad, but Lawrence turned in one of his more impressive outings of the season. You wouldn't know it if you looked at the box score. After all, he threw for just 244 yards and two touchdowns, but he was layering throws with precision, and did not make any crucial mistakes. The consistency the former No. 1 overall pick showed on Sunday was something this fan base has been craving all year. You have to wonder if Sunday was a turning point for Jacksonville in more ways than one. 

If only it could rain every game for Lawrence, right? 

Brian Thomas Jr.'s one-handed catch

BTJ's second season hasn't been one to remember, but he's an important piece of this offense as they prepare for a Super Bowl run. Thomas can make special plays, such as this one in the first quarter. 

In all, he caught three passes for 87 yards. 

What's next

The Colts have another road game next week, as they will travel to Seattle to play the Seahawks. As for the Jaguars, they have another home game, and will host the New York Jets in Week 15.