The Jacksonville Jaguars have almost arrived to the most important offseason in franchise history, but before they get there, they must take care of business in their 2019 season finale against the Indianapolis Colts. As the underdogs for Sunday’s game, they will need several players to step up and here are the five we think could play a big role in Week 17’s AFC South battle:
RB Ryquell Armstead
Saturday afternoon, running back Leonard Fournette announced that he wouldn’t be playing against the Colts after he was downgraded to doubtful on the final injury report with the flu. With that being the case, rookie tailback Ryquell Armstead will get his first career start.
With or without Fournette, the key for the Jags will be to control the clock, which means offensive coordinator John DeFilippo should make him the biggest part of the game plan. In the limited time Armstead has seen on the field, he’s also been a solid receiver, so that may be an asset in which DeFilippo may want to consider using as the Colts’ passing defense (No. 22) is significantly worse than their rush defense (No. 8).
WR DJ Chark Jr.
Last week against the Atlanta Falcons, DJ Chark Jr. returned from the ankle injury he sustained Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers, however, it was clear he wasn’t close to 100% in the process. Against a passing defense in which hasn’t been all that great, Chark had some drops and only was able to haul in two receptions for 18 yards, which put him at a total of 974 yards on the year.
Sunday’s game against the Colts will mark his last chance to hit the 1,000-yard mark on the season and it will also mark a chance to hit double-digit touchdown receptions. If he’s able to pull off the yardage feat, he’ll be the first to hit the mark since 2015 when Allen Robinson accumulated 1,400 receiving yards on the season. At just 23 years of age, Chark would also join Robinson as the only player at his age or younger to hit the mark for the Jags in franchise history.
All of that said, he’ll have plenty of reasons to ball out.
DE Yannick Ngakoue
Yannick Ngakoue will be playing on the last year of his rookie deal Sunday, which means 2020 is going to be a big year for him as he’ll be receiving a spike in pay. However, on Friday, he posted a concerning message on Instagram that insinuated he may be ready to move on from the Jags.
Regardless as to what the future holds, fans can bet their bottom dollar that Ngakoue will give his all Sunday against the Colts, and that’s exactly what the Jags’ defense need to win this game. In their last meeting with Indy, the Jags struggled to get quarterback Jacoby Brissett on the ground, and Ngakoue of all players understands that must change Sunday. With a new contract in his sights, fans should expect Ngakoue to play lights out Sunday on the edge and maybe even record multiple sacks on the day to hit the double-digit mark as he currently has eight this season.
DL Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell has been a staple for the the Jags’ defenses since signing with the team in 2017, going to the Pro Bowl in all three seasons. He’s also been the jags’ best free-agent signing in franchise history, but at 33 years of age and the potential to save $15 million in cap space, it may be his last game in a Jags uniform. For that reason Jags fans should cherish what he’s brought to the table Sunday.
Additionally, the Colts almost certainly will look to win Sunday’s game by pounding the rock, so Campbell will need to be super active on the defensive side if the Jags are to have any chance. In the process, he’ll provide fans with some quality matchups against guard Quenton Nelson, who is one of the games best offensive lineman.
CB A.J. Bouye
Like Campbell, A.J. Bouye could be playing in his last game as a Jaguar, too. He also was one of the players who the Jags brought in through free-agency in 2017 and helped to propel the Jags to the AFC Championship game in his first year. However, since that moment most fans tend to agree he hasn’t been able to match that level of play. That said, with the potential of the team being in rebuild mode in 2020, the Jags may elect to part ways from the veteran, which would save $11.5 million against their salary cap.
If Sunday is Bouye’s last game, at least Jags fans will get to see him in a game in which he could play a big role in. With star receiver T.Y. Hilton coming into town, Bouye will have a grand opportunity to shut down the veteran receiver and make up for the game he had last Sunday against Julio Jones.
