Throwback Thursday: Season Finale

Wow, how is it already Thursday this week?

We’re only a few days away from the last game of the Colts season. They will try to finish with a .500 record as they host the Jacksonville Jaguars. Currently, the Jaguars hold a two game win streak against the Colts, only the second time this has EVER happened (the other being a 3 game wins streak from the 2011 sweep and the first match-up in 2012).

This isn’t the first time that the Colts and Jaguars have closed the season against one another. In fact, this will be the fourth time the teams play in a Week 17 match-up.

The first time was in 2002.

After getting thumped at home by the New York Giants in Week 16, the Colts needed a win against Jacksonville in order to make the playoffs. A win would slot the Colts as the 5 seed, a loss (if I remember correctly) would have knocked the Colts completely out.

The game was a tightly contested and low scoring affair, as many of the games against the Jack Del Rio coached Jaguars were.

The teams traded touchdowns and field goals in the first half, leading to a 10-10 tie at halftime. The score remained the same until the fourth quarter when the teams again traded field goals.

The Colts went ahead for good just before the two minute warning when Peyton Manning found Marcus Pollard for the 11 yard score. This gave the Colts a 20-13 lead, which would end up being the final score as well.

The Colts were in the playoffs, but it didn’t go well. In a Wild Card game that many of us have tried to erase from our memory, the Colts were obliterated by the New York Jets to the tune of a 41-0 blowout.

It would be 10 years before the teams tangled again in Week 17. The next time was on New Year’s Day in 2012, in the last game of the 2-14 campaign in 2011.

The Colts were fresh off beating the Titans and Texans in thrilling fashion, and were looking for a third straight win to finish the season. Many fans, however, weren’t thrilled about the possibility of another win as it would have put the number one pick in jeopardy.

Again, this one was field goal affair. Jacksonville started the scoring, however, with a Blaine Gabbert touchdown pass to Chastin West. After that, the teams combined for six field goals as the Jaguars built a 19-6 lead.

Late in the game, Dan Orlovsky found Austin Collie for a Colts score, but that would be the final. The Jaguars beat the Colts, and completed the sweep of Indianapolis for the only time ever.

The Colts, though, would end up drafting Andrew Luck in what ended up being an off-season of immense change.

Two seasons later, the Colts and Jaguars met again in Week 17. This time, the Colts had wrapped up a playoff berth, and the Jaguars were stumbling through a 4-12 campaign.

This time, the game wasn’t close. The Colts rung up a 17-0 first quarter lead behind two rushing touchdowns, one from Trent Richardson and the other from Donald Brown, and an Adam Vinatieri field goal.

In the second quarter, the teams traded field goals, giving the Colts a comfortable 20-3 lead at the half.

Another Vinatieri field goal, and an Andrew Luck touchdown pass to Griff Whalen extended the Colts lead to 30-3. With 15 seconds left Chad Henne tossed a score to Kerry Taylor, making the final 30-10.

The Colts were off to the playoffs, where they won a thrilling comeback against the Chiefs in the Wild Card. But were then blown away by the Patriots in the divisional round.

This Sunday will mark the fourth time these two square off in Week 17. And for the second time, it will be the Jaguars going for the season sweep of the Colts.