It is hard to ignore the success the Jacksonville Jaguars have had this season. From 4-3 at the bye week to clinching a spot in the playoffs with an 11-4 record and on a six-game winning streak as one of the hottest teams in the NFL. These aren’t the same old Jaguars, and they have shown that for the last eight weeks.
However, the Jaguars and head coach Liam Coen will enter Hoosier country to face the Indianapolis Colts in an important playoff-stakes matchup for the latter. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the offense will look to maintain their fiery streak of games. Yet, it will be these three players on the roster that could make the difference on Sunday, so let’s take a look at who those players are.
Jarrian Jones, cornerback
Out of the remainder of the season and playoffs is cornerback Jourdan Lewis, the Jaguars veteran defender at nickel, with a foot injury has served as a leader of the secondary, filled with youth and inexperience. However, Anthony Campanile is prepared for this, as the defensive coordinator has experience in the last several weeks with what life would look like without Lewis.
Enter, Jones. The second-year cornerback is one of my favorite players on the roster with his versatility to play both inside and out, and has shown to be a great coverage defender, whether it be in shell drops in zone coverage, or man assignments against a team’s top pass-catcher. Jacksonville should be ok in Lewis’s absence going forward.
Wyatt Milum, guard
Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman Wyatt Milum (64) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
With Robert Hainsey and Patrick Mekari’s statuses for Sunday unclear, we may see rookie Wyatt Milum make his first career start. The former West Virginia standout and All-American has appeared on occasion in the interim, most recently against the Tennessee Titans last month. Here is a quick blurb of what you could expect of Milum from my summer film review:
“The Jaguars are a great fit for Milum due to his power, mobility, and grip strength at the point of attack. He may not have elite lateral agility or functional athleticism, but his skill set fits well with Coen’s zone-blocking system and projects well as a future starting left or right guard in the NFL.”
Travis Etienne Jr., running back
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) leaps to score a rushing touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Jacksonville Jaguars run game has struggled in recent weeks as the passing aspect of the offense has emerged. Travis Etienne Jr. remains a viable and key piece of the offense, but his numbers in the last four weeks have been underwhelming as a rusher: from Weeks 1-11, he was averaging nearly five yards per carry; since Nov. 30, Etienne has averaged just over three yards per carry.
Having a strong rushing attack and defense late in the season and during the playoffs is critical for a deep run. If the Jaguars can get Etienne going against a vaunted Indianapolis Colts run defense, it could create momentum heading into the Wild Card round.
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