Entering Sunday, the matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Indianapolis Colts looked like an epic showdown between playoff contenders and AFC South rivals. Now, it looks like a matchup between teams heading in opposite directions.

The Jaguars (9-4) won their fourth straight contest on Sunday in Jacksonville, running all over the Colts (8-5) on the way to a 36-19 victory. Meanwhile, Indianapolis not only lost its third straight contest but also saw starting quarterback Daniel Jones go down with an Achilles injury.

Rookie Riley Leonard subbed in for Jones and passed for 145 yards. He was picked off once and was sacked in the end zone for a safety in the fourth quarter. Leonard did, however, score a touchdown on a 6-yard run with less than two minutes to play.

Jacksonville was led by quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who passed for 244 yards and a pair of touchdowns without an interception. The Jags also won the turnover battle, forcing three while committing only one.

With the win, Jacksonville’s chances of making the postseason surged above 95 percent, according to The Athletic’s playoff predictor. Indianapolis’ playoff chances dipped to about 50 percent.

Daniel Jones’ injury potentially devastating for Colts

Jones exited Sunday’s game with 35 seconds left in the first quarter due to a right Achilles injury. He completed a 7-yard pass to wide receiver Alec Pierce — which was ultimately negated due to a chop block by running back Jonathan Taylor — and fell to the ground. No one was around Jones when he went down, clutching his right Achilles. The QB slammed his helmet in frustration before getting up and limping off the field to the locker room.

After the game, Colts coach Shane Steichen said Jones’ injury “could be season-ending,” adding that it’s “not looking good.”

If Jones is sidelined for the rest of the season, it would be a catastrophic loss for the resurgent Colts. Indianapolis, which won eight games all of last season, started the season 7-1 and improved to 8-2 heading into its bye week. But the team has now lost three straight games and four of its last five to fall to 8-5.

Jones was 5-of-7 passing for 60 yards and one interception in limited action. Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd intercepted Jones on the Colts’ first offensive play of the game, marking his eighth interception of the season. He responded by leading Indianapolis on an 11-play, 76-yard TD drive on the Colts’ next drive that was capped by a 1-yard TD run by Taylor. Jones left the game on Indy’s third drive and was replaced by Leonard.

Leonard, a sixth-round pick, was 18-of-29 passing for 145 yards and an interception. Cornerback Greg Newsome II picked off Leonard in the fourth quarter, and Leonard was sacked for a safety later on in the period. The rookie scored his first NFL TD on a 6-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

Taylor, meanwhile, was unable to alleviate much pressure on Leonard. The league’s leading rusher totaled just 21 carries for 74 yards, marking the fourth time in five games that he was held below 100 rushing yards. — James Boyd, Colts beat writer

Jags ride defense, balanced offense to complete team win

The Jaguars, who won their 11th straight home game against Indianapolis, secured sole possession of first place in the AFC South after delivering a complete team victory, and with a performance that very much embodies their season thus far.

The defense set a strong tone, forcing a turnover on Indianapolis’ first play from scrimmage, pressuring Jones frequently until he left the game with an Achilles injury, and also recording two more takeaways, a safety and a key stop on fourth-and-1 that sparked a scoring drive. As they have much of the season, the Jaguars used a balanced approach on offense to get the job done. Weather conditions had something to do with the run-heavy approach, but it also helped ease pressure on Lawrence, who had two touchdown passes and was solid, if not spectacular. — Mike Jones, national writer

A favorable path to the postseason for Jacksonville

The road ahead plays out favorably for Jacksonville to remain in the driver’s seat in the division and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022 and for only the third time in the last decade. A winnable game against the New York Jets follows, followed by their toughest challenge: a visit to Denver. But from there, Jacksonville plays short-handed Indianapolis again and then closes out the season against hapless Tennessee. — Jones

Duval County curse continues

Sunday’s loss marked the Colts’ 11th straight road loss against the Jaguars, continuing one of the most bizarre losing streaks in NFL history. The Colts entered Sunday’s game tied with the Jaguars at 8-4 atop the AFC South, but their third straight loss will likely knock them out of contention for a division title. The lopsided defeat may also threaten Indianapolis’ playoff chances altogether. The team has not won a division title since 2014 and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020.

Indianapolis’ defense surrendered a season-high 28 points in the first half alone, punctuated by a 7-yard TD pass from Lawrence to wide receiver Tim Patrick with seven seconds left in the second quarter. The Colts also failed to sack Lawrence, who tore them apart through the air. — Boyd