The Indianapolis Colts struggled against the Jacksonville Jaguars as they sufferedThe team lost for the sixth consecutive time, 23-17, on Sunday afternoon.
The Colts scored all 17 points in the first three quarters but were held scoreless in the fourth quarter, opening the door for a Jaguars comeback.
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Jacksonville kicker Cam Little’s two field goals in the final seconds gave his team a six-point lead. Indianapolis had a chance to get within field goal range, but ultimately failed.
Despite the loss, three players performed well in Jacksonville’s Week 17 victory to earn the week’s game ball: Jonathan Taylor, Philip Rivers and Ashton Dooling.
RB Jonathan Taylor
That’s not too shocking, Taylor was the backbone of much of the Colts’ offense against the Jaguars. The sixth-year running back rushed for 70 yards and a score on 21 carries.
He also caught three passes for 14 yards. While Taylor has been rather quiet since his explosive and historic performance in Berlin, he showed that the spark he had in the first half of the season hasn’t been lost overseas. He rushed for touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time since October 26.
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QB Philip Rivers
While Rivers’ performance was nothing special, he controlled Indianapolis’ offense against a talented 11-4 team in Jacksonville. There aren’t many quarterbacks in the NFL who can do that, let alone 44-year-old men. The veteran completed 17 of 29 attempts for 147 yards and a 5-yard touchdown pass to Alli Cox for his only score of the day.
He found a total of seven different catchers throughout the game, which showcased his ability to check in and make smart plays instead of home runs. In fact, he never had a chance to hit a home run at the end of the game. Rookie quarterback Riley Leonard stepped in and delivered a potentially game-winning Hail Mary, which resulted in an interception that sealed the game.
KR Ashton Dooling
Dooling was a difference-maker on special teams for the Colts. The seventh-year kick returner returned a total of three kicks for 129 yards, averaging 43 yards per return. Dooling then returned a 55-yard punt in the third quarter (his longest of the day) to create a short field for Rivers and company, before the veteran found Mo-Ali Cox for a touchdown to put the Colts up 17-14.
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Dooling also made an impact in the Colts’ punt coverage.
While he’s been quiet as a receiver this year, he’s proven that he can still have an impact on games when given the chance.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts vs. Jaguars: Indianapolis’ 3 best players in Week 17