INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jonathan Taylor ran for 177 yards, including 33 yards on six consecutive carries in overtime to set up Matt Gay’s go-ahead 38-yard field goal, and the Indianapolis Colts beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-23 on Sunday.
Taylor closed the season by matching a career-best streak with four straight 100-yard games. He also rushed for a touchdown Sunday to reach six scores during that span.
Joe Flacco was 23 of 40 for 263 yards, including a 40-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce, in his 105th career victory — perhaps the last of the 39-year-old former Super Bowl MVP’s 17-year career.
Indy (8-9) won its final two home games to finish 5-3 at Lucas Oil Stadium, although the Colts missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
The Jags (4-13) lost three of their final four, eight of 10 and finished 1-8 on the road as they head into an offseason that may include changes at general manager and coach.
Gay converted for the Colts on the first possession of overtime. The Jags got the ball, but Indy’s Zaire Franklin sacked Mac Jones on third down to set up a fourth-and-22, and Mac Jones’ deep pass fell incomplete to end it.
Jones was 19 of 35 for 205 yards with one TD and an interception for Jacksonville. Brian Thomas Jr. caught six passes for 83 yards.
For a game that was all about draft position, it certainly felt like more was at stake.
Flacco threw his TD pass on the third offensive play of the game. Jacksonville answered with Tank Bigsby’s 1-yard TD plunge midway through the first quarter, and the Jags opened the second quarter with a 53-yard field goal by Cam Little to take a 10-7 lead.
Taylor’s 6-yard TD run put the Colts back in front. Indy added two field goals by Gay sandwiched around another kick by Little as Indy took a 20-13 halftime lead.
Jacksonville tied the score at 20 with 7:50 to go when Parker Washington caught a 9-yard TD pass from Jones after losing the ball and snatching it back before crossing the goal line. Gay broke the tie with a 45-yard field goal with 3:52 to go, only to watch Little make a tying 53-yarder with 1:44 left.
Both teams were short-handed. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson and Jags defensive end Josh Hines-Allen were both inactive.
Richardson missed his second straight game with back spasms. Injuries forced him to miss four games this season and he sat out two more when he was benched.
Hines-Allen did not travel with the team because of a personal matter as he was closing in on Tony Brackens’ franchise record for sacks (55).
Colts head athletic trainer Dave Hammer, assistant video director John “Fuzzy” Starliper and chain crew member Bob Klein all worked their final games. Hammer and Klein each worked with the franchise for 41 seasons, while Starliper’s tenure lasted 42 seasons.
Jaguars: S Andre Cisco left early in the first quarter with an injured groin and was ruled out early in the second half.
Colts: Second-year CB JuJu Brents, who was activated off injured reserve Saturday, suffered a groin injury in the first half. RT Matt Goncalves left in the second half after entering the concussion protocol. Rookie DE Laiatu Latu injured a shoulder.
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