Colts HC Frank Reich: 'The playoffs start for us this week' at Jaguars

The Indianapolis Colts began the NFL regular season at 1-4 but turned things around and had an opportunity to earn a playoff spot via a win over the Las Vegas Raiders on the first Sunday of 2022. Indianapolis fell to Las Vegas 23-20 but still controls its postseason fate and can earn a berth in the upcoming tournament via a victory at the Jacksonville Jaguars this coming Sunday. 

Jacksonville dropped to 2-14 on the campaign via a disheartening 50-10 defeat at the New England Patriots on Sunday but, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk, hasn't fallen to the Colts at home since 2014. Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich didn't dance around the importance of the Week 18 showdown when speaking with the media on Monday. 

"The playoffs start for us this week," Reich explained. "We’re expecting Jacksonville’s best. We know we’ve struggled down there, and this team [Jacksonville] takes a lot of pride in playing us the way they play us." 

The Colts defeated the Jaguars 23-17 back in Week 10 on Nov. 14. Indianapolis running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in that home win.