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The Jacksonville Jaguars will end their season without one of their top defenders, Josh Hines-Allen. The Jaguars defensive end has been ruled out of Week 18 due to personal reasons, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Also, Hines-Allen will not be traveling with the team to Indianapolis. This has been a hectic week for Jacksonville and their fanbase, as the wheels are rolling on a couple of matters.
For starters, Doug Pederson was real on his future as the Jaguars head coach. The 4-12 team has severely underperformed, even with a Pro Bowl quarterback and former No. 1 pick, Trevor Lawrence. While the latter dealt with his injuries, the team suffered in a mediocre AFC South division. They have two wins in their last nine games, with both of those coming against the Tennessee Titans.
Furthermore, both sides of the ball have been atrocious. The Jaguars have the seventh-worst scoring defense and the fourth-worst defense. They've had six games where opposing teams have scored 30+ points. That's not a recipe for success. However, Hines-Allen's absence will be felt, even against the Indianapolis Colts.
Josh Hines Allen's injury proves the Jaguars will need more help
One player on either side of the ball cannot solve the problem. Regardless, the Jaguars will have more weaknesses within their defense on Sunday. An eventful Week 18 could be on the horizon. The Colts were knocked out of the playoffs and have problems of their own.
Their quarterback, Anthony Richardson, has been routinely benched this season for veteran Joe Flacco. While the latter has been productive, it made many people question head coach Shane Steichen. Their mismanagement has been on full display, and has been an amalgamation of the AFC South, besides the Houston Texans.
Even with nothing at stake for both teams, they could play for pride. In sports, pride is one of the most valuable things to play for. Both the Jaguars and the Colts are out of the playoffs. Both teams were not projected to do as badly as they have. Still, there's an uncertainty about what will happen with Jacksonville.
After all, an NFL rumor says the Jaguars will make a big change. However, Hines-Allen's absence might or might not make that change happen faster. He has eight sacks on the season after having 17.5 last season. His statistics will stay put where they are. No matter what, he'll remain a defensive cornerstone for quite some time. Whatever moves the Jaguars make might be courtesy of Hines-Allen.
