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Trent Richardson, T.Y. Hilton Spark Indianapolis Colts in Win Over Jacksonville Jaguars

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By @MWCompton

Trent Richardson Colts

Pat Lovell-USA Today Sports

The Indianapolis Colts have enjoyed sustained success against AFC South opponents, winning their last 10 games against division rivals heading into their Week 12 contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium.  To no one’s surprise, the streak continued on Sunday, with the Colts overcoming sloppy play and a series of first-half turnovers to defeat the Jaguars 23-3.

Sunday’s game seemed a far cry from the first meeting this season between the division rivals, at least in the first half. The Colts took a 30-0 halftime lead into the locker room of that week 3 clash en route to a 44-17 drubbing of the Jaguars at EverBank Field in Jacksonville. The Colts led just 6-3 at the break on Sunday, as the NFL’s top-ranked offense was stifled in the first half by an aggressive Jaguars pass rush. The Jaguars’ defensive line relentlessly pressured quarterback Andrew Luck, sacking him five times in the first two quarters.

The Colts, however, owned the second half. With running back Ahmad Bradshaw out with an injury, Dan Herron and Trent Richardson shared carries for the Colts on Sunday. They shouldered the load just fine, with Richardson scoring the game’s first touchdown at the 8:31 mark of the third quarter. Richardson punched it in from the one-yard line for the score (his third of the season), putting the Colts up 13-3.

Just two minutes later, Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton put the game out of reach with a 73-yard touchdown pass from Luck. Hilton, a third-year pro, appeared no worse for wear after being up all night. His wife, Shantrell, gave birth to the couple’s baby girl early Sunday morning, and Hilton vowed before the game to score a touchdown for his newborn daughter. He delivered, even cradling the ball in his arms in the end zone to celebrate the score. Hilton finished the game with four catches for 122 yards, while Luck completed 21-of-32 for 254 yards.

The Colts’ defense, hammered on the ground last week by the New England Patriots, stacked the box effectively against the Jaguars and all but dared rookie quarterback Blake Bortles to beat them with the pass. The scheme worked. The Jaguars were unable to get running back Denard Robinson going, and Bortles and the offense routinely failed to convert third-and-long situations. Bortles concluded the game 15-of-27 for 146 yards and an interception.

Michael Compton is a Jacksonville Jaguars writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter at @MWCompton and connect with him on Google.

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