For most of the last seven years, the Colts have been a better team than the Jaguars. But something strange happens every time the Colts visit Jacksonville: The Jaguars win.
The Colts have lost seven straight road games against the Jaguars, a streak that includes six games in Jacksonville in one game in London.
Never was that stranger than last year, when the Colts entered the final game of the season just needing to win at Jacksonville to clinch a playoff berth -- and the Jaguars just needed to lose the game to clinch the first overall pick in the NFL draft -- and yet the Jaguars dominated, 26-11.
How to explain it? The Colts aren’t sure.
“You can believe in curses or whatever, but it is weird,” center Ryan Kelly, the longest-tenured Colt, told TheAthletic.com. “I guess it’s like an anomaly.”
Said running back Nyheim Hines, “Over the years, they’ve just had our number.”
The Colts opened as 5.5-point favorites for Sunday’s game, but most of the money has come in on the Jaguars, and now the point spread is just 3. Most bettors aren’t willing to risk wagering on the Colts to win in Jacksonville again, after so many losses.