JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- You're living in the good days right now, Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are not just a good team. They are a great team capable of dominance, which was put on full display in their 42-7 butt-kicking of the Indianapolis Colts in Week 8. In today's Shipley's Dozen column, we break down what the win means and why the Jaguars are here to stay.

Reminder: Shipley Dozens columns release the day after each game, which means we get a two-for-one this week with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. But back to the Colts for a moment.

The Jaguars Are More Than AFC Contenders

It was hardly a surprise that the Jaguars took care of business against the Colts. It was even less of a surprise that it was a blowout. But 42-7 games do not exactly happen very often in the NFL, and we shouldn't just gloss over it because the Colts are tearing everything down. The Jaguars were already contenders in a wide-open AFC and beating a bad Colts team doesn't change that. But the Jaguars' complete domination week in and week out at home is worth pointing out considering the AFC could very easily go through EverBank Stadium this week,

After yesterday's win, Jacksonville has won seven consecutive games at EverBank Stadium by 17 or more points. That is tied for the third longest such streak of games at a team’s home stadium in NFL history, trailing only the 1999 Rams and 1948-49 Eagles. In that span, they’ve scored at least 34 points in each of their last seven games. That matches the longest streak of such games in a team’s home stadium in NFL history, joining the 2012-13 Broncos and 1960-61 Chargers. If the playoffs go through Jacksonville, this very well could be a Super Bowl team. Enjoy it, Duval.

Kicking Colts' Teeth In Came at a Cost

While the Jaguars throttling the Colts is always a good week for the Cardiac Cats, it didn't come without a cost. Winning is never a net negative, but the Jaguars saw star nose tackle Davon Hamilton go down with a knee injury and get carted off in the first half. Hamilton might not be a household name outside of Jacksonville, but those who are in the building and those who watch this team each week know just how important he is. It isn't hyperbolic to say this was the injury the Jaguars could least afford on defense.

The Jaguars have eight days to swing a trade to reinforce the middle of their defensive line, but it will be hard, if not impossible, to truly replace Hamilton. He is the reason their run defense works, and their run defense is the entire reason the scheme as a whole works. The Jaguars won on Sunday, but this was a tough loss.

Trevor Lawrence Should Be the MVP Favorite

Trevor Lawrence has been the best quarterback in the NFL this season. That is far from extreme when you consider the raw results. Lawrence's two games with a passer rating of 150+ this season are more than the rest of the NFL combined (Drake Maye, 1), after entering 2026 with zero such games in his career. Lawrence is third in touchdown passes with 17 despite ranking ... 22nd in pass attempts. Lawrence has only thrown 130 passes this year but is outpacing quarterbacks with close to 200 attempts because he has been as surgical and efficient as any passer in the NFL.

If the Jaguars were looking for style points and weren't playing a productive, balanced brand of offensive football, Lawrence could go the Joe Burrow route and treat each week like 7-on-7. But the Jaguars rank No. 26 in pass rate. All the while, Lawrence ranks No. 4 in EPA/Play, No. 1 in touchdown %, and No. 2 in adjusted net yards per attempt, the best stat for filtering efficient quarterback play. Imagine if he was throwing it more?

Reassessing the Brian Thomas Jr. Situation

It was never going to make sense for the Jaguars to sell low on Brian Thomas Jr. when it came to a potential trade by next week's deadline. Count this double after the Jaguars opted to let Thomas get his starting spot back in the offense on Sunday after he was benched against the Houston Texans in London in Week 6. Thomas was third on the team in routes with 11 during the run-heavy day, and Thomas played 52% of the snaps. Still third amongst the receivers, but far from benched for Josh Cameron.

The Jaguars look like they are more than OK with Thomas serving as a background character in the offense, giving them the chance to find him at times throughout the game without devoting the sake of the entire passing game to his success like at the start of the 2025 season. Had the Jaguars not let Thomas see the field Sunday, I think we could have said he was as good as gone. The fact they still trusted him, though, makes me believe there is a scenario where the Jaguars just hold onto him.

Jaguars are the Jonathan Taylor Stoppers

We said the Jaguars would stop Jonathan Taylor in his tracks on Sunday, and that is exactly what happened. Taylor might have played his last game as a Colt, and it is only fitting that it came in the lone NFL stadium where he just can never find success. Taylor is one of the best running backs of his generation but he produces like Toby Gerhart whenever he is in EverBank Stadium. It takes a group effort every time, but plays like this one show just how much of a cultural trait it is to be strong against the run each season.

Jonathan Taylor was in hell in Jacksonville (again) yesterday pic.twitter.com/wxpzc3yXPy

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) November 2, 2026

This Was a Good Week for James Gladstone Additions

When a team's depth gets tested is when you can really get a pulse for how well they scout and how well their staff develops young talent. On Sunday, the Jaguars had turnovers created by two undrafted free agents signed in the last two seasons and a pick-six by a Day 3 2025 draft pick who has otherwise been a special teams piece. How is this for a fun James Gladstone fact: the non-Travis Hunter players the Jaguars got in the Hunter trade (Tuten, Rayuan Lane) scored three touchdowns on Sunday. The Browns didn't score a single touchdown. That, people, is what they call a fleece.

Travis Hunter's Gravity

Travis Hunter has only touched the ball eight times this season, and defenses are still putting all 11 sets of eyes on him every time he is on the field. He is the only shutdown cornerback in NFL history whose gravity is creating touchdowns for other skill players on offense. That seems good! Very good, in fact! I do not know if Hunter will have any real rhythm this season in terms of back-to-back weeks as a focal point on offense, but his gravity on the field is clear.

Look at all of the eyes on Travis Hunter on the Tuten TD after setting this play up in the first quarter pic.twitter.com/JbniHAFZ8L

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) November 2, 2026

What Shocked Me

That the Colts are still doing the Daniel Jones thing. The Colts are in rebuild mode for a number of reasons, but paying a lemon at quarterback is a big one. Jones looked horrible on Sunday from the very first drive, but it took until it was 42-7 for the Colts to put Anthony Richardson in. I was shocked the Colts didn't bench Jones at halftime, but maybe I shouldn't have been considering, well, it is the Colts. They are officially a few years away from being a few years away, and it starts with their quarterback issue.

What Didn't Shock Me

Tuten having a breakout game. The Colts are weak in the front-seven without DeForest Buckner and their defensive backs do not seem like they like to tackle all that much. Tuten is the first Jaguars player to record 100 or more rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and a receiving touchdown in the same game since James Robinson accomplished the feat against the Chargers in 2020, and he has officially become the future at the Jaguars' running back position.

Jaguar of the Week

Rayuan Lane. His pick-six was an electric moment, and he just keeps being ready for anything the Jaguars throw his way. This is the second time this season he has stepped in after an injury to Eric Murray and made a game-changing play, with the first coming in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Lane is a special teams demon who has made plays when called upon, which is the definition of a Day 3 home run.

AFC South Check-In

The AFC South is ... not very good. The Colts are done at 2-6. The Tennessee Titans lost a heartbreaker to the Cincinnati Bengals that at the very least exposed the Bengals as a non-serious threat in the AFC. The Texans lost a productive and exciting receiver to a season-ending injury during their bye week. The Jaguars are the only positive in the AFC South right now. Without them, it would be hands down not just the worst division in football, but one of the worst of the last decade. The AFC South is there for the taking for the Jaguars.

Early Week 9 Thoughts

The Jaguars will get a primetime game this Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens. The Jaguars have just a few days to get healthy and prepare for the Thursday Night Football clash, which is the bigger question right now than the actual Ravens matchup. The Ravens have been a mess over the last month and there is a good chance they will be on QB3 on Thursday. As long as the Jaguars keep Jake Browning as far away from Baltimore as they can, they should be 6-2 by Friday morning.