A tale as old as time: The Indianapolis Colts leave Jacksonville with a loss.

Their 42-7 loss to the Jaguars confirmed what we already knew: The Colts' 2026 regular season is dead in the water.

The Colts are amidst a historic fire sale of their roster after parting ways with longtime general manager Chris Ballard following a Week 6 loss to the winless Tennessee Titans, but they weren't willing to fully pull the plug on the old era.

Indianapolis traded longtime franchise cornerstones Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner after a Week 7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but held off from selling off more of their roster as they looked to stay alive in the AFC South.

The Colts would have been just one game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South had they squeeked out a win, which would have given Indianapolis false hope that they can contend for the division.

Instead, in arguably the most beneficial outcome for Indianapolis, the Jaguars embarassed the Colts from start to finish.

Nobody is surprised that the Colts lost a game in Jacksonville, given they haven't beaten the Jaguars on the road since 2014, but especially because it's this version of these two teams.

The Jaguars and Colts couldn't be more polar opposites when it comes to their overall outlook, with the former hitting their stride as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, whereas the former is embarking upon a full-fledged organizational reset.

With that being said, here are my biggest takeaways from the Colts' most recent redefining of what it means to hit rock bottom.

Shane Steichen has Lost the Locker Room

The Colts' ownership trio of Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Kalen Jackson, and Casey Foyt collectively decided that their season was over when they fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard after six weeks.

In an expected turn of events, the roster has seemingly followed suit.

Indianapolis Colts' head coach Steichen entered the regular season on the hot seat, and he now sits on a throne from Hell after eight uninspiring games to show for.

The Colts are 2-6 through eight weeks of play, and although it was already looking like Steichen would elsewhere in 2027, his tenure as head coach may come sooner rather than later.

The current version of the Colts looks checked out, and they have become wildly undisciplined as a result. A handful of longtime veterans continue to put in their best effort, but a lot of them look fed up with the state of the organization.

This ultimately falls on the previous regime for building an unsustainable culture, though Steichen hasn't done himself any favors.

After a decade of mediocrity, the next era can't come soon enough.

Offense Broken Beyond Repair

There's absolutely no reason that quarterback Daniel Jones, running back Jonathan Taylor, or wide receiver Josh Downs should have played in this game.

It's almost a guarantee that Jones will not be part of the rebuild's future, Taylor headlines all NFL trade deadline candidates, and Downs has requested a trade out of Indianapolis.

Instead, head coach Shane Steichen rolled out the trio in question in a last-resort attempt to save the Colts' season, and more specifically, his job.

The only bright spot from their collective performance was when Daniel Jones and Josh Downs connected for the Colts' lone score of the day. Other than that, we were proven right that this version of Steichen's offense is broken beyond repair, something we claimed weeks back when the Colts were still technically in the hunt.

It took until being down 42-7 in the fourth quarter for Steichen to bench the trio against Jacksonville. This was right decision but the wrong time, and it will now serve as yet another blemish on Steichen's resume as a head coach.

It's officially time for the Colts to cut their losses and move on from Shane Steichen, Jonathan Taylor, Daniel Jones, and Josh Downs.

While he probably shouldn't, Steichen may last the rest of the season. However, the three players in question should not play another snap. It's that simple.

It's Time to Close the Book

The Indianapolis Colts have already turned the page on their most recent era, but it's time to close the book altogether.

There's virtually no market for Daniel Jones after his atrocious showing so far this season, but still, he should remain benched.

Jonathan Taylor and Josh Downs can and should be traded for draft capital, but as far as the quarterback position goes, there's no reason to continue trotting Daniel Jones out onto the field.

Jones ranks near the bottom of the league in most key statistical categories, so letting Anthony Richardson or Riley Leonard duke it out for the remainder of this lost season couldn't hurt.

The Colts are going nowhere, so concluding the experiment altogether is the best course of action moving forward.

Keeping this trio around does nothing for the Colts' future. If anything, their valuable snaps are eating into the future's opportunity to get some much-needed run down the stretch.

Taylor remains at the center of NFL trade rumors as we approach the November 10th deadline. Even though he has not officially requested a trade out of Indianapolis, the Colts would be wise to deal him to strengthen the next regime's early outlook.

Despite early reports claiming they view him as a building block of their rebuild, the Indianapolis Colts are open to trading Taylor, but they've been playing hardball as they aim to net as much valuable draft capital as possible.

If they wait for the deadline to get closer, the Colts can create a bidding war for Taylor's services, especially if he can continue producing at a high level.

However, despite Taylor's best efforts against the Jaguars, he only totaled eight carries for 23 rushing yards and was sidelined early in the fourth quarter.

Taylor's worst showing of the season so far speaks more to the dysfunction surrounding the Colts' offense, but it's not helping his personal stock.

The Colts are running out of time with the NFL Trade Deadline

The Ringer's NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported on Saturday that the Colts have already turned a 2027 second-round pick plus an additional pick for Jonathan Taylor, so while it makes sense to hold him hostage in an attempt to drive up the price, continuing to trot him out with this broken offense is doing nobody any favors.

The Colts are understandably trying to pry a first-round pick from an interested suitor's hands, but it doesn't feel like they'll be able to achieve that.

Taylor's most comparable trade package is that of Christian McCaffrey's blockbuster haul from 2022.

In exchange for McCaffrey, the Panthers received a 2023 NFL Draft second-round pick, a 2023 third-rounder, a 2023 fourth-rounder, and a 2024 fifth-round pick.

As long as they can manage to net first-round value (i.e., multiple Day 2 draft selections), trading Taylor is worth it.

Josh Downs' value is a bit trickier to predict, given his expiring deal and the fact he plays a hyper-specific role as a slot receiver and punt returner.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Colts are looking for a third-round pick for Josh Downs. That was always a high price, but one that a role-specific contender could be convinced by.

However, despite head coach Shane Steichen reminding Downs that he is a professional who is expected to give his all so long as he's repping the Colts, the fourth-year receiver played like he was already one foot out of the door.

Yes, Downs scored the Colts' lone touchdown on the day, but it came after a lacksadaisical performance to that point. The most damning evidence that Downs has checked out was during a failed reverse that saw him do his best Cam Newton impression and decline to jump on the fumbled exchange.

It looked like Downs began to give up on his Colts tenure during Indianapolis' Week 6 loss to the Minnesota Vikings as he lacked the effort he typically showcases.

Of course, this matchup in question was the Colts' first game since they fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard, the very man who took a shot on Downs in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, so it makes logical sense why any player would follow suit and punt on the season.

Regardless, Downs is doing himself no favors, and the Colts would be wise to bench him until they find a trade partner.

The Colts' rebuild needs to get underway as soon as possible.

Ushering in a New Era

The Colts played their rookie class the most they have all season against the Jaguars, something we've been clamoring for all season long.

While it did not net immediate results, there was plenty to be excited about.

For starters, the Colts' first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft (53rd overall), linebacker CJ Allen, had his first start and it immediately paid dividends.

Allen looked like the best linebacker in the room, and it makes you wonder why defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo kept him in the doghouse as a rotational player who hardly saw the field.

Anarumo said that Allen's injuries in training camp set his development back, but it's clear that he's the best the room has to offer. Perhaps Allen only looked so prepared because he followed his coach's vision, but the talent is undeniable.

In his first start against a top-tier Jaguars' offense, Allen led the Colts in total tackles (10), sacks (1), and tackles for loss (1).

Indianapolis gave up 42 points on the day, but still, what Allen showcased was promising.

As a direct result of the Quenton Nelson trade, rookie guard Jalen Farmer earned his first start of his career.

It's impossible to replace Nelson, and the rookie had his fair of struggles in his debut, but Farmer needs these reps if he wants to become part of the Colts' long-term plans.

Running back Seth McGowan has become a steady runningmate alongside Jonathan Taylor, and he could become the focal point of the Colts' rushing attack before too long.

Second-year defensive end Jaylahn Tuimoloau and rookie defensive end Caden Curry also combined for a takeaway against Jacksonville, with the former's fumble sack being scooped up by the latter.

The Indianapolis Colts' entire rookie and sophomore draft classes need to play as much as possible before the regular season ends, and parting ways with Jonathan Taylor, Daniel Jones, and Josh Downs are the first step in making that happen.