Brian Thomas Jr. scores touchdown in Jaguars rout over Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. put behind weeks of criticism and a recent benching by scoring a 12-yard touchdown in a 42-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium. The third-year wideout found the end zone on the second play of the game, helping his team secure a dominant divisional win on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The performance marked a significant turnaround for Thomas, who had been benched for the entire second half of a 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans in London after recording two drops on his only two targets. Following that disappointing outing, Thomas returned to the field against Indianapolis, playing 27 snaps and making his presence felt early with a key block on a 10-yard gain during a sweep by Parker Washington.

His touchdown catch capped the Jaguars' longest offensive drive of the season at 98 yards. Lined up in the slot, Thomas got open over the middle on a sail route, hauled in a pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and celebrated by slamming the ball against the padded wall behind the end zone. When asked afterward if the gesture released pent-up frustration, Thomas acknowledged it was "just a little bit."

Lawrence completed 10 of 14 passes for 210 yards before giving way to backup quarterback Quinn Ewers, as rainy conditions and an early 28-0 halftime lead led the Jaguars to rely heavily on their running game. Running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Chris Rodriguez anchored the offense, allowing Thomas to contribute in other ways, such as effectively blocking cornerback Sauce Gardner on several explosive plays.

Teammates expressed strong support for the wide receiver, noting his resilience amid persistent criticism from fans and media regarding past drops. "BT ... that's my dog," running back Chris Rodriguez said. "I was super-excited for him. He's been through a lot but one of those dudes who won't listen to the outside noise."

Despite the bounce-back game, questions linger regarding Thomas' long-term future in Jacksonville as the November 10 NFL trade deadline approaches. General manager James Gladstone could still explore trade possibilities, particularly with the team facing a dire need on the defensive interior following a potential season-ending injury to nose tackle DaVon Hamilton.

Thomas expressed satisfaction with the team's overall execution during the blowout win. "We were clicking on running, short passing game, defense, everything," Thomas said. "It feels good, all the work we put in."