Jaguars' season forgettable but 'clown game' finale against Colts likely to be memorable

Years from now, there will be a reason to remember the final game of the 2021 season, even though the Jaguars' performances have been forgettable.

It will be memorable because an expected clown fest has been organized among the fan base, prompting a few Bozos, Krustys, Ronald McDonalds, and Jokers to be seated among the masses at TIAA Bank Field Sunday when the Jaguars play the Indianapolis Colts.

This is what happens when you sputter to the finish line with a 2-14 record. The Jaguars' fans are frustrated because owner Shad Khan is expected to retain general manager Trent Baalke instead of doing a complete sweep of changes before hiring his second head football coach since 2020.

Instead of making a big splash in free agency, Baalke emphasized looking for value after a 1-15 finish last season, and several of his 2021 draft picks were unable to emerge as contributors this season.

Alexander Loucks said he's showing up in a wig and red rubber ball nose and added his brother and a friend would be doing the same. And with the prospect that fans that a potential significant are planning to dress up as clowns in protest, a Jaguars title sponsor is suing the franchise because it wants to avoid its name "being emphasized as the primary sponsor of the clown game."

Clown fest? Some Jaguars fans preparing to wear clown outfits to protest Shad Khan at Sunday's game

Live updates: The latest from Sunday's season finale between the Jags and Colts

Sights from the 'clown game': No joke! Jacksonville Jaguars fans dress up in clown costumes to mock owner Shad Khan

If that's not enough, the fans took to social media on Friday to vent more frustration after a person familiar with the situation said the Jaguars will interview Bill O'Brien this upcoming week for the head coaching job.

O'Brien, the former Houston Texans head coach, is best remembered for trading away star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in 2019.

O'Brien, who served as both general manager and head coach, was fired by the Texans after an 0-4 start during the 2020 season and is now the Alabama Crimson Tide's offensive coordinator. Alabama plays Georgia in Monday's College Football Playoff Championship game in Indianapolis.

Myles Jack: Jaguars' dysfunction with Urban Meyer and beyond impacted performance on field

Jaguars Roundtable: Who should be hired as the next head coach?

Fans still venting

Jaguars fan Luis Espinosa vented on Twitter, writing if O'Brien is getting another shot at a head coaching position after torpedoing the Texans franchise, "I swear if the Jags hire him, they deserve to lose."

Jaguars fan said O'Brien made so many players uncomfortable - why would you hire a coach like this? Especially an organization that needs healing from bad coaching."

This week is another example of what linebacker Myles Jack mentioned happened throughout this season.

"As a player, it's so much stuff going on we're not even talking about football," Jack said. "Kind of on the outside looking in, I don't want to say scandals, but just like stuff that doesn't have to deal with football that now is a part of the Jaguars name. I'd much rather be known as a football team that's out there kicking ... on Sunday than all the other stuff and losing. It's not fun at all. I just want to win."

Colts winless in Jacksonville since 2014

The Jaguars are coming off an embarrassing 50-10 loss last week to New England. They have lost eight consecutive games and rank last in offensive scoring (14.2). The Jaguars defense is yielding 28 points a game, the second-highest in the league.

The Jaguars face a Colts team that needs to win to clinch a playoff berth. The Colts are a 15 1/2-point favorite, but they have lost five straight in Jacksonville, going winless at TIAA Bank Field since 2014.

"Finish the season on a win, that'd be great," Lawrence said. "I understand how the fans that have been Jacksonville fans for a long time [feel]. I'm sure that hasn't been easy. As players, I know the feeling. We want to do everything we can to win for this city, for these fans and obviously we haven't had much success this year."

Warhop unavailable to coach due to COVID-19

As of Saturday, offensive line coach George Warhop is unavailable for Sunday's game against Indianapolis due to NFL/NFLPA COVID-19 protocols. Should Warhop remain unavailable, assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington would assume his game-day responsibilities.

Tight end James O'Shaughnessy was ruled out Friday from playing Sunday because of a hip injury that forced him to miss the entire week of practices. Colts cornerback Xavier Rhodes is ruled out because of a hamstring injury. Starting defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is listed as questionable because of a knee injury.

Sunday's game

Colts vs. Jaguars

Time: 1 p.m.

Where: TIAA Bank Field

TV: CBS

Radio: 1010XL, 92.5 FM

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars season has been forgettable but finale 'clown game' likely to be memorable