The Indianapolis Colts had few positives to take away from Sunday's 42-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but rookie linebacker CJ Allen provided one.
Making his first career NFL start, Allen finished with a team-high 10 tackles, one sack, and one tackle for loss.
The performance was in the midst of Indianapolis suffering its fourth consecutive defeat, dropping to 2-6 on the season.
Allen made his presence felt against Jacksonville's offense, including a sack of quarterback Trevor Lawrence that the Colts shared on social media.
CJ ALLEN SACK 💥
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 1, 2026
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/xAJPPMu9qg
A second highlight caught the attention of Stampede Blue's Chris Shepherd, who shared footage of a physical hit from the rookie linebacker.
CJ Allen just killed a man. What
a hit.#Colts#ForTheShoe#Jaguars#JAXvsIND pic.twitter.com/CK3CihKi91
— Chris Shepherd (@NFLscheme) November 1, 2026
The rookie's production was among the few bright spots for an Indianapolis defense that surrendered 42 points and 366 total yards.
During his postgame interview with Colts.com, he discussed how his preparation helped him deliver a productive performance in his first start.
Despite the disappointing final score, Allen's ability to make plays is encouraging as the Colts evaluate their younger players moving forward.
Indianapolis will hope to snap its four-game losing streak when it hosts the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts rookie CJ Allen shines in first career start against Jaguars
