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          Alec Pierce strikes first against Jaguars with 40-yard TD catch

          • Stephen Holder, ESPNJan 5, 2025, 01:26 PM ET
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              Stephen joined ESPN in 2022, covering the Indianapolis Colts and NFL at large. Stephen finished first place in column writing in the 2015 Indiana Associated Press Media Editors competition, and he is a previous top-10 winner in explanatory journalism in the Associated Press Sports Editors national contest. He has chronicled the NFL since 2005, covering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2005-2013 and the Colts since 2013. He has previously worked for the Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Times, Indianapolis Star and The Athletic.

          INDIANAPOLIS -- Alec Pierce got the Indianapolis Colts on the board early against the Jacksonville Jaguars with another big play.

          He caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco on the Colts' third play of the day. Pierce beat cornerback Montaric Brown in one-on-one coverage down the sideline.

          The Colts came out firing versus the Jaguars' secondary, with completions of 21 and nine yards before the touchdown. Pierce entered the game leading the NFL in yards per catch with 21.9, and he bumped that up to 22.4 with a single reception.

          This was Pierce's seventh reception of 40-plus yards this season, which is the second most in the NFL behind Ja'Marr Chase (eight), per ESPN Research. It's the most such receptions by a Colts receiver in a single season since at least 2000.