Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots Preview

Injury Report:

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

OH FUCK YEAH ITS PATRIOTS HATE WEEK I AM SO EXCITED. Last time the Colts saw New England was 2021, I was in the building at Lucas Oil on a Saturday night. I consider that night one of the greatest moments I have ever had as a sports spectator, a packed house, screaming my lungs out, Mac Jones throwing a pic to end the half in Colts territory then the Patriots mounting a comeback before Taylor breaks off a touchdown run to win the game, it was perfect, down to the last, minute detail. 

A little history behind my personal rivalry with the Patriots. I have been raised in a family full of Boston sports fans, my blood runs Red Sox red, Celtic green and Bruin black and gold, but my dad taught me to stray, he was a diehard Eric Dickerson fan as a kid, he was never a football fan besides him, when Dickerson went to the Colts, it stuck with my dad while his father stayed with the Patriots. Luckily enough, the Colts and Patriots both lucked out with Hall of Fame, GOAT quarterbacks, and an inter-family rivalry was born. As a Colts fan growing up in the post-Manning era, I don’t really remember too much about the Peyton years, I remember the Super Bowl, a random game against the Jaguars, the playoff loss to the Jets by a field goal and the 2011 season when they released Peyton and I cried because I didn’t understand why they would get rid of Peyton, I was 9 years old and very dumb, or were the Colts very dumb? That’s a question for another day. Me and my grandfather were always close, from the time I was 6 years old, I remember calling him to talk sports, as I got older (and smarter) I talked to him more and more, monthly calls turned weekly, then bi-weekly, and during baseball season, we would talk 4-6 times per week about various things, including Andrew Luck and the Colts, I remember the 2013 wild card game, I must have called him 5 times that night with a varying degree of emotions, from depression to unmeasurable elation. Even on his final day, on his bed side, he wanted to talk about the game. He passed in 2018 from pancreatic cancer, so the day he passed we did what we only could do, talk football, we didn’t get much out of him, but the Colts had just beat the Dolphins in week 12, to officially get over .500 for the first time that season, they were rolling, Andrew Luck was back and any Colts fan was feeling pretty good, he didn’t believe me when I said the Colts are going to be dangerous, because the Patriots had already handled the Colts that season. We talked about my high school golf team winning the district championship, but there’s never enough time and he passed later that day while I was at his side. I know most Colts fans circle this game on the calendar because of the history and I do too, but I have more reasons, closer reasons, and to be honest, when the Pats don’t play the Colts, a deep part of me roots for them, my grandfather was my best friend. When people say “Oh sports don’t matter you’re not playing”, I see that as ignorant, these teams and players have helped every one of us create precious memories with our friends and loved ones, Andrew Luck, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, hell, even younger players like Jonathan Taylor have been apart of moments with my dad, my grandfather or my friends that I hold close. I know I got sappy but this game always gets me emotional, so let’s get into how the Colts can win this game.

Offensive Keys to the Game:

1. Protect the ball: Every one of the Colts 4 losses has shown them losing the turnover battle, last week 2 backbreaking fumbles in enemy territory cost the Colts at least 3 points, Sam Ehlinger’s fumble was a rookie mistake, you have to expect that, and Darius Leonard’s interception made up for it, but Jonathan Taylor’s fumble is unacceptable, I consider that to be the turnover that truly lost the game, when your best player can’t hold on after picking up a 1st down deep in Washington territory. Bill Belichick of all people, will punish costly turnovers. 
2. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid): Once again I am asking you, Frank Reich, to just simplify the offense, he did a good job last week, mostly, but in the biggest moment of the game he folded, ran the ball 2 times in a row up the middle and then asked his rookie quarterback to convert a 3rd and 5 to win the game, don’t put your rookie quarterback in situations like that, but don’t be afraid, Ehlinger has showed great pocket presence and the ability to time the rush, he threw some good balls down the field, including a drop by Pittman to possibly win the game, that’s what Belichick expect of rookies, a conservative approach which doesn’t work, what do you have to lose? Sling it, your starting running back is out, throw the ball 25-35 times to see how he handles the pressure.
3. RUN THE DAMN BALL: Deon Jackson is a DAWG, let the big dawg eat, just because you are going to commit to the pass, don’t abandon the run, Jackson should see at least 20 carries to keep the patriots guessing, their run defense is good so don’t expect too much production but keeping the defense from stretching the field will help Ehlinger find open guys.

Defensive Keys to the Game

1. Bring Zappe Back: No not literally, I am not sure what their plan is with Jones, they didn’t go back to Zappe against the Jets so it makes me think they wanted to ease Mac back into action against the Bears, I couldn’t see a world where they would do the same unless Mac is injured, but we need to make Gillette chant Zappe’s name and want him back.
2. Make the Pats Paye: Kwity is back for a reason, cause he’s really fucking good, and the Patriots are much worse in the passing game when they see a blitz, an 83.3 rating vs the Blitz against a 101.3 rating with a normal rush. Jones has taken 11 sacks so far on 35 blitz’s with a 20.7% pressure percentage, that is combined with a 70.9% on target throw percentage and a 4.5% drop percentage.
3. Bend but Don’t Break: It takes 2 to win the turnover battle, but the leverage of turnovers is half the battle, getting an interception is helpful, but a late game interception in your own territory when up by a score, same thing with the offense, turning it over at mid-field is a lot less painful than in the Red Zone, it’s inevitable that the Pats will be in the Red Zone at some point, force turnovers because every point matters with this underwhelming Colts offense.

Player of the Game Prediction:

Remember, this is a Colts blog so I only think positive things about the colts

Deon Jackson: 18 ATT, 88 YDS, 5 REC, 50 YDS, 1 RUSH TD

Game Prediction:

Again, since this is a Colts blog, I only predict the score in situations the Colts could win in

Colts: 22

Patriots: 17

(P.S. On Episode 66 of Chaotically Intolerant, which hasn’t released yet, I have already stated that if the colts go to the playoffs under Sam Ehlinger, I will buy an Ehlinger jersey, if they win the Super Bowl, I will light a cigar for the very first time and smoke it that night)