NFL.com Predicts Colts vs. Patriots
The Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1) travel to Foxboro, Mass. on Sunday to take on the New England Patriots (4-4). The game has AFC Playoff implications as both teams are just on the outside looking in, knowing a winning record may be all it takes to get in the dance at the end of the season.
The Colts enter the game as 5.5-point underdog according to SI Sportsbook and will need new quarterback Sam Ehlinger to make considerable progress in his second start to pull off the upset in New England.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com likes the Patriots at home in his weekly predictions column. He was 11-4 straight up last week and has the Patriots winning, but not covering in a 20-17 New England win.
The Colts humbled the Patriots a year ago, running all over them to start New England’s late-season slide. It doesn't appear Indianapolis can pull that off this year with Jonathan Taylor having aggravated his ankle injury behind a faulty offensive line. It's beyond time for the Patriots to decide who their best offensive players are, rather than constantly rotating and trying out different styles each week, with Mac Jones suddenly running RPOs against the Jets. Nothing is consistent enough about the Pats to make them heavy favorites, but the Colts’ offense is consistently bad no matter who is at quarterback. -- Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com
The Colts offense has failed to put up points in most games this season, true. But with one start in his career, it's a little too early to say the offense is consistently bad under Ehlinger.
If Ehlinger can improve on his first start against the Washington Commanders, the Colts could find themselves back at .500 with a chance to push above that mark in Las Vegas against the Raiders on November 13th.
Push above .500, and the Colts are in the thick of the wide-open AFC Playoff race.
