Colts Keys to Victory Against Patriots in Week 9
Throughout the 2000s, this matchup was must-see TV.
The Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. Peyton Manning against Tom Brady. The two juggernauts of the AFC giving us instant classics each season.
Fast forward to 2022, and it is a completely different story. Neither team has an all-time great starting quarterback. Neither team is considered the top team in their division, let alone their conference.
The Colts (3-4-1) will travel to Foxborough to take on the Patriots (4-4) in this Week 9 matchup. The Colts have not won a game at Gillette Stadium since 2006, when Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Reggie Wayne were in the midst of their Hall-of-Fame careers. On top of that, Indy is only 2-8 in their last ten games against the Patriots. However, the Colts did beat the Patriots in an exciting game at Lucas Oil Stadium just last season.
Let’s look at what it will take for the Colts to break the streak and get a win in New England.
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Sam Ehlinger vs. Bill Belichick
It has been well-documented how much young quarterbacks struggle against the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick. Since 2003, first and second-year quarterbacks have a 4-42 record at Gillette Stadium. These quarterbacks have thrown 44 touchdowns to 58 interceptions while being sacked 116 times.
Safe to say, it has been a rough experience for those trying to get a win in Foxborough. That is what Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger will try to accomplish this weekend. The former sixth-round pick will make his second career start on Sunday after losing to the Washington Commanders last week.
“Obviously, you want to get your first win and I’m really looking forward to playing against Coach Belichick and the Patriots,” Ehlinger said this week. “There’s nobody that’s done it better and they always present a challenge defensively. I know it’s going to be a challenge and it’s going to be a hostile environment. I’m looking forward to it.”
Ehlinger played well against the Commanders last week, but Belichick and the Patriots are a completely different story. The Patriots are known for their defensive disguises, making it look like they are in a certain coverage pre-snap and switching things up post-snap. Ehlinger is a smart kid and will need to be prepared for these scenarios.
Do not expect Ehlinger to light the world on fire with his performance Sunday. However, he is more than capable of making plays through the air and with his legs, and he can move the Colts’ offense down the field. If Ehlinger can play a clean game and get help from his teammates, the Colts will have a shot.
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Help Sam Succeed
The Colts cannot rely on Ehlinger to carry the offense to victory on Sunday. He will need help from his teammates, as it will take a collective effort on Sunday to get the victory.
Taking pressure off of Ehlinger with the running game will be crucial. However, with Jonathan Taylor unlikely to play due to an ankle injury and Nyheim Hines now a member of the Buffalo Bills, the Colts will have to turn to other faces to step up at running back.
Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay were the backs that stepped up earlier in the season when both Taylor and Hines were injured. Jackson had a great game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he registered ten catches and made plays all over the field. If Taylor cannot go, it will be Jackson who will take the majority of the reps.
Ehlinger will also need his pass catchers to step up and win their one-on-one matchups. The Patriots are a very physical team that likes to play a lot of press coverage, not allowing the receivers to get a free release. Look for a guy like Michael Pittman Jr. to use his physicality to win his matchups and Alec Pierce to win with speed off the line of scrimmage. Pittman was incredibly hard on himself this week for a drop at the end of the game against the Commanders, so expect a big bounce-back game from him.
And then we get to the offensive line, which has taken the brunt of the criticism this season for the Colts’ offensive woes. The line has played better in recent weeks, as the Colts have finally settled on a lineup that works for them. Ehlinger’s mobility helped create some opportunities and took the pressure off the offensive line last week as well.
But the Patriots are very creative with their defensive looks and will send blitzers from areas that are least expected. The Patriots also have Matthew Judon rushing the passer with his league-leading 8.5 sacks. Sunday will not be an easy assignment for the offensive line, but they must play up to the challenge.
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Pressure a Struggling Mac Jones
The Patriots have had some quarterback issues of their own this season. Mac Jones, a first-round pick who led the Patriots to the playoffs a year ago, has been banged up and has not had the sophomore campaign he wanted. Rookie Bailey Zappe has spelled Jones at times and provided a spark, but has been inconsistent.
The issues the Patriots have been having at quarterback present an opportunity for the Colts’ defense to take advantage. Jones is not a very mobile quarterback and struggles when pressured. It will be up to DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Yannick Ngakoue to make Jones get rid of the ball quickly and before he is ready to throw it.
If the defensive line can pressure Jones, the opportunity for turnovers will arise. The Colts’ defense has taken a major step back in the turnover department from a year ago when they produced 33 takeaways. Some of this can be attributed to the fact that Shaquille Leonard has been sidelined for most of the season with back, ankle, nose, and head injuries.
But Leonard is back and getting into the grove of the defense once again. The Colts’ lone touchdown against the Commanders came after a Leonard interception. Leonard was on a pitch count last week, but expect him to be much more involved on Sunday.
“I’m feeling better,” Leonard said Thursday. “Each week I get better and better – that’s all I can be thankful for. I just have to continue to go out and work and hopefully Sunday wherever they let me play just play that and play it well hopefully.”
The defense has been playing well all season and kept the Colts in a lot of games when the offense was struggling. Now, if the defense can capitalize and create more turnovers so the offense does not always have to go the length of the field, Indy may have a shot to pull off the upset in Foxborough.
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