Patriots vs. Colts: Three to Watch on Offense Against Indianapolis

The New England Patriots have traveled to Indiana for a Saturday night showdown with quarterback Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts. Saturday's Week Fifteen matchup will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:15pm ET.

New England will look to a promising rookie, a valued veteran and more to help mitigate the loss of running back Damien Harris to a hamstring injury.

Still, many other Patriots players are expected to garner some attention during Monday’s matchup. Here are three players on offense that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Colts.

Mac Jones

Earlier this week, Colts’ linebacker Bobby Okereke told reporters that their defense will attempt to make the Patriots “one-dimensional and see what [Mac Jones] can do.” As such, Okereke’s comments seem to indicate that the Colts are content to proceed with a strategy of stopping the run and forcing Jones to win by utilizing the passing game. Despite the bravado brimming from Indy with regard to this task, it should be noted that Jones is quite capable of leading a highly-productive passing game. In Week Twelve, the Tennessee Titans attempted a similar game plan in prioritizing the stoppage of the Patriots run game. Jones put in a solid performance, throwing for 300-plus yards, tossing two touchdowns and contributing 11 yards rushing. The rookie completed 71 percent of his passes, including 11-of-11 of his play-action throws for 169 passing yards. Prior to their mere three throwing attempts against the Buffalo Bills in Week Thirteen, McDaniels’ schemes had been quite effective in breaking their opponents’ zone coverages. Whether it be deep shots to Jakobi Meyers or Kendrick Bourne, or the intermediate passing game with tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, the QB/OC combination has been impressive in utilizing their strengths. Still, Jones will need to be on the watch for potential pressure from the Colts’ front seven. While solid at all three levels, Indianapolis’ defensive brain trust is likely to attempt to confuse the Pats’ rookie by deploying strategically placed blitzes from the second and third level of the defense. If the Pats’ offensive line can provide adequate protection for Jones, he should find ways to move the ball through the air on Saturday night.

Kendrick Bourne

Bourne’s versatility has been one of the major reasons for his seemingly perfect fit into the Patriots offensive scheme. The 26-year-old has been targeted 53 times, compiling 42 receptions for 623 yards and five touchdowns. Bourne has also demonstrated an ability to be a threat in the running game; logging 81 yards on seven rushes. However, when deployed as a receiver his natural, and best fit) Bourne has aligned in the slot, and on the outside. Though his technical prowess allows him to win from either alignment, he has looked most comfortable in the Z-receiver role, while occasionally assisting in the slot. However, Bourne has also been called upon to line up at the ‘X’ at times, with a respectable level of success. His 79.2 percent catch rate, third among all NFL receivers, has made him one of Mac Jones’ most reliable targets at the receiver position. On Saturday, Jones will be looking to his most versatile targets to make plays in the intermediate area of the field. As a result, Bourne could be primed for a big night in primetime.

Hunter Henry

Against Indianapolis on Saturday, Jones may find success by targeting the middle of the field. This is an area in which the Colts’ defense is particularly susceptible to yielding yards, especially when covering tight ends. Indy’s defense has allowed a league-high 70.8 receiving yards-per-game to tight ends thus far in 2021. As a result, look for Henry to play a major role on Saturday. While widely praised for his versatility, he is most productive when playing the traditional “Y” role, accentuating his route-running skills, as well as his ability to box out. He has also proven himself a strong blocker and reliable pass catcher. He leads the team with seven touchdown receptions and has developed quite the synergy with quarterback Mac Jones. Still, what makes Henry such an effective receiver is his route running ability, which he does as well (if not better) than any tight end in the league. With the Patriots still poised to utilize the running game on Saturday, their passing opportunities will likely come mostly from play action. In that regard, Henry should see significant looks. in short-yardage situations, as well as a handful of targets in the endzone. Therefore, Henry may be in prime position to help Jones make a ‘one dimensional’ passing attack more potent than their opponents may realize.