PLAYER NOTES
–The Colts’ 17 sacks are the most for the first four games in franchise history and rank second in the league to Chicago’s 18.
–Colts rookie LB Darius Leonard, who has been resting a sore ankle injured on Sunday, leads the NFL with 54 total tackles, including 38 solos.
–Colts DE Margus Hunt leads the NFL with nine tackles for loss. He has four sacks. The sixth-year pro had just 2.5 in his career prior to this season.
–Colts LB Anthony Walker had a career-high 10 tackles and his first career sack against Houston.
–All indications point to reinstated Colts RB Robert Turbin getting his share of snaps. Starter Marlon Mack is injured and the Colts have been relying on rookies Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines. Turbin just served a four-game suspension for violating the league policy on performance-enhancing drugs, so especially in a short week nobody in the locker room is more fresh. Plus the Colts didn’t add another running back to the active roster.
–Patriots LB John Simon was among the Colts’ final preseason roster cuts despite the fact he was one of the defense’s best players in 2017. Colts GM Chris Ballard said the difficult decision was made because Simon didn’t fit the new 4-3 scheme as a defensive end. Just signed last week and listed on the Patriots depth chart as a reserve defensive end, Simon debuted with five tackles and one sack in the Patriots’ 38-7 home win over Miami on Sunday.
–The Colts will see two other familiar faces in WR Phillip Dorsett and TE Dwayne Allen. Dorsett was a Colts first-round pick in 2015, but didn’t pan out, starting just seven of 26 games played in two seasons. He was traded to the Patriots for backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Dorsett started just two of 15 games last season, but has already started twice this season. He had four receptions for 55 yards with a TD on Sunday. Allen, a Colts third-round pick in 2012, was at times the team’s best tight end with 19 TDs in five seasons, but after earning a new contract he was traded in 2017 by Ballard with a sixth-round pick for a fourth-round selection. He’s started 11 of 20 games with the Patriots with just 11 receptions for 82 yards and one TD. This season, his only catch lost four yards.
–Although the Colts lost 37-34 in overtime, Sunday’s setback snapped a streak of failing to score at least 24 points in 14 consecutive games.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WR Chester Rogers. While the Colts target so many pass catchers, it’s telling that when they needed a first down in overtime on Sunday, the fourth-down throw went to Rogers. Not having injured T.Y. Hilton meant going with their next-best option, which Reich obviously thought was Rogers. The third-year pro had a career-high eight receptions. Only once before had he caught more than four passes in a game – he had six receptions for 104 yards and one TD against Pittsburgh last season. Because Hilton isn’t expected to play, someone has to lead a young, relatively inexperienced group of receivers. Rogers has been on this roster longer than any of the others, so look for him to be a key go-to guy on Thursday night.
GAME PLAN: The Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady usually shine in prime time when the national TV spotlight is on Gillette Stadium. And because the Colts have struggled mightily in recent visits, the first priority is for the Colts offense to take care of the football and not make life harder on a young defense that has played well for the most part. Turnovers would turn this into another rout very quickly. But how will the Colts move the ball without injured wide receiver T.Y. Hilton? The way they did against the Texans. Because the run game hasn’t been too productive, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has spread the ball around to 12 different targets. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick will probably crowd the defensive box after watching film of an offense that relies on short throws to running backs – Colts rookie Nyheim Hines leads the team with 22 receptions. Those catches have gained 119 yards (5.4 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
As much as the Colts offense faces a challenge, the defense must contend with quarterback Tom Brady, who gets rid of the ball quickly and is difficult to sack. The Colts pass rush has been strong, but they will quickly learn it’s more important to disrupt Brady’s timing if possible because defenders typically don’t have the chance to finish him for a sack. Wide receiver Julian Edelman is sure to get a workout in exposing weaknesses in a banged-up secondary. If injured tight end Rob Gronkowski (ankle) plays, he’s another matchup nightmare. Gronk has had some monster games against the Colts, including a three-touchdown performance in 2011. Most of the current Colts defenders weren’t even out of high school then. Brady will also look to make life easier with a rushing attack that generated 175 yards in a 31-point home rout of the Dolphins. Running back Sony Michel ran for 112 yards on 25 carries with one touchdown. Because Brady and the passing game is so hard to stop, a Colts defense that is often bend, but don’t break could be susceptible to ground gains. The Colts are tied for 17th in rushing yards allowed per game. The Patriots rank 12th in rushing yards per game.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Colts LDE Jabaal Sheard vs. Patriots RT Marcus Cannon. The Colts’ best pass rusher the past two seasons goes up against his former team, with whom he won a Super Bowl ring in the 2016 postseason. But the Patriots didn’t re-sign him, so he signed with the Colts. He’s started all 20 games for his new team with 66 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He undoubtedly knows Cannon well from playing against him in practice. Cannon is regarded as one of the league’s better right tackles. He’s started all 25 games in which he’s appeared since 2016, although last season was reduced nine games by a season-ending ankle injury. The Patriots have allowed just six sacks in four games.
–Patriots WR Julian Edelman vs. Colts CBs. If TE Rob Gronkowski (ankle) plays, then he’s an obvious matchup problem for Colts linebackers and safety Clayton Geathers, but because he’s questionable and hasn’t practiced this week, the more obvious concern is Edelman, who returns from a four-game suspension for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He’s been sorely missed in the Patriots’ 2-2 start because QB Tom Brady relies on him to move the chains. The shifty wide receiver is often impossible to cover on those quick-hit, short-range patterns. Brady can take a three-step drop and Edelman is open. The Colts are so banged up in the secondary with two cornerbacks possibly missing the game with concussions and another nursing an ankle injury, it’s unknown who would match up with Edelman, who moves around in the formation but typically lines up in the slot.
