As The Rock would say, “finally,” The Colts are no longer winless! A big test against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. This game isn’t a “must” win, but it would be a needed win and provide hope for all of Colts Nation.
The Ravens: The 3-1 Ravens come into this Monday Night on a three-game win streak and looking to make it a fourth. The biggest thing to watch for is how our Colts defense plays against Lamar Jackson.
What to watch for:
The critical thing to watch for is the Colts running game. Last week vs. the Dolphins, we saw Jonathan Taylor break the 100-yard mark. The key to beating the Ravens is draining the clock by running the ball effectively with Taylor and Hines. Another key is Colt’s defense and how they contain Lamar Jackson. The Ravens franchise was in the headlines in last week’s win vs. the Broncos by tying the NFL record of consecutive 100-yard rushing yards at 43. It’s safe to say the Lamar and company will look to break the record on Monday night. The Colt’s defense looked strong in Miami, but Baltimore is a better test for the team to see if they can return the form we know. The defense has been rocky as a whole, but returning players could turn this defense around.
Injury Report:
Ravens:
This team is not like ours. The injury report for the Ravens was pretty short. While the Ravens have battled through injuries all year, they seem to be healthy against us. Of course, Marcus Peters, JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Derek Wolfe, and Nick Boyle are all on IR for the team. If anyone knows injuries like the Colts, it’s the Ravens. Injuries to watch for in this game, though, are Alejandro Villanueva battling a knee injury, Ronnie Stanley battling an ankle injury, and DeShon Elliott dealing with a quad injury.
Colts:
Another week in the NFL, another long injury list. Kwity Paye has not practiced all week. Usually, a telling sign that he is out. Braden Smith, another guy we thought would play on Monday, hasn’t practiced either. Willis and Rock look to make a Monday night return after practicing in a limited capacity both days. We will have to see how Saturday goes for them.
Keys to winning:
The key to continuing the win streak alive for the Colts is to Pound the rock effectively. Running the ball effectively and keeping the ball out of Lamar Jackson’s hands is the biggest key. Stopping Lamar on offense, keeping him in the pocket, and not allowing Lamar Jackson to beat us on the ground. It looks like Paye may be out again, and if that’s the case, expect to see more Kemoko Turay would have a great game vs. the Dolphins. Look for him to be called upon to stop Lamar Jackson. The Colts offense was finally putting up points in the red zone by not leaving points behind last week, and they will need to continue that this week.
