Week 7 has arrived, and we are nearing the halfway point of the NFL season. The Colts enter this game at 3-3 on the season and have an opportunity to get above .500 for the first time this season. The Colts November schedule is arguably the toughest stretch of their season. Getting a win this week will go a long way to keeping them in the AFC Wild Card race. Let’s dive into the pre-game storylines to watch heading into Sunday’s matchup
The Return Of Anthony Richardson
The last two weeks we have seen Joe Flacco under center, if everything goes to plan, then we will see the return of Anthony Richardson under center. He has practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday, which implies that he will be back under center.
We spoke last week about the Colts inability to put together a complete game in all three phases. This also applies to Richardson as well. Injuries have hampered his ability to see the playing time we were all hoping for. Without game reps, Richardson cannot succeed or improve. The Dolphins are decimated with pass rush injuries, and this is a great spot for Richardson to get some meaningful reps and continue his growth.
Can The Defense Build On Last Week’s Momentum?
I know it has become redundant talking about the defense every week but it’s always a concern when it comes to pre-game discussion. This week is no different, as the team looks to build on last week’s momentum. In the first 3 quarters, we saw the same struggles we have seen all season, especially when trying to stop the run.
That Tony Pollard TD run on 3rd and 19 seemed to be the tipping point. Where it appeared that was rock bottom for the defense with the fanbase. After that run, the Colts had five more defensive possessions that yielded zero points and only 2 first downs. It was the best stretch this defense has put together all season and helped them clinch last week’s victory.
The task will not be any easier this week. The skill position players in Miami are formidable with a rushing attack led by the committee of Raheem Mostert and Devon Achane. On the perimeter, they will deal with two stud receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. This defense will need to up the pressure on quarterback Snoop Huntley. The Colts’ defense has not had a recorded sack in over 2 weeks and will look to reverse that trend this week.
Will We See A Larger Role For Tyler Goodson?
Barring Jonathan Taylor taking some magical healing potion on Thursday night, we will see Taylor miss his third consecutive game. The Colts have quietly tipped their hand to this already as they signed RB Salvon Ahmed to the practice squad this week. It does appear that Taylor is progressing, but common sense says they might be making sure he is healthy for the Houston Texans next week.
While Trey Sermon got the bulk of the work last week, it was Tyler Goodson who shined on the ground. Sermon accounted for 29 yards on 18 carries whereas Goodson contributed 51 yards on 8 carries. I felt that Coach Steichen, unfortunately, stayed the course with Sermon last week during his poor performance. Will Steichen shift the game plan to Goodson with Richardson being able to get rush yards on designed runs? Could we also see the debut of 2023 5th-round pick Evan Hull in the pass-catching role? Sermon is nursing a knee injury, and this could be Goodson’s moment to shine and help lead this franchise to a needed victory on Sunday.
Featured Photo Credit: IndyStar
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