The Colts next game comes against the New York Jets on Monday night football. Having played on Thanksgiving the Colts have had an extended break in-between games. They have been using the time to heal up and get prepared to play a defensively minded team. The Colts desperately need a win to keep them in the running for the coveted AFC South crown and the playoff hopes that come with it.
Familiar Faces
Colts offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is familiar with the Jets head coach. “Todd Bowles does a great job, I worked with Todd in Cleveland. It is an outstanding defense; it is going to be a heck of a challenge for us. They are aggressive and they do pressure so you have to be able to make plays when you get those opportunities. It is a kind of game where they are going to make some plays and hopefully we will be able to make some and hopefully at the end of the day for us we will be able to make more.” That pressure is something the offensive line will have to handle. The same offensive line that has already given up 38 sacks on the season and is ranked 31st overall. Granted that stat is a little misleading because at times quarterback Andrew Luck has not helped them out. Luck is coming out of the concussion protocol and his status for Monday is not certain yet. Regardless the Colts will need to be prepared to face that pressure and try to keep whatever QB is back there, upright and healthy.
Not surprisingly the Colts are wanting to rely on the running game to get them going. In hopes to take some of the pressure away from the quarterback, Chudzinksi is counting on Frank Gore. A guy he has known since Gore’s college days at the U. “I think he’s as natural of a runner as I’ve ever been around. A guy that just has great instincts and vision. He sees cracks and creases happen before they even open up. Sometimes you watch tape and you’re like, ‘Why did he go over there?’ All of a sudden a hole opens up that he knew was going to open up. He has great feet. He can get in and out of the hole and burst. He’s maybe not the fastest guy that’s played the position, but can burst and squeeze and find ways and skinny himself and get through small, tight areas. He’s been doing it for a long, long time.” The play calling hasn’t helped Gore much in his seasons with the Colts but even at 32 years old he is still is capable of playing at a high level.
What are we Facing?
The Jets offense has not exactly lit things up but they do have some talent. Last week against the Patriots they played pretty well and should have won the game if not for that pesky, ugg wearing Patriots QB. Even at 3-8 the Jets are a bit of a wildcard. They are bettter than their record suggests.
The Jets have Brandon Marshall and a trio of talented running backs might cause problems for the Colts defense. A defense that will be without OLB Robert Mathis. Normally that would be cause for concern, but this season, Mathis has been showing the effects Father Time can have. It’s so bad, in fact, that the Colts believe the recently activated Trent Cole can come back and replace him. Cole has been on IR for the past several weeks after undergoing back surgery. Even though he hasn’t been on the field in a while, defensive coordinator Ted Monachino says Cole will be ready. “He looks really good in practice and we would expect him to be as healthy as possible come Monday. I think that we just have to continue to expose him to enough things that he feels confident going out there and playing in the game. We’re certainly hopeful that can happen.” Even with Mathis not playing well Trent Cole is far from a good option but Monachino seems to think Cole is the best option. “Yeah, at that position if you’re going to pass the torch, that’s a good guy to pass it to if Trent can be healthy, especially not knowing the severity or the extent of Rob’s injury.” At this point its really hard to have a better option to put out there, so any warm body might be a welcome thing for an ailing defense that is lacking in talent. Thankfully the Jets don’t have a terrifically good quarterback. However, given the Colts lack of pass rush this season, Ryan Fitzmagic will probably be able to do some damage against a hurting secondary.
This game it kind of a toss up. The Colts COULD win, but every week continues to be a roller coaster so the Colts could also lose badly. I am hopeful that the Colts field the winning team on Monday. Colts 28-Jets 24
All quotes courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts PR department
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