PATRIOTS @ COLTS
Tom Douglas
Sunday Night Football heads to Lucas Oil Stadium this week in the match of the round between the New England Patriots (7-2) and the Indianapolis Colts (6-3). Prior to the bye the Patriots knocked off the Broncos (43-21) and the Colts took care of the Giants (40-24). The Patriots have won 5 in a row after a slow start to the season, and the Colts are also firing, winning 6 of their last 7 matches. This looks to be a battle of the quarterbacks, with two of the best going head to head this week.
New England have scored 31 points per game this year (3rd), with their star quarterback Tom Brady throwing for 22 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions. His favourite target is tight end Rob Gronkowski (pictured right), who is hitting a purple patch at the moment, with 254 yards and 4 touchdowns over the last 2 weeks. To stop the Patriots you must stop Gronk, but is that really possible?
Defensively, the Patriots have allowed 22 points and 355 yards per game. Despite this, they have managed to force 18 turnovers and 22 sacks. Pressuring Andrew Luck is the key for this week, because as good as he has been, he does turn the ball over (9 interceptions this year).
It is very hard to fault the Indianapolis Colts offense, as it leads the league for
points (32) and yards (451) per game. Luck has thrown 26 touchdowns and 9 interceptions this year, but in games where he hasn’t thrown a pick, the Colts are 5-0. T.Y Hilton is Luck’s favourite target, with 937 receiving yards for the year (3rd). The ground game isn’t going to bad either, averaging 4 yards per carry and Ahmad Bradshaw has scored in 4 of the last 5 games.
Defensively, the Colts are allowing 23 points and 361 yards per game. Similar to the Patriots, they have forced 15 turnovers and 24 sacks. Vontae Davis has been a beast at the front line, deflecting 14 passes this year, and D’Qwell Jackson has made 70 tackles this season.
The Patriots are the in form team in the NFL right now, but their away record is 4-11 in their last 15 road games. With Andrew Luck being unstoppable at the moment, along with the Patriots poor road record, I have to go with the Colts at home.
INDIANAPOLIS by 4.