The Indianapolis Colts are traveling to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers here in Week 2 of the NFL season.
It’s still early in the 2024 NFL year, but this is an important game for both teams, who currently find themselves 0-1. While each situation is different and pass results aren’t indicative of what’s to come, historically speaking, falling to 0-2 is bad for a team’s playoff chances.
Given that the Packers are without Jordan Love, the Colts are the overwhelming favorite among experts who have put in their predictions for this game. However, as we all know, nothing is ever given in the NFL.
Below are three big questions facing the Colts in their Week 2 matchup. If you’d like the more glass-half-full outlook, click here for three reasons why the Colts will win this game.
The run defense
Last week against the Houston Texans, the Colts run defense got ran over, allowing 213 rushing yards overall, including 159 to running back Joe Mixon. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said that the defensive game-plan consisted of lighter boxes to provide help for the secondary, which the Texans took advantage of in the ground game. In addition to that, there was a night and day difference in the Colts’ run defense when Grover Stewart was on the field versus when he was off.
This week, the challenge doesn’t get any easier, with the Colts taking on Packers’ running back Josh Jacobs. While there are question marks in the secondary for the Colts–more on that in second–priority No. 1 for the defense needs to be limiting Jacobs and putting the ball in Malik Willis’ hands.
The secondary
The Colts entered the season with major unknowns in the secondary, and those questions have only grown now just two weeks into the season. This past week, the Colts would place JuJu Brents on injured reserve, while Julian Blackmon was ruled out on Friday with a shoulder injury.
When it comes to the Packers receivers–a very deep and dynamic unit–and the Colts’ secondary, Green Bay has a massive advantage in that matchup. The unknown is whether or not Malik Willis will be able to capitalize on those opportunities. Similarly to last week, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Packers play a heavy-dose of 11 personnel in an effort to spread the Colts out.
Ultimately, the Colts will have to pick their poison, help their shorthanded secondary and leave themselves light against Jacobs and the run game. Or commit to stopping the run which will put their cornerbacks in one-on-one matchups.
Can Colts find consistency in the passing game?
In the season opener, it was the big passing play that kept the Colts in it against the Texans, with Anthony Richardson and the passing game generating three plays of 50-plus yards–two of which went for touchdowns and the other set up an eventual touchdown.
However, outside of those splash plays, the passing game lacked consistency, and when coupled with a run game that couldn’t get going, there were a lot of short drives for the offense. While splash plays are important to an offense’s success, it can’t be the only avenue for producing points. The Colts have to find some traction in the run game and on those short to intermediate routes. Getting Josh Downs back–who is reported to be 50-50 right now–will be important in providing that element.