A battle of 3-1 teams on 3-game winning streaks should make for a very exciting matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts come to Cleveland with the NFL’s top defense, as well as a new “old” quarterback in Philip Rivers.
To get more info on the Colts, I turned to Colts Wire and editor Kevin Hickey for a few questions. Hickey graciously provided some good insight with his answers.
How is Philip Rivers working out at QB so far?
He has been more good than bad. He likely won’t be able to carry the offense in an all-out barn burner, but the Colts knew that. They want him to work off of the run game with play-action while limiting the turnover-worthy throws. He’s been efficient thus far through four games, and the upgrade he presents over Jacoby Brissett is obvious. He’s certainly benefiting from the Colts offensive line even if the unit isn’t playing up to its standards.
As the Colts want to win with a strong defense and a stout run game, Rivers has been doing a solid job for the majority of the season.
The Colts have the best scoring defense in the league but they’ve also played some bad offenses. How much has been Indy’s dominance and how much can be attributed to facing the likes of the Jets and Bears?
It’s a bit of both. Their schedule should absolutely be accounted for when looking at the entire picture. That said, they dominated those offenses. That’s what you want to see from a potentially-elite defense. What makes this seem like a sustainable situation comes from their success on third downs and the consistent pressure they get every week.
The addition of DeForest Buckner has been incredible while Justin Houston shows no signs of slowing down. They’ve been extremely strong against the run as well, and that will have to continue against Kareem Hunt and the Browns.
Rookie Jonathan Taylor has taken over as the lead RB. How has he looked?
He’s looked like a rookie. The explosive plays haven’t really been there, but some of that can be attributed to the offensive line failing to stay engaged on their blocks. Taylor has shown some nice vision, but it’s still a work in progress. There have been times when he misses the open hole or doesn’t get there quick enough before it closes.
The Colts also have been using him primarily on the inside, which is fine, but they need to get him to the edge a little more so he can turn the corner a few times a game. His numbers don’t look great, but once he gets a better hold of the blocking scheme and the pace of the league, he should be in a position to shine.
Who are a couple of Colts players that don’t get enough national attention for their play?
Defensive Tackle Grover Stewart is one of the names that comes to mind. Working from the one-technique, Stewart is a brawler in the middle of the defensive line. He’s a bully against interior offensive linemen and wrecks the running game before it gets a chance to find a rhythm.
Cornerback Kenny Moore is constantly underrated. He works primarily from the slot, but his arm length and ability in press coverage allows him to work on the boundary as well. Wide receiver Zach Pascal and tight end Mo Alie-Cox have emerged as underrated players both in their receiving and run-blocking abilities.
What one matchup with the Browns makes you the most nervous for Indianapolis?
It will be containing Myles Garrett. Right tackle Braden Smith has been growing into a strong young tackle, but Garrett is an elite edge rusher. Anthony Castonzo is dealing with a rib injury and may not play on Sunday, which would be a massive blow to the offense. If the Colts can’t contain Garrett, their offense could continue to struggle in a big way.
Who wins and why?
This is a tough matchup to predict because these two teams are very similar. If the Colts can slow down the run and force Baker to throw, I think they can come out with a win. But if players like Castonzo and Darius Leonard miss the game, I’ll go with the Browns. But at this point in the week, I have to stay in the flames with the Colts until they prove us wrong. Colts, 26-23.