What we learned about the Colts in Week 16

Four things we learned in Week 16.

The Indianapolis Colts (7-8) dominated their way to a 38-6 win over the Carolina Panthers (5-10) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, snapping a four-game losing streak.

Though it doesn’t matter because the Colts are already out of the playoffs, the win did have an impact on the team’s draft capital. It was a complete team win with the Colts dominating in all three phases of the game.

Here are four things we learned about the Colts in Week 16:

Draft capital takes a hit

Because the Colts won, their first-round pick moved down a few spots to No. 16 overall. Had they lost, they would have been near the No. 10 pick. The team isn’t going to tank and given the construction of the roster, they are still good enough to beat up on bad teams.

The Colts are also likely to stay toward the middle of the first round following the game against the Jagaurs in Week 17 to round out the season. In what is likely to be a win, the Colts are probably staring at a pick somewhere between 16–20.

Even if it is just a few picks difference from a win and a loss, that can make all the difference in who falls to the Colts in the first round of the draft.

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Nyheim Hines discusses what he saw on his punt return TDs

Nyheim Hines had a special day.

Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines had a career day Sunday when he took two punt returns for touchdowns in the 38-6 win against the Carolina Panthers at Lucas Oil Stadium.

It’s clear the impact Hines has as a punt returner and the job is likely his to lose entering the offseason. The second-year back told reporters what he saw that helped lead him to making some franchise history as the first Colts player to record two punt return touchdowns in a game.

“The kick, I see the kicker kick the ball. He has a lot of distance, not really high in the air, when I look down and I see all the other 10 guys blocking, I know I have space,” Hines told reporters. “So when I can catch the ball and look down that means those guys have already done their job. Honestly, when I make one or two guys miss that’s not really me that’s the rest of the guys on the team. On both returns, I think I had to make one or two guys miss and everybody else was blocked. That’s the return guys that’s not really me. So, I wish I could bring them all up here for me. Those are the guys that really made it happen.”

Hines had a truly special day returning punts. Though he only had three returns, he took them for 195 yards and two touchdowns. His first return was for 40 yards and set up an eventual touchdown on the first offensive drive. Then his next two were touchdowns from 84 and 71 yards, respectively.

The progression of Hines has been happening throughout his first two seasons in the NFL, and he has become a unique player in the mind of Frank Reich.

“He’s such a unique player. He’s a true three-down back. He can do special things in the pass game. We try to get him a handful of touches every game,” Reich said after the game. “You’ve still got to spread the ball around. What’s great about Nyheim (Hines) is he literally works extremely hard on every little detail and every assignment.”

The Colts have just one more game left before the season officially ends but it seems Hines has a role to lose as the punt returner.

Colts’ snap counts from 38-6 win over Panthers

Snap counts from Week 16.

The Indianapolis Colts (7-8) snapped their four-game losing streak Sunday with a 38-6 win over the Carolina Panthers (5-10) at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Dominating in all three phases of the game, the Colts got out to an early lead and never looked back thanks to some help on the return front from Nyheim Hines.

Here’s a look at the offensive snap counts from the Week 16 win:

No surprises here. Joe Haeg filled in for Quenton Nelson, who suffered a concussion during the first half of the game and didn’t return. Jordan Wilkins got some more looks in the backfield in the fourth quarter and had a strong day that ended in a touchdown.

Here’s a look at the defensive and special teams snap counts from the win:

No big changes here either. Safety Clayton Geathers saw some more playing time with Khari Willis suffering a burner during the second half of the game. Even with Kenny Moore out, Marvell Tell was out-snapped by Briean Boddy-Calhoun, who was signed earlier in the week.

5 biggest studs from Colts’ blowout win over Panthers

These Colts stood out in the win.

The Indianapolis Colts (7-8) enjoyed a blowout 38-6 win over the Carolina Panthers (5-10) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium to snap a four-game losing streak.

The final home game of the season was the team’s most dominating win of the season. They played sound football in all three phases and especially on special teams, which was a nice surprise.

Here are the five biggest studs from the Week 16 win:

RB Nyheim Hines

Hines didn’t do his damage on the offensive side of the ball, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t impact the score. No, Hines was electric as the return man taking not one but two punts back for touchdowns. He finished the day with three punt returns for 195 yards and two touchdowns.

Hines got his day started with a 40-yard punt return, which led to an eventual touchdown for the Colts. Then he followed his next return with an 84-yard touchdown and in the fourth quarter capped off his career day with a 71-yard return for a touchdown.

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Colts vs. Panthers: Live updates from Week 16

Live updates in Week 16.

It’s time for football now as the Indianapolis Colts (6-8) are set to play host the Carolina Panthers (5-9) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Week 16 matchup features two teams on a losing streak. The Colts have lost four games in a row and six of their last seven while the Panthers have lost six in a row and seven of their last eight.

Though neither team will be in the playoffs this season, there are still plenty of reasons to keep up with the game.

Here is our live feed with updates from Twitter for the Week 16 matchup:

https://twitter.com/TheColtsWire/lists/indianapolis-colts

4 Colts to watch vs. Panthers in Week 16

Keep an eye on these Colts in Week 16.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-8) play host to the Carolina Panthers (5-9) on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium as both teams look to get back on track and into the win column.

Both teams have combined for 10 consecutive losses and are out of the playoff picture in their respective conferences. But there is still football to be played, which means there are players to watch.

Here are four Colts to keep an eye on in Week 16:

DT Tyquan Lewis

Remember him? The highly-touted second-round pick from 2018 hasn’t done much since entering the league. Most of his struggles have been because of injury. But he’s been healthy lately and still hasn’t been making the type of impact expected of him from the interior.

In the last three games, Lewis has hovered around 35–40% of snaps played. That number should increase on Sunday with Denico Autry already being ruled out due to a concussion. Lewis hasn’t done much to prove he should hold a significant role in the future, but he will have a chance on Sunday.

Whether he will take advantage of his opportunities will be something to watch in this Week 16 matchup

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Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Panthers Wire

Previewing the Panthers in Week 16.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-8) and Carolina Panthers (5-9) are preparing for a Sunday battle at Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 16.

Ahead of the matchup, we caught up with our friends over at Panthers Wire and managing editor Tim Weaver to get the scoop on the Colts’ opponent in Week 16.

Here we go behind enemy lines with Panthers Wire:

Colts Wire: What does the future hold for Cam Newton? Is there a likelihood he gets traded this offseason?

Tim Weaver: I would be surprised if he gets traded. Newton has one year left on his deal and if he’s anything close to 100% healthy he’ll be a bargain given what franchise QBs are getting these days. Cam wants to come back, but it depends on the new front office arrivals. Whoever replaces Ron Rivera might want to start over with a younger QB, but as far as options already on the roster it’s Newton and then a massive dropoff. In the first half of last season before he was injured, he was playing at a high level and I think he can do so again. The Panthers should roll the dice and bet he will.

CW: Are there any front runners to replace Ron Rivera?

TW: There hasn’t been any real solid reporting yet on who will replace Rivera. Some names that have been mentioned include Mike McCarthy, Jim Harbaugh and Matt Rhule. Based on what owner David Tepper has said, I’m guessing he is inclined to find a younger, more offensive-minded head coach who isn’t shy about trying new things, especially integrating analytics into his decision making. That doesn’t exactly narrow it down, though. We will find out soon who he has in mind.

CW: Who has been a surprise for the Panthers this season?

TW: There haven’t been many pleasant surprises, to be honest. It is somewhat surprising how disappointing center Matt Paradis has been, especially in pass protection. One player who has exceeded expectations is sixth-round pick Dennis Daley. He’s been filling in at left tackle most of this season due to injuries and has performed relatively well. I don’t know how well he’ll do against Justin Houston, but there’s a lot of promise there.

CW: Do the Panthers have any plans to lighten the workload for Christian McCaffrey in the future?

TW: Nope. Last week, McCaffrey literally didn’t come off the field once. Interim head coach Perry Fewell also told reporters he hopes McCaffrey can reach the 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards mark. He needs 186 receiving to get there, which is certainly possible with two games left to play. They should be resting him more and giving other RBs on the roster a chance to develop, but apparently that’s not going to happen.

CW: Who wins and why?

TW: It’s very difficult to call this one given that both teams are playing very poorly right now- losing a combined 10 games in a row between them. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict rookie QB Will Grier gives the Panthers some energy they have been missing for a long time. It won’t be pretty, but if they can win the turnover battle I think they can definitely pull off an upset. Carolina 24, Indianapolis 20.

Colts vs. Panthers: How to watch, stream in Week 16

Game info for Week 16.

A battle of two non-playoff teams will take place Sunday afternoon when the Indianapolis Colts play host to the Carolina Panthers for a Week 16 matchup.

Game Information

Carolina Panthers (5-9) vs. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
Sunday, Dec. 22 — 1:00 p.m. ET
Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN

Television

Broadcast: FOX (national)
Announcers: Dick Stockon (play-by-play), Mark Schlereth (color analyst), Jennifer Hale (sideline)

TV Map: Those in the green region get the game on the local FOX channel.

Radio

WFNI — Indianapolis, IN
WHLK — Indianapolis, IN
Sirius XM Radio (Colts) — Channel 137 (XM App 228)
Sirius XM Radio (Panthers) — Channel 108 (XM App 382)

Streaming

fuboTV (try it free)

Injuries

Colts injury report
Panthers injury report

Opponent Site

Panthers Wire

Social Media

Like Colts Wire on Facebook
Follow Colts Wire on Twitter
Download the Sports Wire App (Apple Devices | Android Devices)

Colts vs. Panthers: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 16

Key matchups to watch in Week 16.

With their playoff hopes officially dashed, the Indianapolis Colts will have to find another source of motivation as they play in their second to last game of the season. Coming to town on Sunday are the Carolina Panthers, who are looking for a strong end to their struggling season.

On Monday night, the Colts were greatly embarrassed by the New Orleans Saints in a 34-7 defeat and there was little to no positives from that game. But as they say, “today is a new day.”

Here are three key matchups to watch in Colts’ Week 16 bout:

RB Christian McCaffrey vs. Colts’ defensive front seven

In what is easily this game’s biggest matchup, the Colts are facing one of the most dynamic and versatile offensive players this league has seen in a long time. Third-year running back Christian McCaffrey is literally having an all-time season and at one point, he was even considered a front runner for this year’s MVP award.

Between his incredible efforts as a runner (1,307 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns) and receiver (94 catches and 814 receiving yards), McCaffrey forces defenses to always keep their eyes on him, which allows other Panthers offensive targets to play in favorable situations.

The Colts’ defense, especially linebacker Darius Leonard, has to play with an extra burst and anticipation while defending McCaffrey. This has to be done because one mistake could literally turn into a game-changing play for the Stanford product.

In fact, McCaffrey is actually 388 total yards (2,121) away from tying the record of most scrimmage yards gained in a season (2,509), set by former Tennessee Titan Chris Johnson in 2009.

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What will the Colts see with Will Grier under center?

Colts set to face the rookie QB.

Will Grier, the rookie quarterback out of West Virginia, will be getting his first NFL start when the Panthers travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to face off against the Colts. He will be replacing Kyle Allen who has struggled in recent weeks.

Allen was under center since week 3 When Cam Newton went out with a foot injury. Allen is an accurate passer who really spread the ball for everyone on offense, something players and even coaches loved.

His success though seemed to be a flash in the pan and now the Panthers are trying to decide what to do at quarterback for the future. Insert the rookie Grier.

Granted this move may just be a shot in the dark to see if there is any value in their third-round pick. That being said, just because Grier may be a long shot does not mean he should be pushed to the side.

In his senior season at West Virginia, Grier completed 67% of his passes for 3864 yards and 37 touchdowns. His pocket awareness and surprisingly big arm were perfect for a high flying Big 12 offense like the Mountaineers.

He throws a very accurate and nice deep ball, which could be an issue for the Colts secondary. As we saw a few weeks ago against Houston and Tampa Bay, fast receivers can beat Indy’s secondary for large chunks of yards.

The answer to shutting down Grier before he even begins? Pass rush. The Colts front four have to get after Grier and force him to be uncomfortable in his first start. Hopefully, that will force him to rush throws and even turn the ball over.

With Denico Autry out, it will be vital that Jabaal Sheard and Justin Houston step up as veteran members of this defense.

Grier is a talented player who has a lot to prove in these final two games. He has a chance to ball out and be the Panthers quarterback for the foreseeable future, but the Colts have a chance to make sure that doesn’t happen this Sunday. Hopefully, the Colts can spoil the rookie’s first start and win a game for the first time in four weeks.