Colts’ player of the game vs. Bucs: LB Darius Leonard

Darius Leonard had another huge game.

After a tough loss on the road in Tampa Bay, the Indianapolis Colts playoff hopes become increasingly more difficult. Linebacker Darius Leonard gave it his all and had another career day as the Colts fell 38-35.

Leonard finished the day with nine total tackles and two interceptions. His first pick happened on the first drive of the day as Leonard read Jameis Winston like a book and jumped up for a ball over the middle.

That interception helped set up the Colts’ 46-yard touchdown on their first offensive drive.

The second interception happened in the second quarter and this time Leonard took it all the way to the house for an 80-yard return. The touchdown was the first of his already impressive career.

The Colts needed No. 53 today to keep them in the game but sadly fell apart again in the fourth quarter. Leonard continues to be the leader of this defense while getting better game after game.

He will need to keep playing like a Maniac if the Colts want to have any more success this season.

They travel to New Orleans for a Monday night showdown with the Saints next week. Leonard will have to give it all he’s got again if they want to pull off the upset.

Studs and duds from Colts’ 38-35 loss to Bucs

Studs and duds from the 38-35 loss.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-7) saw their already-thin playoff hopes get dashed Sunday when they lost 38-35 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) at Raymond James Stadium.

This was by far the most thrilling game of the season for the Colts. There were countless lead changes, including three in the first half. The Colts took a 27-21 lead but found themselves outscored `17-8 in the second half for the loss.

Here are the studs and duds from the Week 14 loss:

STUD: WR Marcus Johnson

The Colts were once again without T.Y. Hilton, who may not even play this season due to a lingering calf injury. However, the Colts got some help with their depth thanks to the performance of Johnson.

Starting the game off with a 46-yard touchdown catch from Jacoby Brissett, it looked like the Colts would move the ball through the air with ease. It wasn’t easy, but Johnson still had a strong day. He finished with three catches on seven targets for 105 yards and a touchdown.

Adding to the room will be necessary this offseason, but Johnson is a formidable depth piece.

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Colts vs. Bucs: Live updates from Week 14

Live updates in Week 14.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-6) are just about ready to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With four games remaining, the Colts find themselves on the outside looking in for the playoffs. They hold the No. 9 seed in the AFC but the road will be long for them given the lack of tiebreakers they hold with the teams immediately in front of them.

Still, the Colts aren’t eliminated yet so they will be fighting for any chance to make these last four games meaningful. Keep updated with our live Twitter feed from the Colts media and the team on Sunday:

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

Colts vs. Buccaneers: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 14

Key matchups in Week 14.

Despite losing four out of their last five games, the Indianapolis Colts remain optimistic about their playoff chances as they return to the road for a Sunday matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers While both teams are only one win apart in the standings, their play has gone in different directions.

As the Colts lost all of their momentum from the first half of this season, the NFC South competitor has only gotten better in recent weeks. Following a string of tough, last-minute losses in October, the Buccaneers have won three out of their last four games and are attempting to grab the NFC’s final Wild Card spot.

Here are three, key matchups to watch in the Colts’ Week 14 bout:

WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin vs. Colts’ secondary

If there’s any duo of wide receivers who are the best together, it’s quite easily Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The dynamic duo has carried the Buccaneers’ offense this entire season at the tune of 1,100 receiving yards apiece, 140 combined catches and 16 total touchdowns.

Besides their great numbers, Evans and Godwin scare opposing secondaries because of their evolving skill-sets and legitimate size. Although Evans is bigger at 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, Godwin is still fairly big himself (6-foot-1 and 209 pounds), thus allowing them to box out and outjump their defensive counterparts.

Entering Sunday’s game, the Colts already had an unproven secondary dealing with some injuries and they will be missing their most valuable slot corner/blitzer Kenny Moore II due to injuries. It’s going to be interesting to discover who, when, and how they’ll defend Evans/Godwin, as their current depth chart includes Pierre Desir, Marvell Tell, and Quincy Wilson—if made available to play.

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Colts vs. Bucs: Week 14 staff picks and predictions

The staff makes their picks.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-6) hit the road on Sunday for a Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at Raymond James Stadium looking to end their recent skid.

Though both teams are likely out of the playoff race, they are still competing as well as they can with four games remaining. The experts and oddsmakers are siding with the Bucs in this matchup for the most part.

Here’s how the Colts Wire staff sees the game shaking out in Week 14:

Kevin Hickey (@KevinHickey11): Bucs 28, Colts 20

Though they technically aren’t out of the playoff race just yet, there are long odds for the Colts to make the postseason. Still, they continue their season with a tough road matchup against a Bucs team that has been finding more success than not over the last month.

Being on the road without wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and cornerback Kenny Moore will make it difficult for the Colts and likely will be too much to overcome for the Colts. We know what Hilton’s absence to the offense means. They’ve averaged just 19.8 points over the last four games.

On defense, they should have their opportunities to grab turnovers with Jameis Winston under center, but Moore’s absence will give Chris Godwin plenty of chances to run free against a defense that has been giving up big plays recently.

Though it should be competitive, the Colts simply don’t have enough to keep up with the Bucs.

Arden Franklyn (@ArdenSportsTalk): Bucs 27, Colts 21

This is the first time in weeks, I’m picking against the Colts and rightfully so. Besides having noticeable injuries at various, key positions, this is a Colts team that is reeling in their latest string of losses/poor play and now they have a tough road game at Tampa Bay.

Barring any self-inflicted mistakes, the Buccaneers are going to challenge the Colts via their vertical passing game and stout rushing defense; and chances are, they will breakthrough with their efforts.

John Alfieri (@alfierijohn): Bucs 26, Colts 17

This one might not be the most popular prediction but the way this offense has been struggling without a fully healthy T.Y. Hilton can not be ignored. The Bucs offense is built on homerun, big yardage plays, something the Colts have struggled to stop all season.

Injuries to the secondary and receiving corps have hindered this team’s success. Not to mention Jacoby Brissett struggles to make over the top plays himself which isn’t always necessary but it is a characteristic of most elite teams not named the Patriots.

The Colts will struggle to stop the dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin all afternoon. Evans is a very big target and Godwin is a speedy slot receiver. They are second and third in receiving yards this season. Kenny Moore is also out leaving a huge question mark on coverage plans.

The run game will fail to get going again and the Colts offense will look stagnant. One good takeaway will be newly signed kicker Chase McLaughlin will be perfect on the day. This failed road test will expose some of the weak spots of this team.

Sam Sinclair (@samsinclair96): Bucs 27, Colts 20

Not a whole lot of confidence with the Colts this week after back-to-back brutal losses that will greatly affect if the colts make the playoffs. Thankfully for the offense, they’re getting Marlon Mack and Parris Campbell back, but they’re still missing their top offensive threat in T.Y. Hilton. With how explosive the Tampa Bay offense is, and how good their run defense is I just don’t see how the Colts keep up on the scoreboard.

The defense has been playing well ever since week 4, but recently they’ve been exposed by the deep throws. Houston was able to expose them deep with Will Fuller and DeAndre Hopkins, and Tennessee was timely with their deep throws. Tampa Bay with Bruce Arians as HC will look to go deep with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, we will see if the Colts will be ready for it, hopefully the ballhawk, Malik Hooker, plays in this game.

Playoffs are not out of reach for the Colts but they have to win out and get a lot of help. This game could go a lot of ways, Indianapolis blowout, Tampa blowout or a close game that could come down to the right leg of Chase McLaughlin.

Either way, I don’t see the colts keeping up offensively, I’ll take Tampa Bay.

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Bucs Wire

Previewing the Bucs and Colts in Week 14.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-6) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) are set to face off in a Week 14 matchup on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

Ahead of the matchup, we caught up with Bucs Wire managing editor Colin Liotta to get some information on the Bucs, who have enjoyed a nice run of winning three out of their last four games.

Here, we went Behind Enemy Lines with Bucs Wire:

Colts Wire: Has Jameis Winston shown enough to warrant another contract?

Colin Liotta: This is the question the Buccaneers have been struggling with all season. After they hired Bruce Arians in the offseason to help save Winston’s career, the team was hoping to have a little more clarity on the quarterback’s future by this point in the season. But, as has been the case with Winston throughout his career, he’s had strong games followed by complete duds. He leads the NFL with 20 interceptions, a career high, but is on pace to pass for over 4,800 yards. I wrote earlier this week that if you want to make the argument for bringing Winston back next year, look no further than former Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, who in his first year playing under Arians in 2013 threw a career-high 22 interceptions. In his second full season playing for Arians in 2015 (he was limited to just six games in 2014 due to injuries) Palmer threw for a career-high in both yards (4,671) and touchdowns (35) while only throwing 11 picks. He led the Cards to a 13-3 record and an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. I think the team should give Winston at least one more year before cutting ties completely.

CW: What has been the biggest change since Bruce Arians took over as head coach?

CL: I’d say it’s the way he’s changed the culture. Arians took over the Cardinals in 2013 after they’d fallen on hard times following their Super Bowl appearance after the 2008 season. Arians helped restore the franchise to respectability and get them within one game of the Super Bowl in 2015. Tampa Bay needed a coach who could not only work with Winston but had a proven track record of success. Not only that, Arians brought his friend and former defensive coordinator with the Cardinals Todd Bowles with him to help rebuild this Bucs defense. There have been growing pains along the way this season, but given how well Tampa Bay has looked the past two weeks (both wins), I think we are beginning to see this team finally turn the corner.

CW: Chris Godwin and Mike Evans are incredible, but who else should the Colts keep an eye out for in Week 14?

CL: I really can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I think O.J. Howard could have a monster game. (I’ll wait for you to stop laughing.) Howard has found himself in Arians’ doghouse this season due to his lackluster play, but in last week’s win over the Jaguars he had five receptions for 61 yards. Both he and wide receiver Breshad Perriman were the team’s leading receivers in Week 13. With all the attention Godwin and Evans will receive from Colts, it should provide plenty of opportunities for other receivers to get involved, including Howard.

CW: Who has impressed the most on the defensive side?

CL: Shaq Barrett. While rookie Devin White has garnered a lot of attention over the past month (and rightfully so), the Bucs expected the former LSU star to be the cornerstone of this young defense, and many experts even had him pegged as a favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year entering the season. Barrett has been a revelation for the Buccaneers, though, since coming to Tampa Bay on a one-year deal. He leads the league with 14.5 sacks and had a four-sack performance in Week 3’s loss to the New York Giants. The Bucs would be wise to bring him back on a long-term deal.

CW: Who wins and why?

CL: The Bucs have been one of the more frustrating teams to watch this season in that they have so much talent on both sides of the ball but somehow find ways to lose games. But, over the past two weeks the Bucs have been playing some of their best football of the season. It looks like things are finally starting to click. With a win, the Bucs will move to 6-7 and avoid their third-straight 5-11 season. I think they take advantage of a Colts team that’s been decimated by injuries. Bucs 34, Colts 20.

Colts vs. Bucs: How to watch, stream in Week 14

Game info for the Week 14 matchup.

Wit just four games remaining in the regular season, the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will face off in a big Week 14 matchup on Sunday.

Game Information

Indianapolis Colts (6-6) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)
Sunday, Dec. 8 — 1:00 p.m. ET
Raymond James Stadium — Tampa, FL

Television

Broadcast: CBS (regional)
Announcers: Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Adam Archuleta (color analyst)

Those in the green region of the TV map get the game on CBS.

Radio

WFNI — Indianapolis, IN
WHLK — Indianapolis, IN
Sirius XM Radio (Colts) — Channel 146 (XM App 389)
Sirius XM Radio (Bucs) — Channel 113 (XM App 233)

Streaming

fuboTV (try it free)

Injuries

Colts injury report
Bucs injury report

Opponent Site

Bucs Wire

Social Media

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

Have we seen the last of Adam Vinatieri?

Adam Vinatieri’s season and career could be finished.

The Indianapolis Colts have been dealing with kicking issues throughout the 2019 season with veteran Adam Vinatieri enduring both inconsistency and injuries.

In his 24th season, the most decorated kicker in the history of the league appears to have finally met his match with Father Time. Despite a career of consistency and production, Vinatieri’s 2019 season will forever be looked upon as an outlier.

Dealing with a knee injury that will almost certainly keep him out of the Week 14 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there is a chance this is last we have seen from the 46-year-old.

Vinatieri was asked by media members on Thursday whether he thought he would play again this season. Though he doesn’t have all of the information to give a definitive answer, it was less than encouraging.

“I don’t have an answer,” Vinatieri told reporters. “I don’t know. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow and the next day and the next day.”

Vinatieri did say he had a meeting scheduled with general manager Chris Ballard and the medical staff on Thursday afternoon, which will likely determine whether he plays again this season or goes on the injured reserve list.

It hasn’t been a fun season for Vinatieri, to say the least. His struggles have been well documented as his worst season by far. There was even a point in which a mid-season retirement was a real possibility following another disastrous performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2.

Vinatieri has missed 14 combined kicks this season. That includes eight missed field-goal attempts, tied for the most in his career. In addition, Vinatieri has missed six extra-point attempts, which is the most in his career. Before 2019, he hadn’t missed more than three extra-point attempts in any season.

Vinatieri’s struggles have cost the Colts games. There is no way around it. They’ve even held tryouts for kickers on two separate occasions this season.

The Colts aren’t going to cut Vinatieri—not when their season is all but lost and his career is likely over after this campaign. They aren’t going to have the greatest kicker of all-time end his career on a note like that.

But if Vinatieri’s knee injury is significant enough to keep him off of the field for the next month, this is likely the last we have seen from the NFL’s leading scorer.

Colts vs Buccaneers: 3 keys for the offense in Week 14

Keys for the offense in Week 14.

Losers of four of their last five, the Indianapolis Colts head down to Florida for the first of two trips to the sunshine state this month (great time to go down there). This week they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an inter-conference matchup.

In the first half of the last game for the Colts, they were able to move the ball well against a good Tennessee Titans defense—four drives got into Titans territory—but they settled for only 10 points. Against the Buccaneers this week, the Colts will need a better performance from their offense if they want to win.

Let’s take a look at some keys to the game for the Colts offense:

1. Consistent passing game

In the first half of the Tennessee game Jacoby Brissett was finding guys wide open all over the field but in the second half, things changed. The Titans started blitzing more and got Brissett off his spot and eventually forced Brissett into two costly turnovers late in the game.

This week has a very favorable matchup for the pass offense going against Tampa Bay. Overall, the Buccaneers are 31st in the NFL in pass yards allowed per game, and the sample size is there. Teams throw all over Tampa, an average of 42 attempts per game most in the NFL.

Don’t expect Reich and the offense to attempt over 40 passes even though they did it last week. The final two possessions the Colts attempted nine passes after going down 24-17 with three minutes left. But if the Colts want to have success on offense, they must attack through the air.

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Colts vs. Buccaneers: 3 reasons for optimism in Week 14

Reasons for optimism in Week 14.

The Indianapolis Colts (6-6) are getting ready to hit the road for a Week 14 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) at Raymond James Stadium hoping to keep their playoff aspirations alive.

Though the Colts face a tough road to the playoffs and are far from making that a reality, there are some reasons for optimism Indy could get back on track with a road win.

Here are three reasons for optimism in Week 14:

Jameis Winston is still turnover prone

The No. 1 overall selection from the 2015 NFL Draft has been shaky this season. That could probably the synopsis for his entire career. While Winston still has the massive play ability, the defense should be in for an opportunistic game.

Winston has 20 interceptions on the season and six(!) games with at least two interceptions thrown. He has thrown eight interceptions in the last four games, but the Buccaneers are still rolling. With the defense playing well over the last five or six games, they could find plenty of opportunities to swing the momentum.

Bucs secondary is exploitable

While the Buccaneers have a stout run defense and a solid pass rush led by the career revival of linebacker Shaq Barrett—who has 14.5 sacks already this season—the Colts can move the ball through the air. That might not be all that encouraging given the struggles Indy has had this season with the deep ball, but this gives them a chance to do something about it.

Jacoby Brissett has a chance to show off the incredibly strong arm he has. The Bucs are allowing the second-most passing yards per game (281.8) and the third-most passing touchdowns (27) to opposing offenses. Even without T.Y. Hilton and Eric Ebron, Brissett should be able to find ways to move the ball through the air. If he can’t, there are bigger issues at hand than losing to the Bucs.

Marlon Mack’s potential return

We still don’t know what the status of Mack will be for this game, but there is a chance the third-year back makes his return from a fractured hand for the first time in four games. The Bucs are one of the best run defenses in the NFL and the Colts are coming off of an outing that resulted in the backfield taking 3.8 yards per carry in the home loss.

With the weapons on the offense dwindling down each week, Mack’s potential return could spark some production for the unit. If anything, Mack’s presence might be able to open up some opportunities for Brissett in the passing game.