Colts’ player of the game vs. Bucs: TE Jack Doyle

Jack Doyle is the Colts’ player of the game in Week 12 against the Bucs.

In a roller coaster of an afternoon, the Indianapolis Colts (6-6) drop a heartbreaker to the Super Bowl champs in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3).

The 38-31 final came down to the final seconds, and while Indy struggled in parts of this game, it was tight end Jack Doyle who was a consistent force on offense in this one.

Doyle finished the game with six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. He has been quiet all season, but certainly made his presence known today. He provided a safety blanket for Carson Wentz against a Buccaneers defense that dialed up the pressure.

Doyle is typically more of a component in the run game, but with the Colts struggling on the ground for a majority of this game, it was No. 84 who stepped up in a big way. Look for Doyle to get more involved in the passing game as the season goes on.

The Colts now sit at 6-6 with a winnable matchup against the Texans next week, with a bye after that. It’s the perfect week to rebound and head into the final stretch of the season healthy and hungry.

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5 Buccaneers the Colts must game plan for in Week 14

Colts must game plan for these Bucs in Week 14.

The Colts, currently at 6-6 on the year, are not completely out of the playoff picture after losing four of their last five games. On Sunday, Frank Reich’s squad will travel to Tampa Bay to face off against former Colts interim head coach, Bruce Arians and his Buccaneers currently sitting at 5-7.

While this Bucs roster is full of talent at every position, they have struggled to find a consistent rhythm on both sides of the ball and have lost a lot of games late. Either way this team is not to be underestimated.

Here are five Buccaneers the Colts must gameplan for in order to get their season back on track and keep their postseason hopes alive:

(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)

WR Mike Evans

This is the obvious one. At 6’5″ and weighing 230 pounds, Evans is one of the hardest receivers in the league to cover. His 1,096 receiving yards are currently the third-best in the NFL and his seven touchdowns are currently tied for the fifth-most among receivers.

Stopping Evans will be imperative for the Colts secondary if they want to win this game. Evans is targeted heavily on third down and in the red zone, so it will be important for Matt Eberflus to order double coverage on Evans a majority of snaps.

Look for Pierre Desir and Malik Hooker to provide the coverage on Evans and try to get physical with him at the line of scrimmage.