Tag: Colts

Dolphins vs. Colts broadcast map: Where will the game be on TV?

The Dolphins and Colts won’t be on many televisions this weekend.

The Miami Dolphins return from a Week 6 bye to play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

With Tua Tagovailoa still out of action due to the concussion he suffered in Week 2, it’ll again be Tyler Huntley in the starting lineup for Miami. The Dolphins expect to have their trio of running backs in action after De’Von Achane cleared concussion protocol Friday.

In-market fans will have the Dolphins’ Week 5 road game on their local FOX affiliate and can stream the game on fuboTV. Kevin Kugler will be on play-by-play coverage in the booth with Daryl Johnston providing analysis.

Fans in the yellow area on the map below will have the Dolphins vs. Colts game on their local FOX station at 1 p.m. ET. Via 506sports.com:

Those who aren’t in an area highlighted yellow will need NFL Sunday Ticket, now offered by YouTube, to watch the Dolphins as an out-of-market game.

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Jevon Holland doubtful, 7 Dolphins questionable vs. Colts

Two Dolphins players are questionable for Sunday due to personal reasons.

The Miami Dolphins listed safety Jevón Holland as doubtful and seven players as questionable for a Week 7 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Three of seven listed as questionable did not appear on the injury report at all Wednesday or Thursday. Starting right tackle Austin Jackson was added for a back injury, while both wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and long snapper Blake Ferguson are listed as questionable due to personal reasons.

The good news for the Dolphins is that veteran safety Jordan Poyer, who missed the team’s Week 5 game against the New England Patriots, will be back in the lineup. So will running back De’Von Achane, who cleared concussion protocol Friday.

For the Colts, two players were ruled out and six are listed as questionable:

The big absence will be running back Jonathan Taylor, who is still working his way back from an ankle injury that kept him out the last two weeks.

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6 Dolphins limited in Thursday practice ahead of Week 7

The Dolphins added an offensive lineman to their injury report Thursday.

No Miami Dolphins players sat out practice Thursday, but six were limited ahead of their Week 7 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

The group of limited players was the same as Wednesday with the addition of offensive lineman Kendall Lamm, who popped up on the report with an elbow injury.

The big questions for the Dolphins are on the defensive side with starting safeties Jordan Poyer and Jevón Holland question marks for Sunday.

However, the Colts have much more severe injury concerns with running back Jonathan Taylor at top of their list of potential issues. In four games this season, he has 349 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and 4.8 yards per carry. Taylor has been out of action in the Colts’ last two games and does’t appear in line to make his return after missing back-to-back practices.

Indianapolis also added Alec Pierce to the report with a shoulder injury after he was healthy Wednesday. Through six games, Pierce is the Colts’ leading receiver with 368 yards and three touchdowns.

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No Dolphins sit out Wednesday practice due to injuries

The Dolphins had positive injury developments Wednesday, including De’Von Achane practicing fully.

The Miami Dolphins were only missing two players at practice Wednesday, but neither absence was due to injury.

Offensive lineman Terron Armstead and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, two of the oldest players on the Dolphins roster, were given veteran rest days. Five players were listed as limited, including starting safeties Jevón Holland and Jordan Poyer.

Earlier in the day on Wednesday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah “is day to day but doing well,” and the team will “not be irresponsible” by rushing Holland back from his hand injury.

Running back De’Von Achane, who is still in the concussion protocol, participated fully and appears to be on pace to be cleared to play in Week 7.

The Colts were without nine players, including wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and four-time Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, on Wednesday. However, quarterback Anthony Richardson participated fully and looks to be in line to start against the Dolphins.

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Colts expect to have QB Anthony Richardson back vs. Dolphins in Week 7

The Colts expect to have Anthony Richardson back in the lineup Sunday, but is that a good thing or a bad thing for the Dolphins?

The Indianapolis Colts were without starting quarterback Anthony Richardson in their last two games, but head coach Shane Steichen expects to have the second-year passer back in the lineup Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

“Unless there’s a setback, I think he’ll be ready to go,” Steichen said of Richardson on Monday.

Richardson, 22, dealt with an oblique injury that he suffered early in the Colts’ Week 4 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Backup quarterback Joe Flacco took over in that victory and started for Indianapolis in games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans.

On Sunday, Richardson was inactive, but available to the team as an emergency third quarterback.

“[We] wanted to make sure he’s 100 percent,” Steichen said. “That’s what really went into the decision. He’s really close – really close, which is why we had him as our third emergency quarterback. But he should be looking really good this week.”

Prior to his injury, Richardson completed 50.6 of his passes for 654 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. He also added 141 rushing yards and a touchdown.

In his absence, Flacco completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 716 yards with seven touchdowns and an interception.

The Dolphins have never faced Richardson, but are 3-6 all-time in games against Flacco. He has 12 career touchdown passes against Miami with four interceptions and most recently faced the Dolphins in Week 18 of the 2022 season as a member of the New York Jets.

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Steelers currently rank as number one defense in the NFL

All eyes have been on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense and their impressive start to the season—becoming the number one overall unit.

Three weeks of Steelers football have come and gone, with Pittsburgh holding a perfect 3-0 record and the title for best defense in football.  The offense has struggled mightily through the first two weeks, and while the unit significantly improved for Week 3’s contest against the Los Angeles Chargers, the defense has reigned supreme in every game they’ve played. Some have argued that the success of the Steelers defense has been due to a lack of competition early in the season. However, this 2024 defensive unit is not only beating teams down but also being compared to one of the greatest defenses of all time: the 1973 Steel Curtain.

While this might seem like a stretch to NFL historians, no one can ignore the success of this 2024 unit’s start as the number one overall defense in the game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense will look to continue its dominance in Week 4 against the Colts as they take on a young dual-threat quarterback in Anthony Richardson.

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Stars, studs and duds from Packers’ Week 2 win over Colts

The stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 2 win over the Colts.

The Green Bay Packers evened their record at 1-1 after two games by accomplishing one of the more difficult tasks in pro football: winning a game with an inexperienced backup quarterback. Malik Willis started for Jordan Love and was protected by the plan but efficient overall, and the Packers used a dynamic rushing performance and disruptive defensive effort to create a 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Complementary football got the job done. Instead of starting 0-2, the Packers showed their mettle by rallying around Willis, who arrived in Green Bay just 19 days before starting on Sunday.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from the Packers’ Week 2 win over the Colts:

Stars

RB Josh Jacobs: His fumble near the goal line was a big-time mistake that prevented the Packers from taking a commanding 17-0 lead early, but it’s hard to ignore what Jacobs accomplished over his 31 other carries. On a hot, humid day, and with the Packers starting an inexperienced backup quarterback, Jacobs carried the load. He consistently forced missed tackles and created yards after contact against loaded boxes. Jacobs finished with four runs of 10 or more yards and two of 15 or more. Eight of his carries gained first downs. Quite unfortunately, he was twice denied a first Lambeau Leap — the first on a touchdown called back by penalty, and the second on the fumble as he was about to cross the goal line. More importantly, Jacobs ran hard and showcased his signature burst. He’s all the way back.

RB Eric Wilson: Over just eight defensive snaps, Wilson produced a forced fumble in pursuit, an assisted run stop on a 3rd-and-1 option play setting up a missed 50-yard field goal and an interception of Anthony Richardson as a hook defender with the Colts driving for points. Oh, and Wilson led the team with 17 special teams snaps.

Studs

TE Tucker Kraft: The second-year tight end caught two passes for 16 yards and had a big-play on a tight end screen negated via penalty. But once again, Kraft lands here because of his excellent work in the run game. He craves contact, and the tape makes it clear how much he loves hunting down second-level defenders as a move blocker. Time and time again, Matt LaFleur put him on the move to provide the key block for the Packers’ complex run game on Sunday, and Kraft delivered. One could count at least a half dozen key blocks from Kraft on successful run plays. He is a perfect tight end for this offense.

WR Romeo Doubs: He led the Packers in routes run, catches and receiving yards. On one third down, Doubs ran a crisp out-breaking route and was wide open for Malik Willis, creating an easy conversion. Later, he skied for Willis’ underthrown deep ball and made the contested catch for 39 yards on 3rd-and-5, moving the sticks again on a scoring drive. Doubs also delivered a block out in front of Dontayvion Wicks on the 14-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

QB Malik Willis: Matt LaFleur gave Willis a game ball in the victorious post-game locker room, and for good reason. Not only did Willis get the Packers in and out of the huddle without issue, but he operated a complex run game and made a handful of big plays on third down without putting the ball in danger. Willis completed 12 of 14 passes, didn’t take a sack and converted six third downs with completions or scrambles. This was close to a perfect performance from an inexperienced quarterback with less than three weeks in the scheme.

WR Dontayvion Wicks: He beat Kenny Moore, a terrific slot corner, for a 14-yard touchdown in the first half, and his out-reached catch of another throw from Malik Willis converted a third down in the second half. Wicks ran only nine routes but saw four targets because he’s so consistently open and reliable.

DL Devonte Wyatt: He stuffed Jonathan Taylor for a loss, sacked Anthony Richardson with a shoestring tackle to help end a drive and finished the game with a team-high four pressures. Wyatt’s interior pressure across 19 pass-rushing snaps was a big reason why Richardson never looked completely comfortable in the pocket.

P Daniel Whelan: Three punts, three inside the 20-yard line. Whelan pinned the Colts at the 8-yard line on his first punt, flipped the field with a 59-yarder inside the 20-yard line on his second punt and then made sure the Colts had the entire length of the field to traverse with a punt that pinned Indianapolis at the 5-yard line before the final drive in the fourth quarter. Whelan has now placed four of his first five punts inside the 20-yard line this season.

LG Elgton Jenkins: He’s looking like pre-ACL injury Elgton Jenkins. The Packers left guard pitched another shutout in pass pro and was excellent in the run game.

Duds

LB Quay Walker: One positive first — Walker’s pressure as a blitzer on Anthony Richardson helped created Xavier McKinney’s interception in the first half. But it was a rough performance overall from Walker. He misplayed a few gaps in the run game, creating chunk gains, and he also missed two tackles and dropped what would have been a game-sealing interception. Even in Year 3, Walker’s sideline to sideline speed hasn’t been impactful. The down to down consistency appears to be lacking.

DE Kingsley Enagbare: He played 31 snaps but accomplished little, especially as a pass-rusher. Zero pressures. One tackle. It’s fair to wonder if Enagbare’s knee injury from January is hindering him in some way to start the season. He’s been on the field for 38 pass-rushing snaps and doesn’t have a pressure. Late in the game Sunday, Quentin Nelson put him on the ground with a block during an Anthony Richardson scramble drill.

Packers snap counts: Rotations continue at multiple positions vs. Colts

Rotations continued at right guard, linebacker, cornerback and safety against the Colts.

The Green Bay Packers are holding on-field competitions at several positions through two weeks of the 2024 season. Coach Matt LaFleur is using rotations at right guard, cornerback, linebacker and safety — not generally heavily rotated positions in-game — to provide opportunities to multiple deserving players.

“We’re not afraid to play a bunch of people,” LaFleur said Monday. “We’re fortunate we have a lot of players we have a lot of confidence in to put out there in the game.”

LaFleur said rotations help provide an excellent situation for competition, player development and protection against injuries.

Let’s check out the snap counts coming out of Week 2 at several positions:

Right guard

Sean Rhyan: 50 snaps (71 percent)
Jordan Morgan: 20 snaps (29 percent)

This split likely would have ended up closer to 50/50 had Morgan not injured his shoulder before halftime and missed the rest of the contest. Rhyan and Morgan were rotating series in the first half. LaFleur wasn’t able to give an injury update on Morgan on Monday, but it’s possible Rhyan — who made the start on Sunday — will be a full-time player at right guard for the foreseeable future. Another injury could really stunt Morgan’s first-year development.

Cornerback

Eric Stokes: 24 snaps (43 percent)
Carrington Valentine: 32 snaps (57 percent)

Stokes started at corner, but Valentine ended up playing more snaps against the Colts. LaFleur said it was a performance-based decision to give Valentine more opportunities. This could be a season-long competition opposite Jaire Alexander. Stokes is the former first-round pick, but he’s in the final year of his rookie deal. Developing Valentine, who is in Year 2, could be important for long-term health of the position.

Linebacker

Eric Wilson: 8 snaps (14 percent)
Edgerrin Cooper: 7 snaps (12 percent)

The Packers were planning to get Cooper on the field more in Week 2, but Wilson jam-packed his eight snaps with impact. He forced a fumble, helped make a crucial stop on third down and intercepted Anthony Richardson. After playing 11 snaps in the opener, Cooper saw only seven snaps on Sunday. Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie were every down linebackers again. This position will be one to watch all season as the Packers try to find the best two or three linebackers for various situations.

Safety

Javon Bullard: 42 snaps (75 percent)
Evan Williams: 20 snaps (36 percent)

Jeff Hafley made it clear that Williams deserved a role on defense in Week 2. No lies detected Sunday. Williams replaced Bullard next to Xavier McKinney for a handful of series. He was also on the field for the final play, an interception of Anthony Richardson on a Hail Mary. Unless the Packers have plans to play Bullard more in the slot (Keisean Nixon played 84 percent of snaps on Sunday), safety might continue to have a rotation between the two rookies.

Other snap count notes

— The Packers wanted more snaps for Luke Musgrave, and he ended up playing 31 to Tucker Kraft’s 56. It’s clear Kraft is TE1, and Musgrave won’t get extensive playtime unless the Packers are in 12 personnel. Kraft is just a better fit for what the Packers want to do most weeks.

— Josh Jacobs was on the field for 47 snaps. He received 32 carries.

— In a run-heavy game, Romeo Doubs (55 snaps, 79 percent) was the only receiver to be on the field for more than 60 percent of the offense’s snaps.

— Kingsley Enagbare (31 snaps, 55 percent) out-snapped Lukas Van Ness (20 snaps, 36 percent) once again. Neither had significant impact on the game. Interestingly enough, Enagbare out-snapped veteran Preston Smith, who played 28 snaps.

— Devonte Wyatt got 25 snaps (45 percent), second behind Kenny Clark (35 snaps, 62 percent) among interior defensive linemen. Wyatt was effective as a pass-rusher, and the Colts got pass-heavy at times. Karl Brooks got 23 snaps, more than TJ Slaton (19). The Packers want to keep the front fresh, so rotations here are common.

Packers PFF grades: Best, worst players from win over Colts in Week 2

Based on grades from PFF, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 2 over the Colts.

A dominant effort from Josh Jacobs and the run game, an efficient and clean performance from Malik Willis and a handful of big plays from Jeff Hafley’s defense powered the Green Bay Packers’ 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

The Packers dominated time of possession and won the turnover battle 3-1. Starting in place of Jordan Love, Willis completed 12 of 14 passes and was effective on third down. Hafley’s defense intercepted Anthony Richardson three times.

Based on grades from Pro Football Focus, here are the best and worst players from the Packers’ Week 2 win over the Colts:

Top 5 offense

1. RB Josh Jacobs: 77.2
2. WR Romeo Doubs: 74.4
3. WR Dontayvion Wicks: 73.9
4. LG Elgton Jenkins: 70.2
5. QB Malik Willis: 69.6

Jacobs gained 126 yards after first contact, forced six missed tackles and had four runs of 10 or more yards. He fumbled at the goal line but also created eight rushing first downs. Doubs caught all three of his targets, averaged 20.7 yards per catch and made a contested 39-yard catch on third down. Wicks caught three of four targets, including two conversions on third down. Jenkins didn’t allow a pressure for the second straight week and was solid in the run game. One of Willis’ two incompletions was a throwaway, and he didn’t have a turnover play.

Top 5 defense

1. LB Eric Wilson: 99.4
2. S Javon Bullard: 78.3
3. CB Jaire Alexander: 70.7
4. CB Eric Stokes: 69.1
5. CB Carrington Valentine: 65.9

Wilson helped create a third-down stop and also had an interception of Anthony Richarson on just eight snaps played. Bullard broke up a pass, had five total tackles without a miss and didn’t allow a catch into his coverage. Alexander gave up just one catch on 39 coverage snaps. Stokes played only 24 snaps but didn’t give up a catch over 17 coverage snaps. Valentine had four tackles and a pass breakup.

Bottom 5 offense

1. RG Jordan Morgan: 48.5
2. WR Bo Melton: 52.6
3. RB MarShawn Lloyd: 53.3
4. RT Zach Tom: 55.8
5. WR Christian Watson: 56.3

Morgan graded out poorly in the run game and left the game after 20 snaps with a shoulder injury. Melton rushed twice for eight yards but graded out poorly as a run blocker. Lloyd turned seven touches into 18 yards. Tom committed two penalties and earned an average grade as a run blocker. Watson played 41 snaps but didn’t receive a touch or a target.

Bottom 5 defense

1. LB Quay Walker: 40.1
2. DE Kingsley Enagbare: 43.7
3. DE Rashan Gary: 45.5
4. DE Lukas Van Ness: 47.2
5. DL Kenny Clark: 48.6

Walker missed two tackles, gave up four catches in coverage and was poor against the run overall. Enagbare played 23 pass-rushing snaps but didn’t have a pressure. Gary played 24 pass-rushing snaps but didn’t have a pressure. Van Ness played 15 pass-rushing snaps but had just one hurry. Clark had three hurries but graded out poorly against the run for the second straight week.

Special teams

The Packers didn’t have a tackle on special teams — there were no returned kickoffs or punts. The special teams also weren’t penalized. Brayden Narveson made his first three field goals but missed from 45 yards. Daniel Whelan pinned all three of his punts inside the 20-yard line, including two inside the 10. Jayden Reed did get dinged for a muffed punt. Eric Wilson led the way with 17 snaps on special teams.

Quarterback play

Malik Willis: 69.6

Willis had an adjusted completion percentage of 92.3 (one throwaway) and didn’t have a turnover worthy play. He scrambled three times. He got the ball out in 2.53 seconds on average. Seven of his 12 completions produced first downs or touchdowns. Willis also rushed for 41 yards. He was 2/3 for 44 yards on passes thrown over 10 yards in the air.

Stat to know

The Packers forced 10 missed tackles, gained 177 after first contact, created nine runs of 10 or more yards and five of 15 or more yards and produced 13 first downs in the run game against the Colts.

Packers Wire staff predictions: Week 2 vs. Colts

Predictions from the Packers Wire staff on the Packers’ Week 2 showdown with the Colts.

The Green Bay Packers will attempt to bounce back from a Week 1 defeat in Brazil when they welcome the Indianapolis Colts — who are also 0-1 — to Lambeau Field for the home opener on Sunday. Can the Packers even their record after two weeks, or will Matt LaFleur’s team be stuck with the dreaded 0-2 start?

Here’s how the staff at Packers Wire believes the Week 2 showdown with the Colts will go down:

Zach Kruse: Colts 24, Packers 16 (0-1)

While there is a (increasingly small) chance Jordan Love plays, confidence here is low in the Packers’ ability to win a game with Malik Willis under center. He might be talented, but Willis is an inconsistent thrower of the football who takes too many sacks and lacks experience in Matt LaFleur’s scheme. Jayden Reed is also dealing with a new injury, potentially limiting a key player for Willis on offense. While Anthony Richardson is sporadic, he’s the better bet to create a few big plays on Sunday. In what could be an erratic game overall, the guess here is the Packers struggle offensively and aren’t able to generate enough points to pull off the upset with a backup quarterback. Flip the scores if Love plays, which, again, looks increasingly unlikely.

Brandon Carwile: Packers 20, Colts 17 (0-1)

If Jordan Love makes an appearance on Sunday, the Packers could put up a decent amount of points. If Malik Willis gets the start, scoring will become increasingly difficult. Love was listed as questionable on the final injury report, but there’s no need to rush him back so early in the season. Matt LaFleur is a good enough coach to win with Willis under center, especially against a vulnerable Indianapolis defense. Green Bay might be able to run their way to victory, though that may take an All-Pro effort from Josh Jacobs. But hey, that’s why they signed him. The defense doesn’t have to worry about the Colts’ offensive weapons like they did against the Eagles last week. However, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, and Anthony Richardson aren’t slouches. I think the defense has a bounce-back performance this week, forcing a late turnover to help seal the victory. On offense, Jacobs has a huge day and gets into the end zone twice, propelling the Packers to their first win of 2024.

Brennen Rupp: Packers 20, Colts 14 (1-0)

Anthony Richardson is a talented quarterback. His combination of size, athleticism and arm talent make him an exciting player to watch. For all those tools he’s still a work in progress. He’s going to miss throws and give Green Bay’s secondary an opportunity to make plays on the ball. They have to capitalize, and I think they will. After having a disappointing debut as a defensive coordinator in Brazil, I think Jeff Hafley’s squad bounces back this week at Lambeau Field to help the Packers pick up their first win of the season.

Greg Williams: Packers 27, Colts 24 (0-1)

If you needed Jordan Love to sit out a few games, this is the perfect stretch. This game against the Colts is winnable, even with Malik Willis starting under center; however, it’s not going to be easy. This isn’t a knock on Willis, there’s a chance he can put together a solid game, especially under Matt LaFleur, who’s a good enough coach to put Willis in situations where can succeed. Plus, outside the quarterback position, the Packers are arguably the better team. I would expect LaFleur and company to rely heavily on the running game, where Josh Jacobs can be expected to have a huge day after Joe Mixon ran for over 150 yards against the Colts in Week 1. That also doesn’t include giving Christian Watson and Jayden Reed some carries to spread out the Colts defense. The big concern for me will be the Packers defense. They need a nice performance after giving up 30+ points to the Eagles. Now, they play a struggling offensive line and a quarterback who can be careless with the ball, which could lead to a bounce back performance. Nevertheless, if Willis gets his first start with the Packers, it’s still a winnable game and he can come in and lead the Packers to their first of the season.

Writer Prediction Score Record
Zach Kruse Loss 24-16 0-1
Brandon Carwile Win 20-17 0-1
Brennen Rupp Win 20-14 1-0
Greg Williams Win 27-24 0-1