Tag: Indianapolis Colts

What to know from Indianapolis Colts final Week 12 injury report

Two players have injury designations on the Indianapolis Colts’ final Week 12 injury report. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know.

Following Friday’s practice, the Indianapolis Colts released their final injury report of the week, which includes two injury designations.

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know heading into Sunday’s game:

– As expected, left tackle Bernhard Raimann (knee) has been ruled out. He has been sidelined since exiting the Colts’ Week 10 matchup with the Buffalo Bills and did not practice at all this week. Once again, head coach Shane Steichen called Raimann week to week, and the fact that he hasn’t been placed on injured reserve is perhaps a sign that the team feels he could return sooner than later. Without Raimann, rookie Matt Goncalves is in line to make his third start of the season.

– Defensive end Tyquan Lewis (elbow) is questionable. He was designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the week and was a full participant in all three practices. Obviously, the sample size is worth noting given that Lewis has been out since Week 4, but he still ranks among the best out of all defensive ends this season in PFF’s run-stop rate metric–an area where the Colts’ defense could use a boost.

Of note, since Lewis is still on injured reserve, if he’s going to be available, he will have to be added back to the 53-man roster on a Saturday and a corresponding cut will have to be made.

Lions final injury report

CB Ennis Rakestraw (hamstring): Out
CB Terrion Arnold (groin): Questionable
CB Emmanuel Moseley (pec): Questionable

Colts DE Tyquan Lewis questionable in Week 12 vs Lions

Indianapolis Colts’ DE Tyquan Lewis is questionable for Week 12 against the Lions after returning to practice this week.

The Indianapolis Colts have listed defensive end Tyquan Lewis as questionable for the team’s Week 12 matchup with the Lions.

Lewis was designated to return from injured reserve earlier in the week and returned to practice on Wednesday. He was a full participant all three days.

The Colts placed Lewis on injured reserve after the team’s Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Lewis exited that game early with an elbow injury, which according to the Indy Star, did require surgery.

“It’s possible,” Lewis said of playing this week. “However, I do think moving on throughout the week, we’ve just got to get adjusted to playing again.”

Lewis began the season as the starting defensive end opposite of Kwity Paye, seeing most of his playing time come on early, more run-heavy downs.

However, his 12 pressures through those four games were the most on this Colts team at that time and even as we sit here in Week 12, Lewis’ run-stop rate ranks third among all defensive ends.

Getting Lewis back in the fold on Sunday’s would make the Colts’ defensive front the healthiest it’s been since the start of the season. Paye has missed some time with injury and DeForest Buckner came off of injured reserve a month ago.

In Lewis’ return, whenever that might be, perhaps the Colts have him on a snap count to start as he gets reacclimated. But his presence will provide the defensive end rotation with a boost, particularly in the run game, as he rejoins Paye, Laiatu Latu, and Dayo Odeyingbo.

Since Lewis is still on injured reserve, before he can play on Sundays, he must be activated and added back to the 53-man roster, which will require the Colts to make a corresponding roster cut to make room for him.

Lions TE Sam LaPorta set to return in Week 12 vs Colts

Against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12, Lions’ big-play tight end Sam LaPorta is set to return in Week 12.

After missing last week’s game, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is set to return against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

LaPorta did not play in Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars as he worked through a shoulder injury. LaPorta suffered the injury in the Lions’ Week 10 win over Houston.

LaPorta fills a do-it-all type of role within the Lions’ offense, impacting that game both as a blocker and a pass catcher. That element at the tight end position can add a layer of unpredictability to the offense, with opponents not able to easily decipher what responsibilities a tight end may have on a given play.

With a backfield made up of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, the Lions have one of the more dynamic running games in football.

As a pass-catcher, LaPorta has been a reliable target and, at times, a safety net for quarterback Jared Goff, catching 25-of-30 targets for 366 yards with three touchdowns.

Among all tight ends, LaPorta leads the position group in yards per catch with 14.6 and is one of the best with the ball in his hands, totaling the third best average YAC per reception.

On the season, opposing tight ends are, on average, catching nearly six passes per game against the Colts defense at almost 10 yards per reception.

Between the Lions’ ability in the run game coupled with LaPorta at tight end, the Colts are going to need a strong performance from their linebacker position group.

Colts’ rookie Matt Goncalves to make third start with Bernhard Raimann out

Indianapolis Colts’ rookie OT Matt Goncalves is in line to make his third NFL start with Bernhard Raimann ruled out against the Lions.

With Bernhard Raimann ruled out for the Indianapolis Colts’ Week 12 matchup with the Lions, rookie Matt Goncalves is in line for his third NFL start.

Goncalves, a third-round selection by the Colts in this past April’s draft, would make his first start in Week 9 against Minnesota when Raimann was sidelined while in concussion protocol.

Then, the following week against Buffalo, although Goncalves didn’t start, he played a significant role with Raimann exiting after 13 snaps with the same knee injury that has kept him out of what is now the last two games.

Not unexpected for a rookie who is making the jump to the NFL and navigating the learning curve that comes with that, but Goncalves has experienced his ups and downs when called upon.

In pass protection, he’s allowed three sacks and seven pressures. From Weeks 9-11, Goncalves ranks 68th out of 74 eligible tackles in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric. Against the run, he has fared better, ranking 30th in run-blocking grade.

Awaiting Goncalves and the Colts’ offensive line this week is a Lions’ front that still ranks 10th in pressure rate, even without Aidan Hutchinson, who is on injured reserve, and is eighth in yards per rush allowed.

Based on what we saw from Detroit last week against Jacksonville, it looks like the recently acquired Za’Darius Smith is who Goncalves will be seeing a lot of. The Lions traded for Smith at the trade deadline, and in his first game with the team, he spent most of his snaps lined up on the defense’s right side, which will put him across from Goncalves.

On the season, Smith has totaled 27 pressures, including five sacks, and ranks sixth among all edge defenders in pass rush win rate.

Success for the Colts’ offense as a whole is going to have to begin with the run game. For one, moving the ball on the ground keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. It can also help open up opportunities in the passing game when operating from manageable down-and-distances.

But in addition to that, against the highest-scoring offense in football, the Colts’ ability to sustain drives and limit possessions will likely be crucial.

Indianapolis Colts without LT Bernhard Raimann in Week 12 vs Lions

For the second week in a row, the Indianapolis Colts will be without left tackle Bernhard Raimann who is out with a knee injury.

For the second game in a row, the Indianapolis Colts will be without left tackle Bernhard Raimann.

Following Friday’s practice, head coach Shane Steichen announced that Raimann had been ruled out for the team’s Week 12 matchup with the Detroit Lions.

Raimann exited the Colts Week 10 game against Buffalo in the first half with a knee injury. He has not practiced at all the last two weeks, and as Steichen did a week go, he continues to call Raimann week to week.

With the Colts not having placed Raimann on injured reserve, they must be hopeful that he can return sooner than later.

On the season, Raimann ranks 21st in pass-blocking efficiency out of 81 eligible tackles and 22nd in run-blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus.

This means that rookie Matt Goncalves will get his third start of the season in place of Raimann.

Even without star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who is on injured reserve, Detroit still ranks 10th in pressure rate this season and 11th in yards per rush allowed.

The Lions’ primary edge defenders have been Josh Paschal and last week, Za’Darius Smith, who the team acquired at the trade deadline from the Cleveland Browns.

Smith took the bulk of the right defensive end snaps in Week 11, which would match him up with Goncalves.

Indianapolis Colts Week 12 playoff rooting guide

As the Colts cling to their playoff hopes, who else should you be rooting for this week to help Indianapolis out?

Is it too early to be scoreboard-watching when it comes to the Indianapolis Colts’ playoff hopes? Well, we are going to do it anyway here in Week 12.

After a win this past Sunday over the Jets, the Colts improved to 5-6 on the season and are still alive in the AFC playoff race. However, still below the .500 mark, Indianapolis is walking a fine line between remaining in the mix and falling out of contention–hence why we are keeping tabs on what else is happening in the AFC.

If you’re holding out hope that the Colts can catch the Texans in the AFC South, they are two games back in the win-loss column, but Houston also holds the head-to-head tie breaker having beaten Indianapolis twice this season.

So, in reality, the Colts have to make up three games and win the division outright. This week, Houston faces the Titans, so we will just go ahead and shift our focus to the wildcard.

At 5-6, the Colts are only one game behind the 6-5 Denver Broncos, who hold the final playoff spot in the AFC. The sixth seed at the moment is 7-4 Baltimore, two games ahead of Indianapolis.

Can the Colts make up that ground on Baltimore? I guess we’ll see, but from a rooting standpoint, a Ravens’ loss keeps another potential playoff spot somewhat within reach.

On the heels of the Colts, meanwhile, are the Miami Dolphins, who are the current nine seed at 4-6, followed by the 4-7 Cincinnati Bengals.

So, with all of that said, outside of the Colts, who else should you be rooting for this week?

The Chargers (vs. Ravens), Raiders (vs. Broncos), and Patriots (vs. Dolphins), while the Bengals are on their bye week.

Colts bolster secondary in ESPN’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft

The Indianapolis Colts bolster their secondary in ESPN’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft.

In the latest 2025 NFL mock draft from ESPN’s Matt Miller, the Indianapolis Colts bolster the back end of their secondary by selecting Georgia safety Malaki Starks at 15th overall.

If you haven’t already, get to know Starks’ name because between now and April’s draft, you will see him mocked to the Colts quite often.

At 6-1 – 205 pounds, Starks is a very good athlete who can wear a variety of hats within the secondary. While the bulk of his playing time in college has come at free safety, Starks has also played 451 snaps in the box and 574 from the slot as well.

He’s been a reliable tackler throughout his career and saw a significant jump in production across the board from his 2022 to 2023 season.

Starks’ completion percentage plummeted to 51 percent. He allowed only 11.1 yards per catch, had increased ball production, and the opposing quarterbacks’ collective passer rating dipped to only 61.6.

In addition to all of that, by PFF’s metrics, Starks was also one of the better run defenders at the safety position in 2023.

In 10 games this season, Starks has logged three quarterback pressures, 52 tackles, is allowing 11.1 yards per catch and a completion rate of 61 percent with two pass breakups and one interception. His passer rating when targeted sits at 79.7 and he has been penalized only once.

Miller would call Starks a “top-10 prospect with good positional versatility.”

A positive for the Colts’ defense this season has been the development and improved play of Nick Cross. However, safety should still remain a top priority next offseason.

The only safeties on the current 53-man roster who are under contract in 2025 are Cross and Rodney Thomas, with Julian Blackmon set to hit free agency again. And as Miller noted, the Colts are allowing the seventh-most passing yards per game in 2024.

Indianapolis Colts have to be ready for play-action heavy Lions’ offense

The Colts’ defense has to be ready for the play-action heavy Lions’ offense, which has helped create an efficient and big play passing game.

Of the many issues that the Lions offense can present for an opponent, the Indianapolis Colts have to be prepared for Detroit’s usage and effectiveness off of play-action.

This element makes up a big part of the Lions’ offense. According to Pro Football Reference, Detroit’s 116 pass attempts off play-action are the most in football. Second on that list are the Colts with 99. Then as I’m sure you can imagine, the Lions’ 1,272 passing yards off play-action is the most as well, is 322 yards more than the second-place Chargers.

Getting to these play-action opportunities begins with the Detroit run game, which features two very dynamic backs in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Combined the duo forms one of the most productive backfields in football with Detroit, as a team, averaging 5.0 yards per rush this season.

With a steady running game to lean on, the Lions often find themselves in shorter down-and-distance situations. This can force the defense to play on its heels a bit as they have to be prepared for both the run and passing games with essentially the entire playbook open to the offense.

Since Detroit does have so much success on the ground, naturally, that is going to garner quite a bit of attention from the defense, and all it takes is a split second of hesitation or half a step forward by a linebacker or safety thinking it’s a run for a passing lane to open up off play-action.

This not only can create easier pitch and catch opportunities for the offense, but explosive plays as well.

The Lions’ have utilized play-action on almost 40 percent of Jared Goff’s dropbacks this season with him completing a whopping 77 percent of those throws at 11.7 yards per attempt with nine touchdowns to three interceptions.

This obviously falls into the ‘easier said than done’ category since really no opponents have been able to do this for a sustained amount of time, but how do you slow play-action? You slow the run game.

The run-action component of it loses some juice when in a second and third-and-long situation, where the defense doesn’t have to be as concerned about the offense running the ball.

Will Colts vs Lions Week 12 game be broadcast in your area?

Will the Indianapolis Colts’ Week 12 matchup with the Lions be broadcast in your area? Here is what you need to know.

Coming off a much-needed win over the New York Jets, the Indianapolis Colts are back at home in Week 12 for a difficult and important matchup with the Detroit Lions.

Even at 5-6 on the season, the Colts still find themselves very much in the AFC playoff mix. As you can imagine, a win or a loss on Sunday will swing the Colts’ playoff probabilities one way or the other fairly significantly.

Kickoff will be at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The matchup will be aired on FOX with Kenny Albert on the play-by-play, Jonathan Vilma providing the analysis, and Megan Olivi will be on the sidelines.

The broadcast for this game will be mostly local with, of course, Indiana and Michigan getting the game, along with parts of Illinois and Ohio.

Here’s a look at the TV broadcast map for the early games on FOX this coming Sunday via 506sports.com:

In addition to the Colts vs. Lions game taking place in the FOX early time slot, so will Dallas at Washington, which most of the country will see, along with Minnesota at Chicago in the upper Midwest.

To further preview the matchup between these two teams, click here.

Colts Jaylon Jones among PFF’s most productive CBs in Week 11

Indianapolis Colts’ Jaylon Jones was among Pro Football Focus’ most productive cornerbacks during Week 11.

Jaylon Jones was among Pro Football Focus’ most productive cornerbacks in the Indianapolis Colts’ Week 11 win over the Jets.

Overall, Jones seemed to be all over the field, which included making five total tackles. But in coverage, while Jones was targeted heavily–eight times–he allowed just four completions for a grand total of 36 yards–or 9.0 yards per catch.

Only one of those four receptions would go for a first down and he also came away with two forced incompletions. Aaron Rodgers’ passer rating when targeting him was just 62.5.

And keep in mind, most of Jones targets came matched up against Garrett Wilson, who has been one of the more productive receivers in football this season. According to PFF, Wilson caught just 2-of-6 targets with Jones in coverage for seven yards.

When Week 11 was all said and done, Jones’ PFF grade was the fourth best among all cornerbacks.

During the offseason, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard chose to stand pat at the cornerback position despite the ups and downs that this group experienced in 2023.

One of the main factors behind this decision was that Ballard wanted to give the young cornerbacks in that room the opportunity to develop, and to a degree, he was banking on that happening.

While Jones has still experienced some ups and downs, again, not uncommon for a young player and includes giving up some explosive completions, overall, Ballard’s decision to lean on Jones has worked out well.

In addition to Jones’ development, the emergence of Samuel Womack, who was claimed off waivers during roster cutdowns, and of course, the play of Kenny Moore, the cornerback position for the Colts has been more stable this season than I’m guessing most would have expected.