The Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1) head to Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots (4-4). New England faces a much-needed win as the AFC East is getting tighter as the weeks roll on, and the Colts are now without veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, who has been benched for Sam Ehlinger.
The team also fired their offensive coordinator on Tuesday.
New England is hoping to get health back on their side and beat up on an injury-riddled Colts team searching for a glimmer of hope after a lackluster first half of the season. There was no quick fix after acquiring Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason, and the team is now looking for other ways to turn it around.
Let’s take a look at three keys to victory for the New England Patriots as they attempt to get above .500 win percentage for the first time this season.
Contain Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Taylor hasn’t had the best season from a fantasy football perspective, but he is still an elite running back that is playing behind one of the most surprisingly putrid offensive lines in the NFL this year.
Taylor should keep the Patriots’ run stuffers on their toes, and the Patriots need to do a good job at eliminating the big plays. If the Patriots can contain Taylor, Ehlinger could have a tough time trying to get the Colts offense rolling, especially without their offensive coordinator.
Getting Christian Barmore and Kyle Dugger back on the field would be a huge lift for the defense. Barmore returned to practice on Wednesday and was a limited participant along with Dugger.
Spread the ball
The Colts defense is good with former Patriot Stephon Gilmore, who is still one of the game’s top corners, on the outside. The Patriots have not spread the ball a lot this year, as Rhamondre Stevenson and Jakobi Meyers have seen the majority of the target share.
If the Patriots and Mac Jones want to improve to 5-4, they’ll need to spread the ball out because Meyers will likely be shadowed by Gilmore. That means other receivers have to step up by creating separation and hauling in passes.
DeVante Parker potentially being out could put pressure on guys like Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and rookie Tyquan Thornton to make plays.
Create Pressure from others on defense not named Matthew Judon
Matthew Judon has had an incredible season thus far, and the Colts’ offensive line is terrible right now.
With a young QB at the helm, the Patriots have a chance to make it a defensive nightmare for Ehlinger, but it is also a perfect opportunity for other rushers like Josh Uche, Deatrich Wise, Mack Wilson, and Lawrence Guy to have increased opportunities to get to Ehlinger in the pocket.
The Patriots can use this matchup to create pressure for Ehlinger and also develop their pass rush versatility. Relying on Judon to solely dominate will get harder as the Patriots have one of the more difficult second-half schedules. And Judon, 30, could see a similar slow of pace like the end of last season.
