Philip Rivers Rumors: Colts Discussed QB After Carson Wentz Put on COVID-19 List
Dec 28, 2021
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) looks to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Orchard Park, N.Y. Buffalo won the game 27-24. (AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)
The Indianapolis Colts reportedly considered contacting Philip Rivers after placing Carson Wentz on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Zak Keefer of The Athletic reported the team discussed bringing in Rivers, but that "it doesn't appear the path" the Colts are taking as they compete for a division championship over the last two weeks of the season.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wentz is out for Week 17's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Wentz previously disclosed he is not vaccinated against COVID-19, which means he will sit out a minimum of 10 days under NFL rules if he has tested positive. He would then be eligible to return for the team's Week 18 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Under the current protocols, Wentz would be out on Sunday vs. Raiders. If he's a high risk close contact, it's five days. If he's positive, he's out 10.
The timing could not be worse for the 9-6 Colts, who have won three straight games and six of their last seven to get themselves within an outside shot of winning the AFC South. Indianapolis has to win out and have the Tennessee Titans lose out to capture the division.
Rivers retired after the 2020 season following one season in Indianapolis. While he would have no issues with the playbook, the 40-year-old has not played competitive football in nearly a year and almost certainly wouldn't be ready to play in a high-stakes game in five days.
Wentz's decision to remain unvaccinated now puts his team in a horrible position when they are jockeying for position in the playoff hunt. Sam Ehlinger will likely get the start Sunday.
Carson Wentz Placed on COVID-19 List by Colts Ahead of Raiders Game
Dec 28, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - SEPTEMBER 19: Carson Wentz #2 of the Indianapolis Colts runs the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
The Indianapolis Colts announced Tuesday that they have placed quarterback Carson Wentz on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
The 28-year-old has completed 62.8 percent of his passes for 25 touchdowns, six interceptions and seven yards per attempt. He's in his first season with the Colts after playing five years with the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded him to Indianapolis in March.
Wentz has started every game this season despite injuries. He had surgery Aug. 2 to repair an issue with his left foot. Colts head coach Frank Reich and the coaching staff gave some background on the ailment, per ESPN's Mike Wells:
Reich said it's an old injury, possibly from high school, and a broken bone came loose in Wentz's foot. Wentz felt a 'twinge in his foot' when he rolled out and planted to throw late in Thursday's practice, offensive coordinator Marcus Brady said Friday.
The Colts met with multiple doctors to see what the best recovery process was. All the parties involved agreed surgery was the way to go to remove the bone out of the fifth metatarsal of Wentz's foot and ensure the injury didn't return.
Wentz returned in time for the Colts' season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, which ended in a 28-16 defeat.
The signal-caller then suffered sprains in both ankles during his team's 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams the following week.
Per Colts.com's JJ Stankevitz, Wentz first suffered the left ankle sprain before Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald rolled on his right ankle. The latter injury forced him from the game.
With his placement on the COVID list, Wentz may miss Sunday's matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. The 9-6 Colts are fighting for an AFC South title and playoff berth, and a number of teams—including the 8-7 Raiders—are nipping at their heels.
Rookie Sam Ehlinger, who played collegiately at Texas, is behind Wentz on the depth chart.
Carson Wentz, Jonathan Taylor Lead Colts Past Kyler Murray, Cardinals on Christmas
Dec 26, 2021
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz (2) looks to pass against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Indianapolis Colts extended their winning streak to three games with a 22-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night at State Farm Stadium. They are now 9-6.
Indy hadn't beaten Arizona since 2009. Before Saturday, the Colts and Cardinals last met in 2017, a game Arizona won 16-13 in overtime. Indianapolis has won six of its last seven games and is still in contention for the AFC South title.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, dropped to 10-5 and have lost three of their last five games following an impressive 7-0 start.
Notable Stats
Carson Wentz, QB, IND: 18/28 for 225 YDS, 2 TD
Kyler Murray, QB, ARI: 27/43 for 245 YDS, 1 TD
Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND: 27 CAR for 108 YDS
Chase Edmonds, RB, ARI: 16 CAR for 56 YDS, 1 TD
T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND: 4 REC for 51 YDS, 1 TD
Zach Ertz, TE, ARI: 8 REC for 54 YDS
Colts Rely Heavily on Jonathan Taylor, But Carson Wentz Prevails
Sure, Taylor will likely be an MVP candidate, but the Colts relied on the star running back far too much against the Cardinals. The Arizona defense mostly contained Taylor and held him scoreless for the first time since Week 3.
Taylor finished with 27 carries for 108 yards. For comparison, Wentz attempted 28 passes, which highlights how much the Colts continue to rely on Taylor.
The 22-year-old has been a focal point of the Colts' offense all season and entered Saturday's contest with two straight 100-plus rushing yard games. He recorded his ninth game of 2021 with at least 100 yards and a score on the ground against Arizona.
But while the Colts did rely heavily on Taylor against the Cardinals, Wentz and his receivers got the job done when it mattered most. Maybe it's a sign Frank Reich can turn to his passing game more often.
Wentz completed 18-of-28 passes for 225 yards and two scores, including a late touchdown pass to Dezmon Patmon, which sealed the win for Indianapolis.
The Colts entered Saturday's game with the 22nd-ranked passing offense, averaging 204.4 yards per game, per Pro Football Reference. Wentz and Co. surpassed that mark against Arizona in one of Indy's more well-rounded games of the season.
Saturday's win was even more impressive as the Colts were down several starters, including three offensive linemen in All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson, Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and right guard Mark Glowinski.
Kyler Murray Delivers Another Underwhelming Performance
Murray struggled for the third consecutive game, and while he didn't throw any picks, he completed just 27-of-43 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown, in addition to running for 74 yards.
Murray led the Cardinals to a 7-1 record before suffering an ankle injury and missing three games. He has not been the same player since returning from that injury in Week 13.
From Weeks 1-8, the 24-year-old completed 72.6 percent of his passes for 2,276 yards and 17 touchdowns against seven interceptions, in addition to rushing for 147 yards and three scores. He had a 110.4 quarterback rating through the first eight weeks of the season, per Pro Football Reference.
From Weeks 13-15, Murray saw a dip in production as he completed 62.9 percent of his passes for 763 yards and three touchdowns against three interceptions. He also ran for 123 yards and two scores and had an 82.4 quarterback rating.
Put those numbers together with his performance on Saturday night against the Colts, and things don't look great for the Cardinals.
However, it should be noted Arizona was without two of its top receivers in DeAndre Hopkins (knee, IR) and Rondale Moore (ankle) because of injuries. Hopkins leads the team with eight touchdowns, while Moore has served as a key supplemental piece to the team's top trio of Hopkins, Christian Kirk and A.J. Green.
What's Next?
The Cardinals will travel to face the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 2, while the Colts will host the Las Vegas Raiders.
Carson Wentz Will Have to Be 'Star' in Some Games for Colts to Win Title, per Reich
Dec 22, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 18: Carson Wentz #2 of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank
Reich said Tuesday there will be games in which quarterback Carson Wentz
will need to shine if his team is going to make the playoffs and
ultimately win the Super Bowl.
"I think for us to go where we want
to go, there are going to be games where Carson will be the
quote-unquote star of the game," Reich told reporters. "I think
that'll have to happen."
The Colts sit fifth in the AFC
standings with an 8-6 record, but the crowded nature of the
conference's playoff race leaves plenty of room for movement. The
top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) and 13th-seeded Denver Broncos
(7-7) are separated by just three games with three weeks left in the
regular season.
Reich and Co. face a tough test
Saturday when they visit the Arizona Cardinals (10-4) for a prime-time
game on Christmas Day and then wrap up the regular season with contests against the Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12).
Indy will likely need to win at
least two of those games to reach the postseason.
Wentz has put together a solid first
season with the Colts after spending the first five years of his
career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He's completed 62.7 percent of
his throws for 3,005 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions
in 14 games.
He's rarely been asked to carry the
offense on his shoulders, though. The unit has leaned heavily on
running back Jonathan Taylor, who's vaulted himself into the MVP discussion by leading the NFL in both yards from
scrimmage (1,854) and total touchdowns (19).
Taylor's dominance means opponents are
going to stack the box with eight or nine defenders on the early
downs and force Wentz to beat them.
Reich, who noted his quarterback has "had many good games," believes the passing game can lead the
Colts to victory if called upon.
"What I really mean is I've just got
a lot of confidence in Carson," he said. "I have a lot of
confidence in our skill players and I have a lot of confidence in the
way we protect the passer. And I have a lot of confidence in our
offensive coaching staff the way we scheme things up to help the
players."
Saturday's clash with the Cardinals
could be a major test of the aerial attack. Arizona features one of
the league's most explosive offenses, led by quarterback Kyler
Murray, and it'll be looking to bounce back after a forgettable
performance in the loss to the Detroit Lions (2-11-1) in Week 15.
If Wentz does elevate his game when
called upon, the Colts have the other pieces in place, with the Taylor-led ground
game and the league's ninth-ranked scoring defense, to
become a serious threat in the AFC.
Colts Trade for Carson Wentz Ended Up a Win for Everyone Involved
Dec 22, 2021
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz (2) throws downfield during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
It isn't often a blockbuster trade works out as evenly as the Indianapolis Colts-Philadelphia Eagles swap involving Carson Wentz has so far.
When the Colts acquired Wentz from the Eagles last offseason, sending a 2021 third-round draft pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick to the Eagles, the consensus reaction was essentially a shrug.
But with the 2021 regular season coming to a close, it's clear both franchises have emerged major winners from the move, especially within the confines of each's chosen direction and strategy.
Look at the Colts.
Coughing up what was essentially a first-round pick (the conditional became a first-rounder if Wentz played at least 75 percent of the snaps) stings in almost any scenario. But in this one? Not so much.
With Wentz under center, the Colts are 8-6, just behind the nine-win Tennessee Titans in the AFC South and current owners of the fifth seed in the playoffs, but could always jump higher with two AFC opponents left and the Titans losers in three of their last four.
We could talk about how this is a weird year for the AFC where 13 teams have at least seven wins. We could point to Wentz's fine play. He has, after all, completed 62.7 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns against six interceptions. His 95.3 rating is 13th. His seven yards per attempt is 21st.
Carson Wentz has thrown 6 more TD passes and 10 fewer INTs in 2021 than in 2020.
Among 23 QBs with 200+ pass attempts in 2020 & 2021, Wentz has improved his passer rating the most (+23.8) from 2020 to 2021
But those are nitpicks, especially when it comes to Wentz—most teams would love to have a passer like him on the roster. While he's had Jonathan Taylor behind him running for 1,518 yards and 17 scores, wideout T.Y. Hilton has only made it into seven games and Parris Campbell just five. His targets have dropped 20 passes (4.8 percent) and he's been pressured on 25 percent of his dropbacks.
No, Wentz hasn't rediscovered some of his prior elite form after reuniting with Frank Reich, the now Colts head coach who was his offensive coordinator for two seasons in Philadelphia. But the Colts are doing two important things with Wentz—contending now and getting a good evaluation of the offense with a capable quarterback.
In theory, the Colts avoided the dreaded quarterback purgatory after a ho-hum season from Philip Rivers and the franchise got proof of concept for Reich's plan and he can better roster build around a 28-year old former No. 2 overall pick. There isn't a great rush, either, considering two members of the AFC South, Houston and Jacksonville, have combined for five wins this year and 23 losses while sporting two of the league's most dramatic rebuilds.
Instead of scratching and clawing at ways to find a new long-term starter under center, the Colts have one and merely have to build around him properly—while likely consistently qualifying for the playoffs.
Now, look at the Eagles.
Coughing up a historic $33.8 million dead-cap hit to trade Wentz stung, sure. But the rest of the balance on Wentz's $128 million extension, including a $10 million roster bonus last March, went to Indianapolis. What they got back was a likely first-round pick and a chance to give Jalen Hurts a look as a full-time starter.
Hurts, a second-rounder in 2020, did little in limited playing time as a rookie. He's played in 12 games this year, completing 60.1 percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has rushed for 695 yards and eight scores, top marks on the team. He's averaging 6.9 yards per passing attempt, a hair under Wentz, with an 83.9 rating, ranked 25th.
Context is important, of course. Philadelphia's rushing attack missed Miles Sanders for three games. DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert missed at least one game and the team traded Zach Ertz. Targets have dropped 4.9 percent of his throws and he's been under pressure 24.5 percent of the time—while learning on the fly in what could effectively be called his rookie on-field season.
The Eagles aren't lucky enough to be contending while evaluating too, not with Dak Prescott back in Dallas and running the NFC East at 10-4. But the 7-7 record is good enough to place the Eagles in second place in the division and both Washington and the New York Giants aren't any closer to finding the coveted and elusive long-term franchise passer.
Howie Roseman wanted a 1st-round pick for Carson Wentz, and he's now almost assured of getting one for Wentz after Wentz played every snap last night.
In a season Jeffrey Lurie labeled as a "transition" year, the Eagles will have between 6-10 wins and 3 1st-rd picks.
Where the Eagles should be looking is the projected draft order. There, they own three first-round picks—11th, 12th and 23rd. That last one keeps looking worse because the Colts keep winning, but having three, which means the ability to load up around Hurts or package them in a trade to move up inside the top 10, is hard to complain about.
Whether the Eagles use all three to surround Hurts with more talent after what he's shown this year or go after his replacement is impossible to say. It's the sort of stuff that makes or breaks the tenures of head coaches and the decision-makers above them very, very quickly.
But those shot-callers accomplished the goal with the Wentz trade. They moved on from a sputtering era, cleared the books for upcoming years, stockpiled assets and got to evaluate a potential franchise passer for a full season.
And if Hurts is just a holding-pattern quarterback, his early returns have been enough to at least flirt with playoff contention. He's a $1.6 million cap hit in 2022 while Wentz is a $28 million cap hit. Boasting three first-rounders and using the extra cash saved to splurge on problem areas in free agency sounds pretty appealing.
The only way the Eagles could have stumbled into a better best-case scenario is if they had backed into the playoffs, too. And with all NFC East games left on the schedule...never say never?
That never-say-never vibe was the right way to approach this blockbuster trade from the jump. It was easy to throw out knee-jerk reactions when it went down. But now that we have the benefit of nearly a full season's worth of hindsight, it's pretty clear both teams have come out of it the way they had hoped.
And if things keep trending this way for the Colts and Eagles, it could keep on looking even better with more proof added to the analysis.
Carson Wentz Says Matthew Judon Took a Cheap Shot at His 'Ability to Reproduce'
Dec 19, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 18: Carson Wentz #2 of the Indianapolis Colts looks on during the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz took particular exception from what he thought was a cheap shot by New England Patriots pass-rusher Matthew Judon.
"Don’t need to go into specifics, obviously, but when a man’s ability to reproduce is being in question and there’s some other extracurriculars, guys’ hands need to be at their sides," Wentz said, per the Indianapolis Star's Joel A. Erickson and Scott Horner. "Let’s just say that. When that happens, you can get pretty riled up."
Fans were initially a bit confused as to why Wentz became so heated toward Judon in the third quarter of the Colts' 27-17 victory. The Indianapolis signal-caller had been sacked by Deatrich Wise Jr. on the preceding play.
Wentz unsuccessfully attempted to discuss the matter with Judon after the game:
Wentz tried to go up to Judon on the field postgame. I caught the very end of their exchange. I saw Judon walking away from Wentz as Wentz was left with his arms raised and stretched out trying to still talk to Judon as he apparently wasn’t having any of it. https://t.co/DY4rPAALlj
Judon didn't provide much clarity as to his supposed offense, telling reporters that Wentz "got mad about something, and I guess that anger was directed towards me."
If Judon did in fact go after his groin, then it's easy to see why the 2017 Pro Bowler became so upset. ProFootballTalk's Michael David Smith alluded to potential retrospective action by the NFL
Wentz didn't have a great game Saturday, finishing 5-of-12 for 57 yards, one touchdown and one interception. But he exacted the perfect kind of revenge on Judon by coming out on the winning side.
The Patriots and Colts are both on track to make the playoffs, so there's a chance the two players could cross paths again later this year.
Eagles Officially Own Colts' 1st-Round Pick in 2022 NFL Draft for Carson Wentz Trade
Dec 19, 2021
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
The Philadelphia Eagles will officially receive the Indianapolis Colts' first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft as a result of the offseason trade of Carson Wentz.
Indianapolis sent a 2021 third-round pick in the deal for the quarterback as well as a conditional 2022 second-round pick, which would become a first-rounder if Wentz played at least 75 percent of the team's offensive snaps. As Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk noted, Wentz will surpass that mark even if he misses the final three games of the season.
The 28-year-old has played 97.6 percent of the snaps for Indianapolis this season, missing just 22 of 928 offensive plays through 14 games this year.
Hitting these numbers were far from a guarantee considering Wentz's injury history. The former Eagles quarterback completed just one full 16-game season in the past four years.
He played 71.6 percent of offensive snaps for Philadelphia last season, when he was benched for Jalen Hurts, per Pro Football Reference.
Wentz needed foot surgery in training camp this year and suffered sprains in both ankles in Week 2, but the quarterback has never missed a game for Indianapolis. Though inconsistent on the field, the signal-caller has 23 touchdowns with six interceptions this season, and the Colts remain in playoff contention with an 8-6 record.
This works out for Philadelphia, which will look to add more talent around Hurts in the offseason.
The squad will have a busy first day of the NFL draft with three first-round picks, including their own selection and one pick acquired from the Miami Dolphins as the team traded up to select Jaylen Waddle.
Heading into Sunday's games, Tankathon projects the Eagles to pick 10th, 11th and 23rd in the first round.
Gutsy Win over Patriots Cements Colts as the Wild-Card Team No One Wants to Play
Dec 19, 2021
Indianapolis Colts outside linebacker Darius Leonard (53) celebrates along with teammates Kenny Moore II (23) and Khari Willis after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)
The Indianapolis Colts have been all over the place in 2021. This is a team that opened the season by dropping their first three games and four of their first five. When the Baltimore Ravens finished off a comeback win over Indy in overtime on Oct. 11, the Colts looked done.
Stick a fork in them.
But a funny thing happened between then and that point when you realize that you probably shouldn't still be eating Thanksgiving leftovers (Dude, it's Dec. 18… stop. Turkey isn't gray). The Colts started peeling off wins. Beating good teams. Scratching and clawing their way back into the postseason conversation.
After beating the soaring New England Patriots 27-17 on Saturday night, the Colts are very much in that conversation. But they are more than that. Indianapolis is becoming the team that division leaders whisper about. The team that leaves opposing coaches glancing nervously at the playoff seedings.
The Colts have become the team that no one wants to see in the Wild Card Round.
The Patriots have long been a bugaboo for the Colts—Tom Brady gave Colts fans enough nightmare fuel to last multiple lifetimes. And given that the Patriots entered Saturday's game winners of both seven straight overall and eight straight against Indianapolis, it's understandable that the sellout crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium was a tad uneasy entering the game.
It didn't take long for unease to turn to celebration. And then back to unease. And then back to celebration.
After the teams traded punts (and a first drive by the Colts that contained zero runs), Indianapolis remembered that Jonathan Taylor was on the roster—and put the league's leading rusher to work.
Taylor didn't get the glory touch on Indy's first touchdown drive—Nyhein Hines scored on an eight-yard pop pass from Carson Wentz. But other than that play, the drive that put Indy ahead for good was all runs—and all Taylor.
Taylor entered Week 15 leading the National Football League in both rushing yards (1,348) and scores on the ground (16). The Patriots came into Week 15 with a defense that entered the week third in total defense—and hell-bent on taking Taylor away. For most of the game, they did—his first 28 carries generated under four yards a pop.
Not every team is going to be able to stifle Jonathan Taylor like that. In order to try, you have to load up the box and play man coverage. The Patriots were able to do that with a bit more success after wide receiver Michael Pittman was ejected. But if Pittman and T.Y. Hilton are out there, loaded boxes carry risk.
Taylor's fourth-quarter 67-yard touchdown run ripped the still-beating heart out of the Patriots' comeback attempt. That was it. Game over. Drive safely. It was the 11th straight game in which Taylor has found the end zone for the Colts. He's a legitimate MVP candidate.
And you can argue that he wasn't even the Colts' biggest star against New England.
As a whole, Indy's defensive stats looked good against New England, but not great—the Colts were actually outgained by 90 yards. But Indianapolis actually played a fantastic game defensively, especially in the first half.
The ground game that the Patriots had ridden over their winning streak? It had 81 yards total. The clean, mistake-free "Patriots Way" ball New England is famous for? The Pats lost the turnover battle, with stud linebackers Darius Leonard and Bobby Okereke combining for 11 solo tackles and each intercepting a pass.
The Colts don't get a ton of run defensively. But this is a team that entered Saturday's contest 13th in total defense, 12th against the pass, ninth in scoring defense and leading the league in takeaways.
Whether it's Leonard and Okereke at linebacker, DeForest Buckner up front or Kenny Moore and Khari Willis in the secondary, the Colts have talent at all three levels on that side of the ball. While speaking to the NFL Network after the game, Taylor chalked the win up to an entire team doing its job.
"It was an all-out effort," Taylor said. "Offense, defense, special teams being able to come together to play a complete game,"
That's right, the special teams did their part too, blocking a punt that was returned for a touchdown by E.J. Speed.
It was Speed's second such return of the season.
Yes, this was a game where Carson Wentz attempted just 12 passes, completed only five, passed for 57 yards and threw an interception. But Wentz was down his No. 1 receiver and entered the game with a plus-17 touchdown-to-interception ratio and the 12th-highest passer rating in the NFL—higher than Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 18: Carson Wentz #2 of the Indianapolis Colts scrambles as Deatrich Wise #91 of the New England Patriots defends during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyo
This isn't to say that Wentz is Allen. Or Mahomes. But he has for the most part been a smart, efficient, accurate leader for the Colts offense. Simply put, the 28-year-old has been worth the pick the Colts gave up to get him.
Now that we've talked up Indy, it's cold water time. The Tennessee Titans are wobbling—enough that a loss to Pittsburgh Sunday would hardly be a massive upset. But the Titans also play two teams that presently sport losing records over the last three weeks of the season and have two head-to-head wins over the Colts.
An AFC South title for the Colts (and home playoff game) isn't impossible. But it also isn't likely.
That's OK though. This is a team built to win on the road, thanks in large part to Taylor and the ground game. He may have had some success running the ball outdoors in the cold in college. The elements won't affect that defense, either.
The absolute last thing in the world the Titans want is to have to play these Colts a third time this season—anywhere. The Colts beat the New England Patriots Saturday and wiped the floor with the Bills in Buffalo in Week 11. And given that no one appears to want to win the AFC North, every team in that division looks vulnerable.
Calling the Colts a Super Bowl contender might be pushing it—Indy has had an unsettling tendency to let teams back into games, including the Pats in Week 15. But it's no stretch whatsoever to say that given Leonard and that defense, Taylor and that run game and one of the league's better head coaches in Frank Reich, the Colts will be playing in the Divisional Round after sending one of the AFC division-winners packing.
Watch. Teams will line up to be on the in-season edition of Hard Knocks in 2022.
Tom Brady Trolls Colts After Bucs Win: Horseshoe on Helmet Not 'As Lucky As It Seems'
Nov 30, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 28: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is seen during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Tom Brady has always enjoyed beating the Indianapolis Colts.
Following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 38-31 win over Indy on Sunday, Brady had a bit of fun with Jim Gray on the Let's Go! podcast trolling the Colts.
"Always fun talking to you (Jim Gray) on a Monday after winning. Especially fun after we beat the Colts, which we've done a pretty good job of that lately," he said. "I think I've beat the Colts the last nine times I've played 'em, so...it was great to win in Indy. It turns out that horseshoe on their helmet isn't as lucky as it seems, which really sucks for them but not for us."
Brady is now 16-4 against the Colts in his career, which includes the postseason, where he's gone 4-1 against them. Many of those were memorable contests pitted Brady in his New England Patriots days against Peyton Manning.
On Sunday, he and the Bucs knocked off Carson Wentz and a hot Colts team that had won five of its past six games. So the context of this matchup was far different, but the result was the same as always.
When a player shines in a standout performance before a bye week, don't hesitate to pick him up even though he'll sit idle on the bench for your upcoming fantasy matchup...
