In Week 17, the Indianapolis Colts will play at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. The two teams faced each other last season with Indianapolis winning 25-20 on the road.
That was the only win for interim coach Jeff Saturday. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 147 yards and even Matt Ryan had a rushing touchdown in the victory.
Indianapolis is coming off a tough 29-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew finished with no touchdowns and an interception. Taylor, who returned from a three-game injury, rushed 18 times for only 43 yards.
Meanwhile, the Raiders came away with an impressive Christmas Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs. They managed to win despite quarterback Aidan O’Connell not completing a single pass after the first quarter. The Raiders shockingly scored two defensive touchdowns in seven seconds.
The 8-7 Colts are tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans for the best record in the AFC South. This is a highly-important game for Indy as they try to assume sole possession of the division lead.
This is also a must-win for the 7-8 Raiders. If they lose, they’ll be officially eliminated from playoff contention.
How the Indianapolis Colts Can Beat the Las Vegas Raiders
The Colts’ Defense Needs to Step Up
Heading into Week 16, the Colts ranked third in the NFL in both sacks and takeaways. They only produced one sack and zero takeaways, though, against the Falcons.
Defensive end Kwity Paye recorded the Colts’ lone sack. He dropped quarterback Taylor Heinicke early in the second quarter.
Indianapolis missed tackles left and right, especially against the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson. The eighth overall pick in this year’s draft finished with 122 all-purpose yards, including 72 rushing yards (six yards per carry).
Robinson had an electric 32-yard run on his first carry, leaving defenders in the dust. Atlanta Running back Tyler Allgeier also pulled off a 31-yard run in the game.
During the upset road win over Kansas City, Raiders running back Zamir White ran all over the Chiefs’ defense. The second-year pro rushed for a career-high 145 yards while averaging nearly seven yards per carry.
The Colts’ D must step up against Las Vegas. The Raiders, who scored a ridiculous 63 points in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers, can be a force to be reckoned with at times.
A Big Performance From Michael Pittman Jr.
Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is having a fantastic campaign. He’s set to become the first Colt since Reggie Wayne (2012) to finish a season with at least 100 catches and 1,100 receiving yards. The USC product has recorded 99 receptions for 1,062 yards this year.
Pittman missed the Falcons game due to a concussion. His absence was felt as Minshew and the Colts’ offense struggled mightily.
Fellow receivers failed to get the job done. Josh Downs had six catches for only 39 yards. Alec Pierce had just 3 catches for 30 yards.
Pittman is expected to return for the New Year’s Eve matchup with the Raiders. He is still in concussion protocol, but progressing well. The Colts need him to be healthy. They also need him to come through with a big-time game and spark the offense.
Main Photo: [Robert Scheer/IndyStar] – USA Today Sports
