COLTS INSIDER 2020 CNHI SPORTS INDIANA WEEK 3 THIS WEEK STATISTICS THROUGH 2 GAMES PASSING ATT COM PCT YDS TD INT Rivers 71 55 77.5 577 2 3 TEAM 71 55 77.5 577 2 3 OPP. 46 30 65.2 286 3 3 New York Jets RUSHING at NO. YDS AVG LONG TD 4:05 p.m., CBS Taylor 35 123 3.5 13 1 Wilkins 9 40 4.4 9 0 Hines 7 28 4.0 12 1 TEAM 62 239 3.9 18 2 OPP. 41 171 4.2 16 1 SCHEDULE RECEIVING NO. YDS AVG LONG TD Sept. 13 Alie-Cox 7 131 18.7 33 0 Hilton 7 81 11.6 28 0 Jaguars 27, Colts 20 Taylor 8 76 9.5 35 0 Campbell 6 71 11.8 21 0 Sept. 20 Hines 9 49 5.4 9 1 Pittman 6 47 7.8 16 0 Colts 28, Vikings 11 TEAM 55 577 10.5 35 2 OPP. 30 286 9.5 28 3 Sept. 27 vs. Jets INTERCEPTIONS 4:05 p.m., CBS NO. YDS AVG LONG TD Willis 1 43 43.0 43 0 Moore 1 16 16.0 16 0 Oct. 4 at Bears Carrie 1 0 0.0 0 0 1 p.m., CBS TEAM 3 59 19.7 43 0 OPP. 3 34 11.3 22 0 SACKS Oct. 11 at Cleveland Autry ...... 2 4:25 p.m., CBS Buckner ...... 1.5 Houston...... 1.5 TEAM ...... 7 Oct. 18 vs. Bengals Zach Bolinger | Associated Press OPP...... 3 1 p.m., Fox Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) hands off to running back Jonathan Taylor (28) against TACKLES the Minnesota Vikings last week in Indianapolis. SOLO ASST COMB Nov. 1 at Lions Leonard 10 6 16 Buckner 5 4 9 1 p.m., CBS Walker 6 2 8 Moore 6 1 7 TEAM 63 24 87 Nov. 8 vs. Ravens OPP. 101 34 135 1 p.m., CBS PUNT RETURNS RET FC YDS AVG TD Nov. 12 at Titans FINISHING TOUCH Hines 4 0 40 10.0 0 8:20 p.m., FOX TEAM 4 1 40 10.0 0 OPP. 0 0 0 0.0 0 SCORING Nov. 22 vs. Packers Indianapolis seeks to better close out scoring drives RUSH REC RET TD FG XP PTS 1 p.m., Fox Blankenship 0 0 0 0 6 4 22 GEORGE BREMER betting line in the NFL this week — to hurt you more,” Colts head coach Hines 1 1 0 2 0 0 12 Taylor 1 0 0 1 0 0 6 CNHI SPORTS INDIANA Nov. 28 vs. Titans such missed opportunities can keep Frank Reich said. “We’ve had two or Pascal 0 1 0 1 0 0 6 1 p.m., CBS an overmatched opponent in the three where we’ve had penalties and TEAM 2 2 0 4 6 4 48 INDIANAPOLIS — The good news? game. we have long certain yardage situa- OPP. 1 3 0 4 3 3 38 Dec. 6 at Texans The Indianapolis Colts have reached Indianapolis’ struggles have come tions. It’s always hard to pick up those 1 p.m., CBS the opponents’ red zone on 13 of their in different forms. long-yardage situations when you get 19 offensive drives this season. Rivers admitted he missed an open behind the sticks, but especially so in WHO’S HOT Dec. 13 at Raiders The bad news? Just four of those Jack Doyle for a sure touchdown on the red zone. 4:05 p.m., CBS possessions have finished in the end the second drive in Jacksonville in “We put a lot of emphasis on that. zone. favor of a check-down to Zach Pas- We talk about it all the time, about Dec. 20 vs. Texans It’s a situational stat that offers cal. That series ended staying in phase all TBD, TBD both reason for encouragement and with a failed run on Thirteen red-zone the time, but espe- opportunities for improvement for an fourth-and-1, and the drives have cially in the red zone.” offense that already has lost three key Dec. 27 at Steelers Jaguars tied the game The Jets’ offensive weapons and is still learning how best resulted in five field 1 p.m., CBS at 7-7 two possessions struggles have been a to mesh together. later. goals, and four little broader. “I do think it’s important to Rookie kicker New York ranks Jan. 3 vs. Jaguars acknowledge and dissect all the areas Rodrigo Blankenship series — including 30th in passing yards, 1 p.m., CBS we can get better so we are better in missed a 30-yard field one during which 31st in rushing yards, those situations — red zone, third goal later in the game, Indianapolis ran 31st in points and Mo Alie-Cox, tight end down and all those things we know and two other red- last in total yards. The former VCU basketball are key to winning,” Colts quarter- zone drives ended out the clock at the Those numbers came STANDINGS star has been a breakout back Philip Rivers said. “… We’re in with short field goals against a pair of very end of last week’s candidate the past two AFC South this thing for the long haul, but we instead of touch- good defenses in the seasons, but he delivered W L T Pct. do know — we can talk about small downs. game — ended Buffalo Bills and San on his immense promise last sample size, but each game does In the win against Francisco 49ers, but Tennessee 2 0 0 1.000 with no points. week. Starting as the primary stand alone, and each game matters Minnesota, a pass Indianapolis boasts tight end option for the first Indianapolis 1 1 0 .500 because if you have a poor eight-game deflected off tight end Mo Alie-Cox’s the league’s top-ranked defense in time, Alie-Cox set career Jacksonville 1 2 0 .333 stretch in the red zone and third hands and was intercepted inside the yards allowed and No. 8 scoring highs with five catches for down, you probably are not going 10-yard line to end the opening drive. defense. Houston 0 2 0 .000 111 yards while serving as a to be very happy with the win-loss Despite playing significant time The Colts made a big leap forward matchup nightmare. record.” without Doyle, running back Marlon in Week 2, surrendering just 175 So far Indianapolis is 1-1 during a Mack and wide receiver Parris Camp- yards to the Vikings and keeping BIG NUMBER seven-game opening stretch it must bell, the Colts have scored on 52.6% them scoreless between their first WHO’S NOT capitalize on if it hopes to be a serious of their possessions this year — a rate and last drives. contender in the AFC South. The slate that ranks seventh in the league. But Indianapolis has racked up seven continues Sunday with a visit from the offense ranks in the bottom half sacks overall, and it forced three the struggling New York Jets (0-2). of the NFL — 18th of 32 teams — with turnovers last week. In each of the first two weeks, the 48 points. “I don’t know if we’ve played any- % Colts squandered early chances to Those 13 red-zone drives have body in the last two games that have 8800 break the game open. It came back resulted in five field goals, and four really gone after every possession Completion rate for Jets to haunt them during a 27-20 loss series — including one during which the way these guys do,” Jets head quarterback Sam Darnold in against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Indianapolis ran out the clock at the coach Adam Gase said. “You see a Third-down offense his only previous appearance Week 1 but had little effect on a 28-11 end of last week’s game — ended with ball get thrown outside for 5 yards, The Colts are just 7-of-23 against the Colts on Oct. win against the Minnesota Vikings no points. that d-line is flying to the football. (30.4%) on third down this 14, 2018. Darnold finished last week. “Of course, we are still so early in Their linebackers do a phenom- season. It’s among the 24-of-30 for 280 yards with Against a heavy underdog like the the year that you don’t have a lot of enal job of getting to the ball. This primary reasons Indianapolis two touchdowns and one Jets — who are getting 10½ points attempts, so every missed attempt is an extremely tough group to go has not been able to finish interception in New York’s from oddsmakers, the most lopsided — as far as the percentage — is going against.” 42-34 victory. drives despite moving the ball with regularity. The Colts have punted just twice on 19 drives INSIDE THE GAME WITH CNHI SPORTS: Colts writer George Bremer joins CNHI Sports writers this season, but they’ve from across the country for a new sports show available on our website at heraldbulletin.com. scored just four touchdowns.

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