Colts vs. Browns: Complete Week 14 Preview for Indianapolis
As the 2014 NFL season winds down, the Indianapolis Colts prepare for one of their final tests, taking on a Cleveland Browns team that's attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
The Colts appear to be well on their way to another AFC South title, going 8-4 through the first three quarters of the season. The Houston Texans are still just two games behind, but considering the remaining schedule for the Colts, it will be quite hard for them to give up the division lead.
Things are much more interesting for the Browns, who post a 7-5 record while desperately trying to keep up with the rest of the AFC North, as every team currently holds a winning record in the division. Meanwhile, the Browns are still unsure of who their starting quarterback will be by the end of the regular season, as the nation waits to see if Johnny Manziel will finally get a chance to start.
Browns head coach Mike Pettine was pretty straightforward when announcing that Brian Hoyer would be the starter this week.
"The fact that he'd been in there, he'd been a part of our success," Pettine said on Wednesday, according to Gregg Rosenthal from NFL.com. "It wasn't perfect, and he's made his share of mistakes, but he's gotten the lion's share of the reps in practice and virtually all of them in games and has us in the thick of a playoff hunt. That to me was probably the biggest determining factor."
While the Browns are busy dealing with who will play quarterback, the Colts are preparing to try and get win No. 9 this year Sunday on the road, so let's take a look at a complete Week 14 team preview for Indianapolis.
Colts Week 13 Recap
1 of 5
It was another rough start for the Colts last week against Washington. In fact, on the very first play from scrimmage, Ryan Kerrigan sacked Andrew Luck and forced an early turnover. On the next offensive drive, Luck ended up throwing an interception, with the ball getting tipped up in the air and falling in Ryan Clark's hands.
Fortunately for the Colts, their defense was able to hold, limiting Washington to just a field goal in the first quarter. Luck then turned things around after early turnovers, leading the Colts on an 83-yard scoring drive that ended with a wide-open touchdown to Coby Fleener.
That wasn't the last easy touchdown Luck would throw in the game. Washington's secondary almost seemed lost all game, allowing wide-open touchdowns one after another. Luck finished the game throwing for 370 yards, five touchdowns and that one interception, posting an impressive 137.0 passer rating.
Donte Moncrief finally had his first breakout game because of some blown coverage, catching three passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Another rookie also impressed on limited touches in Daniel Herron. Boom carried the ball just eight times but ran for 88 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown.
The defense had no problem containing Colt McCoy and the Washington offense. Although Washington did score 27 points, McCoy was sacked six times, including a strip-sack from Erik Walden that led to a defensive touchdown from D'Qwell Jackson.
Despite only going to the red zone once, the Colts put up 49 points in a fairly easy 49-27 win. The early turnovers have been a concern the past couple of weeks, but if the offense can keep clicking with new playmakers like Moncrief and Herron, Indianapolis should be in good shape.
News and Notes
2 of 5
Trent Richardson Ready for Return to Cleveland
It's been more than a year since Trent Richardson last played for the Browns. Since coming to Indianapolis after the Colts traded a first-round pick for him, fans and critics haven't been shy about pointing out his flaws.
While I've been one of Richardson's biggest critics since he joined the Colts, the third-year running back is looking to turn things around against his former team.
"I don't want to say it's a revenge game, but it's going to be a lot of emotion put in this game," Richardson told Mike Wells from ESPN.com.
Richardson hasn't played well this season, but he's struggled even more lately, carrying the ball 27 times for just 54 yards and a touchdown over the past three games. He's averaging just 2.0 yards per carry.
Herron should still get some touches, but the Colts coaching staff seems intent on giving Richardson as many chances to prove himself as possible. Hopefully, he can prove that he was worth the first-round pick with a big game against his old team.
Indianapolis Native Andrew McDonald Joins Colts
The Colts haven't been afraid to make moves throughout the season, and even when they appear small, they usually aren't boring.
This week, the Colts waived tight end Weslye Saunders and brought in offensive tackle Andrew McDonald, according to Colts.com (h/t Mike Wilkening from Pro Football Talk). The move likely indicates that Dwayne Allen, who missed the last two games, is good to go, but it will also provide some depth at offensive tackle.
McDonald went undrafted out of Indiana University in 2012, but has spent time with multiple teams throughout the league since. He likely won't see the field since he's deep down on the depth chart, but with multiple offensive linemen on the injury report, the signing gives the team another backup option.
Colts Preparing to Still Face Manziel
Hoyer may be the starting quarterback this week for Cleveland, but considering the spark that Manziel provided last week against the Buffalo Bills, the Colts are planning as if the Browns will at least try to give the rookie quarterback and former Heisman Trophy winner some touches.
"I figure, in my opinion, because Manziel did a decent job when he got in last week, I'm sure they'll have a package for him just to keep us on our heels," D'Qwell Jackson told Mike Wells. "It doesn't change what we do defensively. Just from understanding a personnel standpoint, you've got to be ready for anything that happens. If they use him, we'll adjust to it. If they don't, we'll have a plan for it as well."
Manziel brings a different skill set to the field than Hoyer does, sometimes relying on his legs to either extend the play or move downfield. The Colts have yet to be tested by a truly mobile quarterback, so it will be interesting to see how they handle Manziel if he does in fact get a chance to play some snaps on Sunday.
Injury Report
3 of 5
| Player | Position | Injury Status |
| Mike Adams | S | Questionable |
| Dwayne Allen | TE | Probable |
| Jalil Brown | CB | Questionable |
| Josh Cribbs | RS | Questionable |
| Vontae Davis | CB | Out |
| Jonotthan Harrison | C | Probable |
| T.Y. Hilton | WR | Probable |
| Arthur Jones | DT | Probable |
| Zach Kerr | NT | Probable |
| Lance Louis | OG | Probable |
| Xavier Nixon | OT | Out |
| Cory Redding | DE | Probable |
| Andy Studebaker | OLB | Out |
| Hugh Thornton | OG | Out |
| Erik Walden | OLB | Probable |
Note: All injury statuses are from Friday's practice via Colts.com.
There are 15 names on this week's injury report, as the injuries continue to add up for the Colts. They did a good job of staying relatively healthy to start the season, but now the injuries are starting to pile up.
A good number of the players on the list will be able to play, so we'll focus on the ones who won't or are on the fence. On the bright side, at least Dwayne Allen looks like he'll finally be able to go again after missing the past two games, taking some pressure off Coby Fleener and Jack Doyle.
Several starters have already been ruled out, including Hugh Thornton and Vontae Davis. Joe Reitz will likely replace Thornton at right guard, but the bigger concern is the absence of Davis. Josh Gordon will present a huge mismatch for the Colts, and Davis was really the only option to contain him. Greg Toler and Josh Gordy will do their best, but Gordon could be primed for a big game.
Safety Mike Adams is questionable to play on Sunday, and that's bad news considering the current lack of depth at the position. If he can't go, that could mean more of LaRon Landry alongside Sergio Brown. Adams has been a very reliable player at the safety position, and his absence combined with Vontae's could spell trouble against Cleveland's passing game.
Josh Cribbs is also questionable to play, and while he only plays special teams, his presence could be missed. He's been a much more effective return man than Griff Whalen was, and he did a good job of setting the Colts up with nice field position. It won't be the end of the world if he can't go, but it would have made things easier for the offense.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
X-Factor and Matchups to Watch
4 of 5
Colts Secondary vs. Josh Gordon
Few wideouts around the league are as talented as Josh Gordon, and if the Colts can't contain Cleveland's top receiver, it could be a very long day for them.
In just two games this season, Gordon has already caught 15 passes for 195 yards. At 6'3'' and 225 pounds, he presents a huge mismatch to most secondaries, especially for the Colts if Vontae Davis is out due to his concussion.
If Davis can't play, Greg Toler, Darius Butler and Josh Gordy will try to contain Gordon, but it's quite likely that the third-year wide receiver will have a huge game.
Anthony Castonzo vs. Barkevious Mingo
It's been another solid season for Anthony Castonzo, who continues to be arguably the most reliable offensive lineman for the Colts. He's gone against some tough pass-rushers this season, and he'll have another big test against sophomore linebacker Barkevious Mingo.
While Mingo has only put up one sack this season, he's been a valuable player both getting to opposing quarterbacks and stopping the run. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he's hurried opposing quarterbacks 16 times in 11 games while also posting the team's third-highest run-defense grade.
Few players have been able to get to Luck when coming from Castonzo's side, but the starting left tackle will also have to focus on blocking for Richardson and Herron if the Colts are going to maintain offensive balance.
Colts Defensive Line vs. Browns Offensive Line
The Browns might not have the best playmakers outside of Gordon, but the reason they've remained a playoff contender all season is because of their terrific offensive line that includes players like Joe Thomas, Joel Bitonio and John Greco.
This will be a good test for the Colts defensive line before it takes on another great offensive line with the Dallas Cowboys. Arthur Jones looks to be healthy now, and his presence in the trenches will be needed, especially once the playoffs begin.
Cory Redding and Josh Chapman will be key pieces as well, but the players behind them on the depth chart will also have to produce. Ricky Jean Francois and Montori Hughes have shown promise in backup roles, and they'll need to come in on Sunday and plug up running lanes in order to keep the Browns one-dimensional.
Colts' X-Factor of the Week: Jonathan Newsome
He's only a rookie, but former Ball State defensive end Jonathan Newsome has started to develop nicely as a backup pass-rusher, especially as of late.
This season, Newsome has already racked up 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Last week's performance against Washington may have been his best, as he put up 1.5 sacks while burning by two-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams.
Newsome will have another tough task trying to get by Joe Thomas, but given how the rookie has been playing lately, I expect Greg Manusky to keep giving him some extra snaps.
Prediction
5 of 5
This is a potential trap game for the Colts, as the Browns shouldn't be overlooked. However, with the weapons they have on offense, including a couple of new ones, the Colts should have a good chance of winning this game.
Offensively, the key may be establishing a strong run game with both Herron and Richardson. Cleveland has an underrated pass defense, ranking sixth in Football Outsiders' metrics. At the same time, the Browns rank just 28th against the run, which means that Pep Hamilton could be drawing up more run plays than usual, unless the Colts fall behind defensively.
Still, I expect Luck to keep making some big throws. T.Y. Hilton is a tough player for anyone in the league to cover, and now that Donte Moncrief has emerged as another deep threat, Cleveland will have to stay disciplined in order to avoid blown coverage like Washington had last week.
On defense, the Colts will need to find ways to get in Hoyer's face. He has struggled quite a bit over the past three games, completing just 50.8 percent of his passes with one touchdown and six interceptions. According to PFF, his pass rating drops from 92.3 all the way down to 46.3 when throwing under pressure.
Manusky has done a good job of drawing up blitz schemes against weaker opposing quarterbacks, and I expect that to be a factor once again on Sunday. Combine that with some nice runs from Herron and a few big throws from Luck, and the Colts should be in pretty good shape. However, if the blitzes can't get to Hoyer like a few weeks ago against Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers, this game could be a lot closer than Colts fans would like, especially with Davis out and not able to cover Gordon.
Prediction: Colts 27, Browns 23
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
