Patriots Power Running Game Ready to Dominate Indianapolis Once Again

After throwing the ball 50 times in the New England Patriots thrilling 35-31 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, Tom Brady's arm could use a rest. He might get just that against the Indianapolis Colts, as he has only attempted 55 passes over the last two blowout wins over Andrew Luck's team.

Brady hasn't had to throw much because the New England running game has dominated the Indianapolis defense from start to finish. Rich Hill from PatsPulpit.com had the gaudy stats.

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Jonas Gray and LeGarrette Blount combined for 367 rushing yards and 8 TDs in the past two games against the Colts.

— Rich Hill (@PP_Rich_Hill) January 12, 2015"

While offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been known to tinker with things on occasion, the game plan writes itself. Hit the Colts hard up the middle.

Blount and Gray have seen little action the past few games, giving them fresh legs for the playoffs. They can be used as a battering ram to soften up the defense. If the Colts load up the box to defend the run, Brady can use the play-action passing game to force them to cover the entire field. 

Another constraint play to prevent the Colts from crashing inside is the jet sweep. Handing the ball off to Julian Edelman as he flies to the edge will cause the outside linebackers and defensive ends to pause for half of a second in the future. Making the cornerbacks and safeties make sure tackles on the outside is a must.

While the Patriots famously used only four linemen at times against the Ravens, they will likely use six on occasion against the Colts. Cameron Fleming was a big part of the power package the first time the Patriots met Indianapolis and he figures to play a role this week as well. Letting Nate Solder stay at left tackle while Fleming plays tight end allows Solder to not miss a play—he must sit out a play before he returns to an ineligible position.

The biggest change from the last contest will be the probable absence of rookie center Bryan Stork. He suffered an injury to his lower body and did not return to the game. In his stead, Ryan Wendell shifted to center and Josh Kline stepped in at right guard. Albeit a downgrade, it shouldn't be enough to dissuade McDaniels and Brady from running the ball.

The Denver Broncos got away from their running game against the Colts in the divisional round. They rushed the ball only 20 times, resulting in a respectable 88 yards. The 4.4 yards-per-carry average nearly matched Peyton Manning's 4.5 yards-per-attempt passing the ball. The Colts secondary could focus on their coverage duties, rather than having to read and react.

While it is anyone's guess who may get the lion's share of carries, expect the majority of New England's running backs to be a tired bunch when the clock hits zero.

Stats and figures courtesy of NFL.com.