How Offseason Additions Could Impact Colts' Week 6 Matchup with Patriots

Last January, the Indianapolis Colts got steamrolled by the New England Patriots. 

That's the elephant in the room whenever one brings up the rivalry these days. Some would even scoff at the use of the word rivalry to describe the most recent matchups between the two clubs. 

This history, with Colts quarterback Andrew Luck involved, includes three more games going back to 2012 that were all blowout New England wins. 

Massacre may be a better description. 

But since the January matchup, the two clubs have undergone quite a transformation. Analysis of the two teams' strengths and weaknesses will cover a wide range of topics before the Sunday night game, but today, we're looking at each of the new actors that will be playing. How will they impact the matchup? They give the Colts a very different look, albeit not necessarily a better one. 

Offense

The Colts made several big changes to the offense after being unable to move the ball in New England last January. 

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

With some schematic adjustments, as well as Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner holding down the fort on the outside, the Colts were toothless, scoring just seven points in the contest. For a team that was carried by the offense all year, that was a losing formula. 

So, the Colts made adjustments. 

The name that might make the biggest difference is running back Frank Gore. The Colts ran the ball somewhat successfully in January, as Daniel Herron ran for over five yards per carry, but they only were able to run him 10 times as the game got out of hand. With Gore in, the Colts should have a higher commitment to running the ball, especially if he has that kind of success early on. 

That being said, the Colts really have to get Gore involved in the pass game if he's to make the offense go. Unfortunately, Gore has struggled in the pass game to start the season, with a couple of drops and multiple screen plays that couldn't get off the ground for a number of reasons. 

So far, the Patriots are 25th against the run by Football Outsider's DVOA, so if the Colts can establish a ground game, Gore could be huge in giving the Colts some semblance of balance. For reference, the Colts had 37 dropbacks and 15 handoffs last year. 

The team also signed Andre Johnson in the offseason, a notable addition as he replaced Reggie Wayne in the offense. Unfortunately, Johnson has had his issues finding his role in Indianapolis, going catchless in Weeks 3 and 4, and really not getting off the ground until his two-touchdown day against Houston last week. 

Perhaps the Colts have found a role for Johnson, but we haven't see a rapport between him and Luck at all. If Luck starts on Sunday night, who knows what we'll see from Johnson. Even against a team that lost a lot of its cornerbacks from last season, Johnson's impact has a very low floor. The one bright spot: If the Patriots choose to double T.Y. Hilton yet again, there could be room for Johnson to win a few contested catches. 

The Colts must get some toughness from both Gore and Johnson. One reason why the Colts signed the two was because of the "soft" perception of the franchise. Both Gore and Johnson have been involved in a lot of football over the last decade, and have been very successful. If they want to prove that they can help change that perception in Indianapolis, Sunday will be a great place to start. 

The other offensive addition was first-round pick Phillip Dorsett. The Colts picked him in the first round both because he has talent they thought was unmatched by anybody left on the board and because the team was desperately lacking a deep threat when Hilton was taken out of the game last year. 

For him to have an impact, however, the Colts need Luck to start the game. If backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck plays, the Colts' deep passing game will be extremely limited. If Luck plays, Dorsett has a chance to be a sneaky X-factor. 

Defense

The Colts defense was the unit that got most of the attention after last year's debacle, however, as the Patriots could do whatever they wanted. The run defense was the particular candidate for criticism, as the Patriots have run over the Colts in each of the last four matchups. 

Date	Attempts	Yards	YPC	Touchdowns	Score
November 18, 2012	25	115	4.60	2	59-24
January 11, 2014	46	234	5.09	6	43-22
November 16, 2014	44	246	5.59	4	42-20
January 18, 2015	40	177	4.43	3	45-7

But the Colts tried to address that weakness in a variety of ways this offseason. 

First and foremost was the draft, where the team drafted defensive end Henry Anderson in the third round and nose tackle David Parry in the fifth. The team liked the Stanford duo so much that both Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes were cut in training camp, despite Arthur Jones being lost for the year to injury. 

Anderson and Parry have been stout thus far this season, especially Anderson. 

The third-round rookie has the eighth-best grade from Pro Football Focus of any 3-4 defensive end in the league, and the second-most "stops" at the position, lagging only behind J.J. Watt. Anderson is a disruptive force, and as a result the Colts have the second-most "stuffs" (rushing plays with zero or negative yards gained) in the league, per Pro Football Reference.

Parry is a part of that, too, though his play has been a bit more inconsistent. Still, the nose tackle provides much more flash and penetration than Josh Chapman was ever able to provide, and linebackers like D'Qwell Jackson behind him are playing well against the run as well. 

Free-agent addition Kendall Langford is new too, but his impact hasn't been close to what Anderson has provided. 

Does the completely new starting defensive line mean the Colts will have better success against the New England run game? We'll see. With this particular matchup, it's hard to believe in the Colts until they prove something, especially given New England's ability to win the schematic battle. 

The Patriots know when to run the ball and how, and the Colts still have weaknesses that could be exploited. 

The Patriots

The Patriots have some changes too, however. 

There are two big changes that we'll focus on. The first is the loss of cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner in the secondary. Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler has played very well to start the season, but the rest of the cornerback group is very thin for New England. 

Logan Ryan, a third-year corner, plays mostly on the outside, and former San Francisco 49er Tarell Brown often plays in the slot. The two haven't necessarily been poor so far this season, but they have been inconsistent. The Colts may be able to exploit that, especially if the offensive line gives Andrew Luck time in the pocket. 

Perhaps more importantly, however, has been the addition of running back Dion Lewis to the Patriots' offensive unit. 

Oddly enough, Lewis was in the Colts' facilities for about a week last season, as the Colts signed him in early September to bolster running back depth. He was cut not long after that, however, and was out of football for the rest of the year. 

A year later, and Lewis is playing phenomenally, developing into a threat both on the ground and through the air for the Patriots. He's replaced Shane Vereen even better than anybody expected, and currently leads all running backs in Pro Football Focus' "Elusive Rating." He is third among all backs in total receiving yards, and is surprisingly powerful for a 195-pound back. 

The Colts should have an especially tough time dealing with him on Sunday, given their linebackers' struggles in coverage. 

But, really, there are any number of areas the Patriots could take advantage of on Sunday. These are two franchises in very different places right now. 

To have a chance at winning on Sunday, the Colts will have to completely change course, and that will take some victories in these new matchups. Are the Colts up to the task?

It's time to see what the new additions can handle.