Buccaneers vs. Colts: What's the Game Plan for Indianapolis

With the Philadelphia Eagles giving up five scores to Matthew Stafford on Thursday, Jameis Winston’s five-touchdown game last Sunday loses a bit of its shine. But that doesn’t mean it is any less impressive for the young quarterback.

Coming off the best performance of his short career, Winston comes up against an Indianapolis Colts secondary that ranks No. 29 in the league against the pass and has been unsuccessful at stopping opposing quarterbacks on a weekly basis.

After watching Julio Jones have a huge day against Vontae Davis, Winston has to be licking his chops to get a shot at beating the AFC South leaders.

How can the Colts stop the young quarterback from going off? And will Matt Hasselbeck be able to do enough to keep his undefeated run this season going? Let’s take a look at the game plan for the Indianapolis Colts for their matchup against the Bucs this Sunday.

Offensive Game Plan

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Last week, against the Atlanta Falcons, the Colts were struggling early, as they have done time and time again this year. Unable to get anything going on the ground with the Falcons sporting a fantastic run defense and Matt Hasselbeck under pressure, something needed to be done to save the game and season.

Reacting on the fly, the coaching staff decided to get the running backs involved in the passing game and call for more short passes than before, utilizing all the talent the team had on the field while preventing the Falcons pass rush from getting to their veteran quarterback.

The idea should be the same against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday from the start, with only a few slight tweaks.

Getting the ball out of Hasselbeck’s hands quickly is paramount to success and doing so early could keep the game from getting out of hand as it has done so many times this year. But the big difference from last week is the necessity of the running game.

Having a balanced attack against a Bucs defense that doesn’t excel against the pass or the run could be the difference between victory and defeat, so the Colts have to involve their running back. Outside runs should do the trick while also avoiding Gerald McCoy in the middle, who could have a field day against the Indianapolis offensive line.

Defensive Game Plan

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Unlike the offensive game plan for the Colts against Tampa Bay, things might get a little more complicated on the defensive side of the ball.

The last few weeks have been good performances, relative to what the team had showed for the first few weeks of the year, but they still haven’t been great. Julio Jones was unstoppable against a paper-thin Colts secondary, although the defense did stiffen late in the game when it was most needed.

As they showed last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are up to the task of moving the ball on the ground and through the air in equal amounts, with Jameis Winston’s five touchdowns overshadowing a huge day from Doug Martin.

But that is a best-case scenario for the Bucs, and Martin has been inconsistent in his career, so the Colts would be wise to hedge their bets and focus on slowing down Winston and the passing attack however they can.

If Vontae Davis and Mike Adams are back things become much easier, with the corner blanketing Mike Evans, and the defense shifting double teams to help Greg Toler stop Vincent Jackson. It won’t be easy, but the Colts are more than up to the task of stopping the Bucs and winning their third straight game.

Key Matchups and Players

David Goldman/Associated Press

RB Ahmad Bradshaw

Frank Gore is bound to see a pretty heavy workload if the Colts look to keep a balanced attack against Tampa Bay, but Ahmad Bradshaw could be an X-factor as the backup running back.

Known more for his receiving ability, Bradshaw’s strength lies in being able to find space. The Colts will be willing to put him in positions to avoid trying to run past Gerald McCoy in the center of the line. Expect Bradshaw to see his fair share of the ball come Sunday in hopes of establishing something on the ground.

D’Qwell Jackson

Although the focus should be placed on stopping Winston and the passing attack, ignoring Doug Martin entirely could be a recipe for disaster, which is where D’Qwell Jackson comes in.

Coming off of a fantastic game-winning performance against the Falcons, the Colts' star linebacker will be key both in stopping Martin from getting going and keeping the air attack in check. The game could come down to the performance from the league’s leading tackler.

CB Vontae Davis

Last week wasn’t one to write home about for a player of Vontae Davis’ quality. Getting burned time and again by Julio Jones for most of the game, Davis was pulled in the fourth quarter with an injury and did not return.

Davis should be set to go against Tampa Bay, and he will be needed against another talented group of receivers. If he performs up to his usual level of excellence it will go a long way toward stopping the Buccaneers offense.

TE Dwayne Allene

As has been the case since the team selected them with their second and third-round picks in 2012, it has been an up-and-down season for Colts tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen.

Starting slowly against the Falcons, Fleener came on strong in the second half—even recording an interception to seal the win—but Allen was unable to find any rhythm, only recording a single catch for seven yards. Expect more out of the young tight end if the team focuses on a shorter passing game.

Prediction

David Goldman/Associated Press

The Colts are on a run and continue to lead the division despite a good stretch from the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. There is still plenty of the season remaining and Sunday is far from a must win, but a victory will keep Indianapolis ahead in the AFC South, something the players will be hoping for.

Tampa Bay poses another stiff test, with one of the hottest offenses in the league coming off a huge win and a vastly improved defense, the Buccaneers are still very much alive in the playoff hunt and will be desperate to keep pace with the Falcons in the wild card.

With both teams looking for a win and an even matchup on the field, it comes down to the little things and the Colts' veterans will be just enough to push them over the top.

Winston might be the young star, but Hasselbeck is one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the league. At 3-0 this season, the veteran has shown he is more than up to the task of carrying the Colts to a win.

Expect a tight contest, with the Colts doing just enough to edge out the upstart Buccaneers late to keep the winning streak alive.

Prediction: Colts 27, Buccaneers 21