5 Matchups the Indianapolis Colts Must Win Against the Miami Dolphins

Ever since the Indianapolis Colts' loss to the Houston Texans last Sunday, people have been writing the team's season off as a lost cause. 

Of course, people were doing that before Week 15, but it culminated into a widespread assumption after the loss, as the team's chances to win the division took a major hit, despite the yearly assumption that Indianapolis will take the AFC South title. 

Understandably, much of this week's coverage of the team has focused on the future of the Colts, highlighting needs for 2016 and beyond. 

But the team technically still has a chance to win the AFC South and make it to the playoffs. It starts with a bout against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, a team which the Colts have faced twice in the last three years. 

For the Colts' playoff hopes to stay alive, what matchups will loom large in Miami on Sunday? 

Jonotthan Harrison and Hugh Thornton vs. Ndamukong Suh

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The most talked-about free agent during the 2015 offseason was former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. An elite interior lineman hitting the open market is extremely rare, and every team with cash to burn had to at least consider Suh. 

The Colts were one of those teams, with rumors flying about daily and fans excitedly picturing Suh in Colts blue. 

But in the end, the Colts couldn't pony up the kind of cash Suh was looking for, not with contracts for T.Y. Hilton and Anthony Castonzo in the making and Andrew Luck's contract looming over every impactful financial move. The Miami Dolphins did pay for Suh, and it hasn't quite worked out the way they anticipated. 

The Dolphins have still had one of the league's worst defenses, ranking 28th in total defensive DVOA from Football Outsiders. That's a defense the Colts will have to take advantage of on Sunday if they want to have a shot. 

Suh can still wreak havoc, however, and be a game-wrecker all on his own. Pro Football Focus has Suh graded as the third-best defensive tackle in the league. 

With Suh's tackle spot on the defensive line, he'll likely be going up against center Jonotthan Harrison and guard Hugh Thornton most of the time, who are also the Colts' two weakest starters on the questionable unit. This matchup, then, will likely come down to game-planning. How can the Colts slow down Suh and keep him from keeping the offense completely inept? 

T.Y. Hilton vs. Brent Grimes

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Despite it being a down year for the Colts quarterbacks, T.Y. Hilton has still put together a third-consecutive 1,000-yard season and has been a strong contributor. 

Veteran cornerback Brent Grimes has had a different experience in Miami. 

With recent draft picks and free-agent additions failing to make an impact in the secondary, the Dolphins have continued to rely on Grimes for lockdown corner play, although we haven't actually seen that occur for quite some time. 

Grimes is ranked just 46th among all cornerbacks in Pro Football Focus' grades, and the Dolphins rank dead last in DVOA allowed to No. 1 receivers, per Football Outsiders. 

This is a great sign for Hilton, who has been able to beat Grimes before. Facing the Dolphins and Grimes in both 2012 and 2013, Hilton had 100 yards in both games, totaling 226 yards and a touchdown in the two matchups. 

If the Colts are going to win, it's going to involve Hilton, who aired his grievances with the team's lack of downfield aggression earlier this week, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. While the Colts may not like Hilton being so open about his criticisms, the reality is that he's right. 

The Colts' offensive path to success involves successfully getting Hilton the ball down the field. Somehow, some way, the Colts have to figure out how to do that.

Donte Moncrief vs. the Rest

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While Brent Grimes may be aging, he's still the Dolphins' No. 1 cornerback, and the rest of the talent in that secondary is marginal outside of safety Reshad Jones. 

That means while Grimes is focused on Hilton, the Colts have to figure out a way to make them pay. 

The Dolphins may be 32nd in DVOA against No. 1 receivers, but they are also 28th against No. 2 receivers, per Football Outsiders. There will be room to get Moncrief involved, and he's been rather consistent in his workload over the last few weeks. 

One particularly juicy matchup for Indianapolis is Moncrief against cornerback Jamar Taylor. The player out of Boise State earned a starting job a few weeks ago, but he has dropped the ball since, and was benched for last week's game against the Giants. 

Taylor has a negative 16.1 grade from Pro Football Focus and has allowed a passer rating of 134.8. Moncrief has been able to consistently burn poor corners before (just ask the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and the team will need him to win his individual battle to ensure offensive resurgence.

Darius Butler vs. Jarvis Landry

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Let's get this clear from the start: Miami WR Jarvis Landry is going to get his. 

Though the Miami offense hasn't taken the leap yet, as it was expected to, the slot specialist from LSU has been dynamic and consistent this season. Over the last nine weeks, Landry has had just one game with less than 50 yards, and is fifth in the league in total receptions this season. 

The Colts' secondary won't be able to totally contain him, especially as Landry specializes in lining up in the slot and running many routes across the middle of the field, exactly where the Colts' weaknesses lie. 

So, the Colts will turn to Darius Butler, the team's slot specialist who has battled with multiple slot receivers over the years like Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, 

But Butler won't be able to stop him all the time, and that's where tackling comes in. Landry is extremely dangerous when he has the ball in his hands, and the Colts' tackling angles are not always the best. If the team (namely Butler and safeties) doesn't keep Landry contained immediately after a catch, the Colts could see a few big plays unravel.

Robert Mathis vs. Jason Fox

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One of the biggest reasons for the Dolphins' offensive struggles this year is the team's constantly shifting and underperforming offensive line, something Colts fans can certainly sympathize with. Although with the Dolphins, it's actually deserved most of the blame. 

On the other side of the field lies veteran OLB Robert Mathis, who has made a living of beating bad offensive linemen en route to the quarterback. The 34-year-old Mathis has struggled this year, with age bearing him down and having just five sacks on the season, but he could have an opportunity against Miami to add to that total. 

The Dolphins right tackle is currently Jason Fox, who has filled in at both right and left throughout this season. Unfortunately for the Dolphins, the result has never really been pretty. 

Since moving to right tackle permanently in Week 8, Fox has amassed a negative 23.3 grade from Pro Football Focus, and the Dolphins have allowed the fifth-most sacks over that time as a result.

Mathis and his teammates have to get to Ryan Tannehill if they want to stop Miami consistently and avoid big plays. The Colts' pass rush is not a fearsome unit, by any means, but the beat-up Dolphins line may be just the remedy they need.