Colts vs. Steelers: Complete Week 8 Preview for Indianapolis

The Indianapolis Colts are rolling and in control of the AFC South, but they'll have an interesting test on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After an 0-2 start, the Colts have won five straight, including a 27-0 shutout last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. While many expected Andrew Luck to be as good as he has been, the defense has been a huge surprise. Despite the absence of Robert Mathis, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky has drawn up some great ways to get to opposing quarterbacks.

"We trust him to put us in the best position to make plays and win," Greg Toler said of Manusky, according to Stephen Holder from the Indianapolis Star. "And right now it's just clicking from top to bottom."

This week, the Colts will take on an erratic Steelers team that's gone 4-3 but been unable to string together two consecutive wins. The defense in Pittsburgh isn't what it used to be, and it's potentially put the team's playoff hopes in jeopardy.

The Colts have a chance to head into their bye week in Week 10 with a seven-game win streak, but the next two games before the bye could be trouble if Indianapolis doesn't come in focused. 

Here's a complete Week 8 preview as the Colts get ready to take on the Steelers.

Colts Week 7 Recap

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For the first time since 2008, the Colts defense didn't allow a single point against the Bengals, coming away with an easy 27-0 victory.

It was clear from the beginning that the Bengals couldn't get anything going offensively without A.J. Green, who was inactive for the game. They didn't even get their first first down of the game until late in the first half. Overall, the Bengals finished with just eight first downs and 135 total yards, averaging only 2.5 yards per play.

However, the Bengals were somehow able to keep things close in the first half. Luck seemed a bit off, and the offense could only produce 10 total points despite some great field position through the first two quarters. Two costly fumbles from the running backs didn't help, either, although one was credited to Luck on a bobbled handoff to Trent Richardson, which appeared to be the back's fault.

The offense was able to make adjustments in the second half. Dwayne Allen made a great grab on an out route, then was able to tip-toe down the sideline for a 32-yard score. Bradshaw scored another touchdown in the fourth, officially sealing the win for the Colts.

With another 300-plus-yard performance, Luck has a chance to break Peyton Manning's franchise record of consecutive games with at least 300 yards this week against Pittsburgh. The Steelers have only allowed 230.9 passing yards per game, the fewest of any team since the win streak started, so it might be a little harder to break 300 this week, although there's still a good chance he does.

News and Notes

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Ahmad Bradshaw Nearing NFL Record

After another injury-plagued 2013 season, Bradshaw has finally returned and been a big factor in the Colts offense. This season, he's put up 548 total yards and seven total touchdowns, including six in the passing game.

Now, Bradshaw is four receiving touchdowns away from Marshall Faulk's record of nine receiving touchdowns by a running back in 2001. For Bradshaw, he's proud of being a versatile back that can do it all.

"Coming into the NFL, that's just how I see myself, as a scat type of back,” Bradshaw told ESPN.com's Mike Wells. "Backing up Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward my early years that's what I was. I came in, we ran screens, tossed the ball to me; it was a red flag when I came in because you just knew. But just being able to be that scat back, it really helps in where I'm at now."

With nine games remaining and Bradshaw being one of the main red-zone targets for Luck, there's a pretty good chance he'll be able to break Faulk's record.

Colts Add Blazing Speed to Practice Squad

General manager Ryan Grigson has been known for casting a wide net when it comes to adding players to the roster, and he made another interesting move this week.

The Colts added former Olympic sprinter Jeff Demps to the practice squad on Tuesday, according to Michael David Smith from Pro Football Talk. Demps won a silver medal in 2010 with the USA 4x100 meter relay team and also played running back at Florida in college, putting up 2,470 yards over his career.

Demps has previously played with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but has yet to find a permanent home in the NFL. The Colts are pretty set at running back right now, but if someone goes down, there's a chance that Demps could be on the active roster by the end of the season.

Good News on Reggie Wayne's MRI

Colts fans could see last Sunday that Reggie Wayne was playing through some pain, which was likely a big reason he dropped two passes. The Bengals weren't afraid to get physical with Wayne, yet the Colts kept him in the game so he could keep his streak of games with three catches alive.

Fortunately, it doesn't look like Wayne will miss too much time after getting good news about the MRI on his elbow. 

Don't panic," Wayne said according to Zak Keefer from the Indianapolis Star. "I'll be fine."

Wayne won't play this week, but there's the possibility he is ready to go next week, although the Colts may want to sit him until after the bye week. Even if he misses Sunday's game, the Colts should be fine, as they have plenty of depth at the position with T.Y. Hilton, Hakeem Nicks and Donte Moncrief.

Injury Report

USA TODAY Sports

Player	Position	Injury Status
Darius Butler	CB	Probable
Jack Doyle	TE	Questionable
Arthur Jones	DT	Probable
Trent Richardson	RB	Questionable
Reggie Wayne	WR	Out

The Colts should be in good shape at wide receiver despite Wayne not being able to play on Sunday, and the same goes for the tight end position. Jack Doyle may not be able to go, but the Colts will be just fine with Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener.

The good news this week is that Darius Butler should finally be back after missing the past couple of games. The Steelers have some good receivers that can play in the slot, but Butler is a terrific nickel corner that can keep up with some of the fastest players in the league.

According to Stephen Holder of the Star, Arthur Jones will finally be able to play for the first time since Week 2, but he may not start. The Colts have depth on the defensive line, so they don't have to rush Jones back in too fast.

Trent Richardson may not be able to play, but that's kind of exciting for Colts fans who have been waiting to see Dan Herron get a chance. Last week, Herron was able to see some action in the fourth quarter and capitalized, running for 37 yards on just five carries.

Like Bradshaw, Herron is an aggressive runner, and he has a chance to make a name for himself if Richardson can't play on Sunday.

X-Factors and Matchups to Watch

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Vontae Davis vs. Antonio Brown

For the Colts defense, there won't be a bigger matchup to keep an eye on than Vontae Davis and Antonio Brown, who have both been playing like Pro Bowl-caliber players this year.

So far, opponents haven't found a way to slow down Brown, who has caught 50 passes for 719 yards and five touchdowns already. His incredible speed and ability to quickly switch directions has made it a nightmare for opposing cornerbacks to cover him.

Fortunately, Davis might be the one that can contain him. So far, Davis has lived up to his massive new contract, holding opposing quarterbacks to just a 35.2 passer rating when throwing his way, while allowing just 14 receptions for 174 yards all year, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

With two talented players going head-to-head, this will be the most exciting matchup to watch on Sunday.

Dwayne Allen vs. Steelers Linebackers

One of the biggest differences for this year's Colts offense has been Dwayne Allen, who missed all of last season. Not only has he been an effective blocker in the running game, but he's also been a threat in the red zone, catching 21 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns this year.

Allen has a chance to continue making plays against the Steelers, who have struggled this year defending tight ends. Through seven games, they've allowed 31 receptions for 449 yards and four touchdowns to tight ends, according to ESPN.com.

Luck loves looking for his tight ends down the field, so expect Allen to get some more work in on Sunday.

Erik Walden vs. Marcus Gilbert

Last week wasn't the best for Erik Walden, who was ejected from the game after making contact with an official. Still, this season has been much better for Walden, who needs to shake off the ejection and continue to play at a high level against Marcus Gilbert.

The former second-round pick in 2011 has been enjoying possibly the best season of his career, particularly in the run game. This season, Gilbert is the fifth-highest graded offensive tackle in run blocking, according to PFF's metrics.

Walden's main job is to set the edge and help stop the run, so a good game from him could go a long way in stopping Le'Veon Bell.

Colts' X-Factor of the Week: Donte Moncrief

With Wayne out for Sunday's game, rookie Donte Moncrief will finally have the chance to get some more work after making some promising plays up to this point in the season.

So far, Moncrief has caught just nine passes for 103 yards, but that's mostly because he's the No. 4 receiver on the depth chart. When Hilton went down in Week 3 against the Jaguars, Moncrief stepped up in the second half, catching four passes for 55 yards.

During his time at Ole Miss, Moncrief was consistently a big-play threat, and if the Steelers don't do their homework on the rookie, they could end up getting burned by him this week.

Prediction

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This game will be a tough test on the road for the Colts, but they have a big mismatch that will be the deciding factor in the game.

The Steelers secondary isn't what it used to be, allowing opposing quarterbacks to post a 91.4 passer rating with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Cortez Allen has struggled mightily at corner, posting by far the worst PFF grade of any eligible CB, and the Colts may try to expose him in the passing game as often as possible.

Even if the Colts don't throw Allen's way, Luck has the weapons to throw the ball deep and look for big plays. With the No. 1 passing offense at 329.6 yards per game through the air, Luck has no problem moving the ball down the field.

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers have been putting up just 22 points per game despite some games against some very weak defenses. So far, Manusky's defense for the Colts has looked like the real deal thanks to some great play by the secondary and pass rush. With the Steelers top weapon being covered by Davis, it will be even harder for Pittsburgh to put points on the board.

By no means is this a guaranteed win for the Colts, but it feels like Luck could try to make some plays deep and break this one open early. The Colts have gotten off to great starts in most of their games, and I expect them to take an early lead that they can manage and hold until the final whistle.

Prediction: Colts 28, Steelers 20