Colts vs. Dolphins: Full Indianapolis Game Preview
It has been a long and not-so-pleasant road for the Indianapolis Colts, but finally against the Houston Texans last Sunday, they reached their lowest point since drafting Andrew Luck in 2012.
Coming off back-to-back 35-point losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Colts had to beat the Texans if they wanted to maintain control of their fate in the race for the AFC South title. A 16-10 defeat later and Indianapolis is looking up at the Texans, hoping for a loss and needing a win.
There is still hope in the playoff hunt, though, and it all starts Sunday against a struggling Miami team that hasn’t been able to capture the magic it found immediately after naming Dan Campbell interim head coach.
The Colts are on a three-game losing streak, while the Dolphins have lost six of their last eight, which means Sunday could provide a turning point for both teams if they are able to put together a strong performance.
Viewing Info
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami
Date: Sunday
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Week 15 Results and Recap
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In a manner of speaking, Sunday against the Houston Texans could have gone worse than it did. At least in their season-defining defeat, the Colts didn’t lose by 35 points for the third consecutive week.
Other than that, though, there wasn’t much Indianapolis will reflect fondly on from its 16-10 loss to the Texans. With a limited Matt Hasselbeck, the Colts were inept offensively, tallying a season low in total yards.
Perhaps even more disappointing than the offensive performance was the fact that the Colts were outstanding defensively—playing against Brandon Weeden and T.J. Yates tends to do that to a unit—and completely wasted it.
All the pieces are there for a good performance from Indianapolis, and the team will need it going forward, but last Sunday was the peak of the Colts' troubles coming off the huge losses to Pittsburgh and Jacksonville. Indy will be desperate to bounce back against Miami this week.
The biggest news around the division came with the Texans taking control of the AFC South after beating the Colts, but the Jaguars slipped closer to elimination from the playoff race with a loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
AFC South Standings
- Houston Texans (7-7)
- Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9)
- Tennessee Titans (3-11)
News and Notes
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Colts Miss Out on Pro Bowl
In a season that has been filled with so many disappointments and failures for the Colts, not having a player named to the Pro Bowl has to rank low on the list, but it is still a little surprising.
Linebacker D’Qwell Jackson is leading the league in tackles and, despite his less-than-stellar track record in pass coverage, has to be a little disappointed with the lack of recognition. Beside that both Pat McAfee and Adam Vinatieri make a case for spots at their respective kicker positions. No one in Indianapolis is too worried about no players heading to Hawaii, but it is still one other disappointment in this forgettable season.
T.Y. Hilton Not Entirely Pleased by Play-Calling
Last week the Colts hit an offensive low point since drafting Andrew Luck a few years ago. With the star quarterback on the sideline, Indianapolis only managed 190 yards with Matt Hasselbeck under center, leaving T.Y. Hilton unhappy with the play-calling, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com:
"Donte (Moncrief), me, Phil (Phillip Dorsett), we’re fast guys and we’re not going down the field like how we’re supposed to be. Running stick routes, chain routes. We can do that, but at some point you have to take your shot and get the defense going back. The throws have been there, but we haven’t been calling them. More play calling.
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Part of the lack of downfield throws has been the fear that the offensive line won’t be able to hold back pass rushes for that long, but Hilton has a point. The Colts have a crazy amount of talent on offense and have been unable to utilize it properly all season.
Colts Need Help To Make the Playoffs
The first priority for the Indianapolis Colts should be to fix their own problems and earn wins against the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans, but even if they manage that, there is no guarantee of a playoff berth.
With a number of complicated scenarios remaining, the Colts' shot at a postseason spot isn't completely finished, but one thing is sure: The Houston Texans need to lose first.
Latest Injury News
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QB Andrew Luck (Abdomen, Kidney) Limited
So it turns out that the estimates for Andrew Luck’s return from about a month ago were just speculation. Despite NFL Media's Ian Rapoport's report that he was going to be back against the Texans, Luck was on the sideline yet again for the Colts' most important loss of the year.
Another week into his hiatus and Luck is limited in practice, and he is once again ruled out for Sunday’s game. At this point, it would be in the Colts' best interest to shut him down for the year, playoffs or not.
QB Matt Hasselbeck (Back, Ribs), Limited
Unlike his younger counterpart, Matt Hasselbeck has been dealing with a tough string of injuries but has been the rock for the Colts in recent weeks, even if the performances haven’t been great.
Charlie Whitehurst is ready to go at any time for Indianapolis, and if we’re being completely honest, that might be the best bet with how Hasselbeck has played the last few weeks. But for now, it appears the veteran starter will keep his place for another week and tough it out against the Dolphins.
WR Donte Moncrief (Toe), Did Not Practice
Last week was no different; Donte Moncrief looked like he was going to miss the game against Houston before playing anyway and scoring the Colts' only touchdown.
Back in a walking boot this week with a toe injury, Moncrief missed practice Wednesday and would be sorely missed against the Dolphins if he can’t go. But after last week, it is tough to predict whether or not the young wide receiver sits or not.
All injury reports via Colts.com.
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Key Matchups
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Miami Dolphins Pass Rush vs. Indianapolis Colts Offensive Line
Fresh off a dismantling at the hands of the Houston Texans defensive line and J.J. Watt, the Indianapolis Colts get the pleasure of having to stop Ndamukong Suh and the Dolphins pass rush.
Miami hasn’t been great at getting to the quarterback this season, tied for 24th in the league in sacks this year with 27, but Suh and Cameron Wake are good enough on their own to cause chaos against a terrible Colts offensive line.
If Indianapolis can’t keep its quarterback upright, the offense will find it tough to get going, and it will be another long game in a season full of them.
Vontae Davis vs. Jarvis Landry
It took a while, but DeAndre Hopkins eventually managed to win his one-on-one battle with Vontae Davis last week, quietly putting together another great performance. It has been a tough season for the Colts secondary, Davis included, and last Sunday was just another poor performance.
His matchup this week will be Jarvis Landry, who is on the edge of the NFL’s top tier of pass-catchers but not up to the level of Antonio Brown, Julio Jones and Hopkins. Each of those three has made it look easy against Davis this year, and if Landry can do the same, the Dolphins might run away with the game.
Matchup X-Factor
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WR T.Y. Hilton
Early this week, the Indianapolis Colts received a message from their top wide receiver T.Y. Hilton—who remains one of the best in the league at his position—that the play-calling was not nearly up to snuff. He might have been right with his criticism, but now it is his time to show the world why.
As often happens in these situations, expect the ball to go to Hilton down the field early and often, with the coaches likely trying to appease one of their star players. They can give him a chance to produce, or they can otherwise prove a point if he has a bad game.
It is fortunate that the Miami Dolphins head into the game with one of the worst pass defenses in the league.
Allowing 265 yards per game through the air, the Dolphins rank 27th in the NFL in pass defense, which means Hilton should be poised for a big game even with Matt Hasselbeck or Charlie Whitehurst throwing him the ball.
Even if he does put up big numbers, there is no guarantee of a win, but Hilton is capable of changing a game on his own. Against Miami, he will likely have a shot to do just that.
Prediction Colts 21, Dolphins 17
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This is a tough one to pick. For as bad as the Colts have been in the past three weeks, they have shown they are capable of putting on great performances—see wins against the Broncos and Buccaneers as examples—but at the same time every game could be a train wreck.
Without Andrew Luck, there is a bit of dissension in the locker room with T.Y. Hilton’s comments and the defense being its usual paper-thin self. If things go badly, the game could get out of hand with some of the talent the Dolphins have on their roster.
But there is a glimmer of hope among all the negatives for the Colts. Despite losing to the Houston Texans last week, there is still a chance for Indianapolis when it comes to the playoffs.
Houston also needs to lose, but the Colts have to win at least one of their last two games—or both if the Texans get a win—to keep their dreams alive. That all starts with the game against Miami.
So long as Matt Hasselbeck isn’t completely incapable of throwing the ball downfield and the offensive line keeps Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh off their hobbled veteran, the Colts should have enough to win and make the AFC South interesting.
Prediction: Colts 21, Dolphins 17
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