The upcoming clash between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots on Sunday marks the second consecutive week of NFL action taking place in Germany. Last week, the Kansas City Chiefs emerged as winners against the Miami Dolphins. The Indianapolis Colts, with a current season record of 4-5, are coming off a notable victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Indianapolis currently holds the third position in the AFC South. In contrast, the New England Patriots find themselves at the bottom of the NFL standings for the AFC East, with a disappointing season record of 2-7, following a recent loss to the Washington Commanders. The Colts come into this game as the favorite. Indianapolis is listed at -2.
Colts Seeking to Contend
The Indianapolis Colts are making a valiant effort to remain competitive within the AFC South, where they are just half a game behind the second-placed Houston Texans. So far this season, the Colts have been outscored by a mere 10 points. Interestingly, they have performed better on the road than at home, securing victory in three out of their last four away games.
Gardner Minshew has taken the reins as the Colts’ starting quarterback, replacing Anthony Richardson, who is sidelined for the remainder of the season due to injury. Additionally, wide receiver Josh Downs is absent from the lineup with a knee injury. This places more responsibility on running backs Zack Moss and Jonathan Taylor within the Colts’ offensive scheme.
Zack Moss has been the driving force in the rushing department, accumulating 615 yards and notching five touchdowns. Jonathan Taylor, who has returned to action in five games, has contributed significantly with 254 rushing yards and one touchdown, as well as 131 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air.
Following this game, the Colts will enjoy a bye week before returning home to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the final Sunday of November.
Big Time Struggles for the Patriots
On the other side, their opponent, the New England Patriots have had a nightmarish 2023 season. Nevertheless, their two wins have come against divisional rivals, with victories on the road against the New York Jets and at home against the Buffalo Bills. Since their triumph over the Bills, the Patriots have stumbled, suffering defeats at the hands of the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders. In their last three losses, the Patriots have scored a mere 17 points in each game.
Mac Jones, the Patriots’ quarterback, has struggled to find his rhythm this season. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes but has also been intercepted nine times and sacked 16 times. To compound their issues, Jones is now without his top target, Kendrick Bourne, who had amassed 406 yards and four touchdowns.
The Patriots will also have a bye week following this game and will return to action on the road against the New York Giants, a clash between two struggling teams.
Colts Top Patriots
Really, the easy pick here is the Indianapolis Colts. Can we trust Mac Jones to play well enough to win a game? The answer is no. The Patriots are a disaster. The Colts will run over the Patriots defense, and grab a couple turnovers from the poor New England offense. Take the Colts -2 over the Patriots on Sunday in Germany.
