Special Preview- Week 14
Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders
Colts: I can admit they had me scared for a while last week. After the way they looked in week 12, it was a bounce-back situation in week 13. Although the Texans have struggled this year, they gave the Colts all they could handle. In the previous week against the Tennessee Titans, they were without DeForest Buckner. Last week, he comes back, and immediately, you see the difference his presence made. I’ll still sit here and say the game against the Titans is a different showdown with number 99 on the field. You can say what you want about Philip Rivers and you’re entitled. However, I’ll say this. He’s been far from remarkable in 2020. But, he’s done just enough to help the Colts win football games. The push for a playoff spot continues tomorrow in Las Vegas.
Raiders: I didn’t like how they looked last week. They let a winless team hang around until the end. What put them over the top was a Gregg Williams all-out blitz. But at the end of the day, they survived with a win. They had to bounceback somehow after the embarrassment they put on display in Atlanta the week before. When I look at the Raiders’ offense, I enjoy watching Darren Waller play. He’s everything to this Las Vegas has a nice group of weapons in Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, Henry Ruggs, and Waller, of course. Until this defense can fix a few things, this is what will hold them back. They return home for a huge game tomorrow.
Colts X-Factor: Trey Burton– If you’ve watched Philip Rivers over the years, he loves targeting his tight ends. Look back at the days when he had Antonio Gates with the Chargers. As of late, he and Trey have developed a nice chemistry with one another. Watch for Rivers to look his way, especially on third down and in the red zone.
Raiders X-Factor: Hunter Renfrow– He’s not your typical chain mover. Not only can he run over the middle, but he can also work the flat to get open. Whenever Derek needs to find a receiver, this is usually who he’s targeting. Hunter is shifty enough to get open without the ball and he’s solid with the ball in his hands.
Final Thoughts: It’s another big game here in the AFC. Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning in the conference. The matchup that’s catching my eye is the Raiders’ offensive line against this Colts defensive front. The trio of Buckner, Autry, and Leonard is tough to prepare for. The Colts need to establish that running game because the Raiders have one of the worst run defenses in the league. The Raiders will need Carr to release the ball quickly because this Colts defense will be coming.
Prediction: Colts 30 Raiders 27
