INDIANAPOLIS – Unless another paint malfunction occurs, the Colts and Packers will finally play against each other in 2016.
This Week Nine meeting means a bit more than the Hall of Fame game these teams were supposed to play back in early August.
The Colts head to Lambeau Field for the first time in eight years.
What they will see there on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. is a very hot quarterback, still producing with injuries all around him.
Aaron Rodgers has thrown for seven touchdowns and no interceptions the last two weeks, despite having virtually no running game to rely on and dealing with injuries to several key pass catchers.
With injuries to lead backs Eddie Lacy and James Starks (both who aren't expected to play this weekend), the Packers have all but thrown out the running game portion of their offensive playbook.
Instead, Rodgers has tossed 94 passes the past two weeks, completing more than 70 percent of them.
Green Bay has protected Rodgers well again this season, while leading the NFL in third-down efficiency.
The injuries haven't been relegated to just the offense.
Despite some significant injuries on defense, the Packers are still a top-10 unit.
The Packers rank third in run defense this season (3.34 yards per carry) and the unit has also done its part in limiting third-down conversions (6th in the NFL).
Green Bay is 5th in the NFL in sacks this season.
Injuries for both teams will undoubtedly be a major storyline going into Sunday.
Following Sunday, the Colts will have their bye week before playing two home games in five days coming out of the bye (11/20-Tenensee, 11/24-Pittsburgh).
The last time these two teams met was in 2012. It was Chuck Pagano's first game missed after being diagnosed with leukemia. Behind Reggie Wayne's 212 yards, the Colts orchestrated a historic comeback victory over the Packers.
*2016 Record: *4-3, 2nd place in the NFC North.
Head Coach:Mike McCarthy, head coach (11th season as an NFL head coach, 11th season as Packers head coach, 108-58-1 overall regular season, 8-7 overall playoffs).
*2016 NFL Rankings: *Offense – Overall, 20th (342.3); Rushing, 19th (105.3); Passing, 22nd (237.0). Defense – Overall, 7th (321.6); Rushing, 2nd (74.4); Passing, 16th (247.1).
2016 Leading Passer: Aaron Rodgers (176-of-275 comp., 1,742 yards, 64.0 pct., 17 TDs, 4 INTs, 96.3 rating).
*2016 Leading Rusher: *Eddie Lacy (71 carries, 360 yards, 0 TDs).
*2016 Leading Receiver: *Davante Adams (40 receptions, 424 yards, 5 TDs).
2016 Leading Sacker: Nick Perry (5.5).
2016 Turnover Breakdown: Minus 2 (tied for 19th in the NFL).
2016 NFL Draft Results: With each of their first three picks, the Packers took guys we saw linked to the Colts throughout the draft process. In Round One, the Packers selected UCLA defensive lineman Kenny Clark. Then to start Friday's second round, the Packers actually traded up nine spots with the Colts. In doing so, Green Bay chose Indiana offensive tackle Jason Spriggs. After going trenches with their first two picks, the Packers then drafted linebackers Kyler Fackrell (Utah State) and Blake Martinez (Stanford) in the next two rounds.
2015 Review:The 2015 campaign for the Packers was a tale of two halves. The Packers started 6-0 last season but were just 4-6 in November and December. Green Bay went from the odds-on favorite to capture home field in the NFC, to settling for a Wild Card spot. The Packers knocked off the Redskins in the Wild Card Round of the Playoffs. An overtime loss to the Cardinals in the Divisional Round of the Playoff marked the fourth out of five straight seasons that Green Bay made the playoffs, but fell short of the conference championship game.
Last time in Playoffs: 2015 season. Lost to the Arizona Cardinals, 26-20, in the NFC Divisional Round of the Playoffs.
*Last time in Super Bowl: *2010 season. Beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-25, in Super Bowl XLV.
*Super Bowl Championships: *Four. 1966 season (I), 1967 season (II), 1996 season (XXXI) and 2010 season (XLV).
2016 Pro Bowl Selections: QB-Aaron Rodgers, FB-John Kuhn, OG-Josh Sitton, OLB-Julius Peppers, OLB-Clay Matthews.
