INDIANAPOLIS – For the second consecutive year, the Colts and Jets will play on Monday Night Football.
The intrigue around this December matchup won't be too immense, with the Jets all but eliminated from playoff consideration.
At 3-8, the Jets have not lived up to the playoff talk for Todd Bowles' second season as head coach.
After splitting their first two games of 2016, the Jets dropped their next four, all by at least 10 points.
Back-to-back wins closed out the month of October for the Jets, before losing three in a row coming into Week 13.
Veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been inconsistent, leading to talk of if the Jets should turn the page to a young quarterback with playoff chances pretty much gone.
The Jets will stick with Fitzpatrick this week, marking Monday night his ninth career start against the Colts.
Fitzpatrick has started against Indy in each of the last four seasons, including a Week Two victory in Indy last season.
The passing game for the Jets has struggled this season. Protecting the football has also been an issue. New York's 22 giveaways are the second most in the NFL.
Defensively, the front for Bowles has been very solid against the run (4th in the NFL), with the back end showing some leakage (22nd in the NFL in pass defense).
After Monday, the Colts will have a quick turnaround in playing the Texans (Sunday, Dec. 11)---their biggest game of the season.
The Colts have lost seven of their last eight primetime games.
*2016 Record: *3-8, 4th place in the AFC East.
*Head Coach: *Todd Bowles, head coach (3rd season as an NFL head coach, 2nd with the Jets, 15-15 overall regular season).
*2016 NFL Rankings: *Offense – Overall, 22nd (335.1); Rushing, 12th (113.3); Passing, 24th (223.8). Defense – Overall, 12th (348.7); Rushing, 4th (85.9); Passing, 22nd (262.8).
2016 Leading Passer: Ryan Fitzpatrick (190-of-330 comp., 2,252 yards, 57.6. pct., 10 TDs, 13 INTs, 73.2 rating).
*2016 Leading Rusher: *Matt Forte (202 carries, 759 yards, 7 TDs).
2016 Leading Receiver: *Brandon Marshall (49 receptions, 668 yards, 3 TDs).2016 Leading Sacker:* Leonard Williams (6.0).
2016 Turnover Breakdown: Minus 13 (31st in the NFL). 2016 NFL Draft Results: With an already impressive crop of defensive talent in place, the Jets took three defenders in their first four picks. Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee was the pick at No. 20 overall. The splashiest pick in 2016 for the Jets came in taking Penn State's Christian Hackenberg in the second round. It remains to be seen what the future at quarterback will be for Hackenberg in New York. In Rounds Three and Four, the Jets took Georgia linebacker Jordan Jenkins and North Carolina State cornerback Justin Burris, respectively.
2015 Review:Todd Bowles' first season with the Jets saw his team just miss out on securing a playoff berth. The Jets got off to a 4-2 start before dropping four of their next five. Bowels' bunch then went on to win their next five. But a Week 17 loss to the Bills ended their Wild Card hopes. Journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick had a career year for the Jets, complementing one of the league's better defenses.
Last time in Playoffs: 2010 season. Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 24-19, in the AFC Championship.
*Last time in Super Bowl: *1968 season. Beat the Baltimore Colts, 16-7, in Super Bowl III.
Super Bowl Championships: *One. 1968 season (Super Bowl III). *2016 Pro Bowl Selections: RB-Chris Ivory, C-Nick Mangold, WR-Brandon Marshall, CB-Darrelle Revis, DE-Muhammad Wilkerson.
