INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts (3-2) on Sunday play host to the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2-1) in their 2020 Week 6 matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium — and, accordingly, it's time to take a look at the team's unofficial depth chart for the game.
Here is a position-by-position look for the Bengals matchup, with some notes for each unit:
OFFENSE
» WR: T.Y. Hilton, Dezmon Patmon
» LT: Anthony Castonzo, Chaz Green
» LG: Quenton Nelson
» C: Ryan Kelly, Danny Pinter
» RG: Mark Glowinski
» RT: Braden Smith, Le'Raven Clark
» TE: Jack Doyle, Trey Burton
» TE: Mo Alie-Cox, Noah Togiai
» WR: Zach Pascal
» WR: Daurice Fountain, Ashton Dulin
» QB: Philip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett, Jacob Eason
» RB: Jonathan Taylor, Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins
Notes:
» No changes this week compared to last week.
» For a second straight week, Marcus Johnson was called up from the practice squad and was among the more active wide receivers for the Colts last Sunday against the Browns. He finished with 30 offensive snaps, which were the third most, and had three receptions for 53 yards, including a huge 36-yard third-down conversion on Indy's opening possession, leading to that opening touchdown run by Jonathan Taylor. Johnson, for now, reverts to the practice squad.
» Last Sunday's game against the Browns was the second week the team has had its three main tight ends in Jack Doyle, Trey Burton and Mo Alie-Cox. While Doyle played 61 percent of the offensive snaps, Burton 45 percent and Alie-Cox 38 percent, it was Burton who was the primary target at the position throughout the day; he had the Colts' second most targets (six) and finished with five receptions for 33 yards. Doyle and Alie-Cox, meanwhile, combined for three targets and had no receptions.
» It was Le'Raven Clark who got the start at left tackle for the Colts last Sunday against the Browns, as he was replacing the injured Anthony Castonzo (rib). Clark, according to Pro Football Focus, allowed five total pressures — three hurries, one quarterback hit and one sack — in the game, as Cleveland frequently put Myles Garrett, the league's top pass rusher, up against him. Head coach Frank Reich said Monday it's still too early to tell if Castonzo will be available this Sunday, when the Colts play host to the Bengals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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DEFENSE
» DE: Justin Houston, Ben Banogu, Ron'Dell Carter
» DT: DeForest Buckner, Tyquan Lewis
» NT: Grover Stewart, Taylor Stallworth, Eli Ankou
» DE: Denico Autry, Al-Quadin Muhammad
» WLB: Darius Leonard, Jordan Glasgow
» MLB: Anthony Walker, Zaire Franklin
» SAM: Bobby Okereke, E.J. Speed
» CB: Rock Ya-Sin, T.J. Carrie
» FS: Julian Blackmon, George Odum
» SS: Khari Willis, Tavon Wilson, Ibraheim Campbell
» N: Kenny Moore II, Isaiah Rodgers
» CB: Xavier Rhodes, Tremon Smith
Notes:
» No changes this week compared to last week.
» With starting linebacker Darius Leonard out with a groin injury, it was Anthony Walker and Bobby Okereke who picked up the slack last Sunday against the Browns. Despite both being on the team's injury report leading up to the game — Walker with an ankle injury and Okereke having thumb surgery earlier in the week — both were able to play 100 percent of the defensive snaps, and both had key second-half interceptions. It was Zaire Franklin who got the reps at the SAM linebacker spot; he finished with 26 defensive snaps and had seven tackles.
» At cornerback, the Colts went with Kenny Moore II and the veteran Xavier Rhodes as the two primary cornerbacks in the base formation, while Rock Ya-Sin came in as the third cornerback in the nickel formation. We'l see if this is a trend moving forward, or whether this was just in the gameplan against the Browns and a guy like Odell Beckham Jr., with whom Rhodes has plenty of familiarity from their previous stops with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants.
» When Julian Blackmon went down with a groin injury in the second quarter against the Browns, it was veteran Tavon Wilson who came on in relief duty at safety; he finished with nine defensive snaps and had a tackle. Blackmon would return to the game later in the period; he played 64 defensive snaps in all (88 percent) and had four tackles.
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SPECIALISTS
» P: Rigoberto Sanchez
» PK: Rodrigo Blankenship
» H: Rigoberto Sanchez
» LS: Luke Rhodes
» KR: Isaiah Rodgers, Ashton Dulin
» PR: Nyheim Hines, Isaiah Rodgers
Notes:
» How about Isaiah Rodgers? We've talked in this space before about how he's been getting more opportunities as a kickoff returner of late, and he cashed in last Sunday against the Browns, taking a third-quarter kickoff 101 yards to the house for a touchdown. He became the sixth rookie in Colts franchise history with a kickoff return for a touchdown, and the first since Dominic Rhodes in 2001. Now he's listed as the primary kickoff returner on the unofficial depth chart, with Ashton Dulin behind him.
