The Tantalizing Ten: Packers Edition
Intro: Each week, we will take a look at 10 players that will have a big impact in the game. Who are the "Tantalizing Ten" when the Colts (3-5) head up to Lambeau to take on the Green Bay Packers (4-3) in Week Nine?
On Sunday the Colts will travel to one of the NFL's most historic venues and face one of the league's greatest quarterbacks. Rodgers has been really sharp as of late. With all the injuries at running back for Green Bay, Rodgers has thrown 94 passes the past two weeks. He's completed more than 71 percent of those passes with 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
The big man returned to game action last week and got into the end zone, too. Donte Moncrief had four catches in nine targets against the Chiefs. Those are numbers he would like to see come closer together as he knocks off any lingering rust, while also making sure him and Andrew Luck have their timing back in sync. Moncrief also showed his red-zone ability last week, an area the Colts would be wise to tap into a few more times in 2016.
Frank Gore had just nine carries against Kansas City. Before Week Eight, 13 carries had been Gore's previous low this season. Even though Gore will be facing one of the league's stoutest run defenses this week, the Colts know they have to feed their workhorse back to offer some offensive balance.
Sunday could be a day where the Colts don't have the luxury of keeping T.J. Green off the field for many plays. Green, the team's dime safety, should see a lot of action this week with Green Bay's recent propensity of pass, pass and pass. He might even start if Mike Adams (groin) can't go. The Colts drafted Green back in the second round of the 2016 Draft, after they traded back nine spots with the Packers.
There's a reason CBS wanted this game in their 4:25 p.m. timeslot back when the schedule was released in April. It's a great quarterback matchup between Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers. While Rodgers is coming in very hot, Luck wasn't his best in last week's loss to the Chiefs. Will Luck bounce back to his normal 2016 self on Sunday?
Mike Daniels is the representative for one of the best defensive fronts in football. The Packers might just be the best run defense/pass rushing combo in the NFL this season. They have the usual suspects coming off the edge with some more underrated guys in the interior.
It's been an up and down 2016 for the Colts' left tackle. In Green Bay, Castonzo and the Indy offensive line will see not only a great run defense, but also a front that gets after the quarterback vey well. Castonzo and center Ryan Kelly are the only Colts' linemen to have started every game at one position this season.
In two of the next three games, the Colts will likely be using Darius Butler quite a lot Sunday. As the team's nickel cornerback, Butler is pretty much a starter when you play a team that chucks it around the gridiron like Green Bay. The Colts signed Butler the week prior to their last meeting with the Packers in Week Five of the 2012 season.
If Davante Adams has at least 12 catches on Sunday he will become the NFL's first player with 12 plus catches in three straight games since 1950. Injuries have struck every skill group for the Packers, but Adams has stepped up big time as of late. In last week's loss to the Falcons, the Packers had three different receivers catch their first NFL touchdown.
The Colts are in search for consistency at the punt return position. Jordan Todamn is the guy at kick returner with Quan Bray now on injured reserve. It's punt returner where the questions arose quickly last week. T.Y. Hilton, Chester Rogers, Phillip Dorsett and Josh Ferguson have all fielded punts in the past two games. Rogers should be back there this week.
