The Tantalizing Ten: Ravens Edition
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 welcome the Ravens to Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday afternoon?
The Colts special teams ace will get his first start at safety since the 2011 season with the Patriots. Brown has been a dynamic, rangy athlete on the Colts special teams units the last three years and now he will get a chance to prove himself against a team that is second in the NFL in plays of more than 20 yards this year.
Luck might not say it, but it's hard to argue that he's had a better stretch of back-to-back games in his career than the last two weeks. The challenge for Luck and the Colts offense this week comes in the red zone where the Ravens defense leads the NFL in red zone conversion percentage.
Sunday pits a pair of 35-year old receivers defying the odds. Smith and his 429 receiving yards after four weeks are a major reason why the Ravens offense has been so explosive. The Colts have taken away opposing No. 1 receivers each week this season but that task will take a step up during the month of October.
It looked like Hilton was going to finally find the end zone last week when he made that tremendous adjustment to the ball to set up Trent Richardson's one-yard score. His big play ability is something the Colts haven't needed to use so far in 2014 but you know it's only a matter of time before Hilton starts to stretch opposing defenses.
Everyone knows about the leadership Redding exudes but the 12-year vet is playing some very, very good football in 2014. With all the injuries up front, Redding's production has been needed this year and Colts fans don't even want to think about what they would be missing if the 33-year old had retired this offseason.
Davis didn't appear in the box score last week and that's because the Titans didn't even throw at him in 43 defensive snaps. With Steve Smith and Torrey Smith at receiver this weekend, that will likely change. The month of October is filled with elite pass catchers for the Colts to face, so Davis will be tested over the next four weeks.
Speaking of Nagta, the 340-pounder can be a force in teams trying to run up the middle. Starting on Sunday, the Colts will see some very good interior rushers the next few weeks with J.J. Watt and Geno Atkins on deck.
Freeman has returned to practice this week for the first time since the season opener. His status for Sunday remains up in the air and if he can't go on Sunday, it will be interesting to watch if the Colts leading tackler can get back on the playing field next Thursday in a road matchup with the Texans.
After starting at right guard last week, Louis will slide back to left guard on Sunday in place of Jack Mewhort. Left guard is where Louis ran with the first unit for pretty much the entire period of OTAs. The Colts interior will have its hands full this weekend with Haloti Nagta in the middle.
The skill faces have largely changed for Flacco but he's produced at a high rate in 2014. Perhaps the most surprising stat of Flacco is not being sacked in 92 straight pass attempts. Under new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, Flacco has used the tight end at a high rate this year (30 catches for 238 yards).
