The Indianapolis Colts simply cannot overlook the Detroit Lions. If they do, the phrase “Trap Game” will be printed on every story written after this Sunday.
The Colts have a daunting task following the Detroit game. They’ll face the Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens, and the Tennessee Titans (twice) in a four week stretch.
But these aren’t the 0-16 Lions. If the Colts don’t prepare diligently enough, they could walk out of the Motor City with a loss. Detroit is 3-3. One of the three wins came against the Arizona Cardinals, who just topped the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football.
Detroit also has been in every game they have lost. In Week 1 versus the Chicago Bears, a pass from Matthew Stafford was dropped in the end zone to potentially win the game. They were up two touchdowns on Green Bay in Week 2 before Aaron Rodgers led a comeback, and they took the New Orleans Saints to the limit in Week 4.
Big Key for the Colts: Take care of business.
To help scout the Blue and White’s next opponent, DD welcomed Lions Senior Writer Tim Twentyman on The Dan Dakich Show Wednesday.
“The Lions changed some things schematically after the bye with how they run the football and stop the run,” Twentyman said. “The issue the first four weeks was allowing 170 yards on the ground and you can’t win football games like that. They went to Jacksonville and allowed 44 rush yards. Then in Atlanta they allowed 66 and they’re playing pretty good football now.”
Offensively, the Lions have not blown anyone away as they rank just 18th in the league for rushing per game and 20th in passing. But Stafford has shown that he can be a difference maker when he gets hot. The 32-year-old threw for a season high 340 yards in Atlanta last week.
“Every coach that we talk to says that Stafford can make all the throws,” Twentyman added. “He’s a gunslinger in every sense. You’re gonna throw some picks that way but you’re also going to make some big plays too.”
The Lions made some noise this week by trading for former Cowboys pass rusher Everson Griffen. Luckily for Philip Rivers, Griffen will not play on Sunday because of COVID-19 protocols. He will be eligible to make his Detroit debut on November 8 against Minnesota.
Kickoff on Sunday is set for 1 PM as the Colts can potentially tie for first place in the AFC South. They would need to win and then have the Titans lose at Cincinnati.
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