NFL Week 11 Sunday Night Football Schedule & Predictions: New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts [Poll]
The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, led by super-quarterbacks Tom Brady and Andrew Luck, will face off in big-time match-up on NFL Sunday Night Football.
Week 11 of the 2014 NFL season gives football fans a great Sunday Night Football match-up. The 7-2 New England Patriots will take on the 6-3 Indianapolis Colts. Both teams are fighting for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and both teams are currently leading their respective divisions.
Let's see who has the edge on Sunday night:
New England Patriots (7-2)
After a shaky 2-2 start to the season, the Patriots have figured out their offense and won their last five consecutive games. Last week the Patriots had a bye week after defeating the Denver Broncos at home, and both the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are closing in on the Patriots in the AFC East.
The Patriots defense is showing some signs of improvements compared to recent seasons. This year the Patriots defense ranks 16th overall and 14th against the pass. Unfortunately for the Patriots, they still rank 22nd overall against the run. As we saw against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Patriots defensive line has holes. The additions of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner have helped the Patriots secondary so far. The injury loss of Jerod Mayo (for the second consecutive season) is a big one, and Chandler Jones will not be playing against the Colts because of a hip injury.
Offensively, the Patriots are ranked No. 3 overall in points scored. Tight end Rob Gronkowski appears to be healthy and back to the elite tight end that we all know and love. Gronkowski leads the Patriots with 663 receiving yards and eight touchdowns this season. Naturally, Julian Edelman has the most catches on the Patriots with 54. Wide receiver Brandon LaFell has been the best deep threat for the Patriots this season, and he appears to be figuring out the system more and more as the season progresses.
For this game, head coach Bill Belichick and his defensive unit are in for a tough task against the top ranked offense in the league. Without Jones, Rob Ninkovich and Dont'a Hightower will have to get pressure on Andrew Luck.
Most likely we will see Revis one on one with T.Y. Hilton.
Indianapolis Colts (6-3)
The Colts are currently 6-3 with losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. The Colts have won six of the last seven games and find themselves in first place in the AFC South.
Similar to the Patriots, the Colts also have a great offense led by a great quarterback. Luck has the most passing yards in the NFL this season with 3,085, and he does have 26 touchdowns. One of the most underrated attributes of Luck is his mobility. Also like the Patriots, the Colts do have some issues when it comes to running the ball. Trent Richardson has been a disappointment, but veteran Ahmad Bradshaw has a team-leading 421 yards this season. Hilton leads the NFL with 921 receiving yards this season.
Even without Robert Mathis (who led the NFL with 19.5 sacks last season) the Colts have still been able to get to the opposing quarterback. Bjoern Werner, D'Qwell Jackson and Cory Redding lead a defensive unit that has 24 sacks this season. Covering Gronkowski will be a tough task, but the Colts have shown they can get to the quarterback.
The Colts' biggest problem this season has been their pass defense. The Colts' pass defense ranks 27th in the league and has allowed 871 passing yards over the last two games. Coming off a bye week will help plan for the Patriots' passing attack. Starting corners Greg Toler and Vontae Davis have a tough task ahead of them.
Arthur Jones (Chandler's brother) will not be playing against the Patriots because of an ankle injury.
Schedule, Where to Watch
The New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts will face off on Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. EST on NBC. The game will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can view a live game stream here.
Predictions
Both teams are very alike, but home field advantage and injuries should propel the Colts to a victory. The Patriots' inability to stop the run game may keep their offense off the field and limit their points for. Vince Wilfork needs to have a great game for the Patriots to have a chance. The Colts should win a close game at home with former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri having a perfect game.
Colts win 27-24
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