Weeks 5-9: Continuing Strong
Week 5: Colts @ Browns
The Colts head to Cleveland hoping to continue their winning streak. They face a Browns team that, while not meeting the lofty expectations of the 2019 season, is still a very talented team all-around. On paper, they’ve got one of the best rosters in the NFL on paper. The Colts will see if that roster will translate on the field.
The Colts can’t win every game, and while the Browns underwhelmed last year, they’ve still got the talent to pull off a good amount of wins in 2020. It’s here in Week 5 that the Colts get dealt their first loss of the season. The combination of Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry, and Baker Mayfield in the passing game, along with the talented running game and a much improved offensive line, will not bode well for the defense. Justin Houston and DeForest Buckner will have a difficult time getting to Mayfield and the secondary will struggle against the sheer amount of weapons the Browns have.
It’ll be to be a tough game to win.
Colts record: 4-1
Week 6: Colts vs Bengals
Number one pick Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals head to Indianapolis to face one of the best teams in the AFC. The Bengals are obviously rebuilding at this point, and even though they have some promising young pieces, it won’t be enough to compete with the Colts.
The Bengals went offense-heavy in the Draft last week and it definitely shows. Their defense still has plenty of holes to fill, and it’ll be an easy day for Rivers and the offense. They’ll be able to bounce back from the first loss of the season and enter the bye week with a statement victory over the Bengals.
Colts record: 5-1
Week 7: BYE WEEK
Week 8: Colts @ Lions
Coming out of the bye week, the Colts play a struggling Detroit team that just traded away their best cornerback, Darius Slay. They drafted standout Ohio State corner Jeff Okudah in the draft to replace him. Other than that, their defense isn’t anything spectacular and shouldn’t be an issue for the Colts offense to overcome.
Rivers and the offense continue to light up the NFL with help from the dynamic duo at RB. The Lions don’t have an answer anywhere on the field on any side of the ball. It’ll be quick out for the Lions, who, like the Bengals, are in a rebuilding phase and won’t be competing in the postseason in 2020.
Colts record: 6-1
Week 9: Colts vs Ravens
The Colts enter this Week 9 matchup with their best 7-game record since 2009, when they went 14-2 and made an appearance in the Super Bowl. In this game, their hot streak ends as they face one of the best teams in the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts won’t be able to compete on offense or defense and it won’t be much of a contest, unfortunately.
The only savior for the team is their prowess in run defense. They ranked 7th in this category last year and only improved their interior defense for the 2020 season. Despite all of this, the Ravens had a stellar draft and their offense is simply better than what can be handled. Lamar Jackson, Mark Ingram, J.K. Dobbins and the young receiving core that performed well last year will be able to overpower the defense. Rivers and the offense will truly struggle for the first time this season.
Colts record: 6-2