Colts: 3 bold predictions for Week 1 battle with Jaguars

Here are three bold predictions for the Colts in their Week 1 matchup against Jacksonville.

The NFL might not have the beginning of September to itself this year thanks to the global pandemic forcing other leagues to go on hiatus for three months before resuming, but you can bet that fans are counting down the hours until their favorite teams kickoff in Week 1.

It goes without saying that getting off to a 1-0 start is great for morale and momentum moving forward, and the Indianapolis Colts are heavy favorites to do just that against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have cut bait with seemingly every player that doesn’t fit into their evident rebuild.

That takes nothing away from head coach Frank Reich’s side, who understandably have lofty expectations this season following a 7-9 finish last campaign. It just helps to start off playing against a team that’s widely projected to finish with the worst record in the league.

This game obviously doesn’t have the box office appeal that some of the other primetime matchups do, but it could still make for some shocking developments. After all, both sides will be entering having no preseason tune-up to shake off the rust.

As valuable as simulated games and live scrimmages are, they come nowhere close to replicating the speed of an actual NFL game. With that in mind, let’s dive into some bold predictions for the Colts’ clash against Jacksonville.

3. Parris Campbell Posts 130 Receiving Yards and 2 Touchdowns

Colts WR Parris Campbell is poised to light up the Jaguars defense.

For those wondering if this prediction has anything to do with the rave reviews that Parris Campbell has received throughout training camp, you would be correct. It’s worth noting the 23-year-old wide receiver was involved in a minor car accident in late August and subsequently missed practice for a few weeks while in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

However, he was activated last Thursday and deemed a “full-go” in practice ahead of Week 1 against Jacksonville, so we fully expect the Colts to make him a focal part of the offensive game plan. It goes without saying that Campbell could really prove to benefit from getting off to a hot start after his highly-anticipated rookie campaign was marred by injuries.

The 2019 second-round pick featured in just seven games (three starts), across which he managed only 18 receptions for 127 yards. He figures to be Indianapolis’ No. 3 receiver behind the likes of TY Hilton and Michael Pittman Jr. but that role undoubtedly suits him best, as he thrived as a slot receiver at Ohio State. And speaking of the slot, Trey Burton isn’t there to help drive the offense just yet.

Assuming the Colts establish the run early, expect Rivers to take a handful of deep shots at Campbell, who he’s raved about at camp, in play action situations. Let’s get crazy and say that the former Buckeye will carve up Jacksonville to the tune of 130 receiving yards and two touchdowns.