Colts: This surprisingly tough matchup could hurt Indy vs Jets

Here is one tough matchup that could surprise you when the Colts take on the Jets in Week 3 on Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts have a great chance to keep up the positive vibes following their conclusive victory over Minnesota in Week 2 when they welcome the 0-2 New York Jets to Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday.

While the offense, specifically the offensive line and running game, deserve tremendous credit for controlling the tempo of the game and time of possession for Indianapolis, the bigger takeaway — at least in our eyes — was the considerable improvement of the defense, which held the Vikings to 11 points and forced three turnovers.

The Colts’ front seven deserves monster credit for that, as it had Kirk Cousins seeing ghosts all game long, forcing him to rush throws and sacking him three times. However, as dominant as their performance was, it is worth noting that Minnesota’s offensive line is currently decimated.

That’s not to say Indianapolis won’t muster any pass rush against the Jets, but head coach Frank Reich should be game planning for rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton, who’s been nothing short of a world-beater through the first two games of his pro career.

According to Pro Football Focus, Becton is the 10th-highest graded offensive tackle through two weeks. That speaks volumes when you consider that includes evaluations of both the left and right tackle positions. Furthermore, the 21-year-old is the highest-graded of the six tackles who were draft in the first round back in April.

Against Buffalo’s vaunted defensive front, Becton played a total of 56 snaps, 41 of which were spent as a pass blocker. Amazingly enough, he wasn’t fazed by the likes of Ed Oliver and Jerry Hughes, who combined for 10.5 sacks and 17 QB hits last season. The 2020 first-round pick did concede a sack, but that was more the product of blanket coverage by the Bills.

Becton followed his imposing debut with an even better showing versus San Francisco’s star-studded pass rush. The Louisville product didn’t allow a single QB hit and neutralized Pro Bowl defensive end Nick Bosa before he left with a knee injury. He also held his own against the 49ers’ reinforcements, which saw him receive an elite 77.2 grade from PFF.

Assuming that Becton keeps up this ridiculous level of play, the left side of the Colts pass rush — we’re looking at you, Justin Houston and DeForest Buckner — will need to come through with a big performance.

Again, Indianapolis should be able to dispose of the Jets without wreaking havoc in the backfield on every play, but Darnold will keep this game closer than most are anticipating if he’s given time to throw in the pocket.

Because of that, fans should be keeping a close eye on how (or if) the Colts plan to make Becton’s life more difficult than it has been to start his NFL career.

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