Colts DBs could be in trouble ahead of Aaron Rodgers matchup
By Adam Weinrib
The Indianapolis Colts DBs aren’t in great shape ahead of their battle with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Sunday.
Thanks to their narrative-altering win over the Titans on Thursday night, the 6-3 Colts aren’t in dire straits ahead of their battle with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers this Sunday.
Their nightmarish November, still stacked with a difficult schedule, isn’t quite so terrifying now that Indy’s entering this particular game with a 2-1 record over the course of the month.
However, if it seems like every single potential AFC playoff team has the same 6-3 record, it’s because that is the case, and the Colts are going to have to approach every week as an opportunity to nudge ahead of the field, no matter how difficult the matchup.
Aaron Rodgers, especially in his current fire-breathing form, is about as difficult a matchup as you’ll find these days, even against Indy’s No. 1 defense. And they might have to work overtime to contain him, seeing as starting DBs Kenny Moore and Khari Willis were both seen receiving treatment on Wednesday.
Just left Colts practice. Not a great sign seeing Kenny Moore and Khari Willis, two starting defensive backs, working with a rehab staff member and not practicing, all with Aaron Rodgers coming to town on Sunday.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) November 18, 2020
Add the Xavier Rhodes injury scare we saw early on in Thursday’s battle in Tennessee, and there’s a lot of uncertainty here.
The silver lining comes on the Packers’ side, where Davante Adams is somewhat hobbled with an ankle issue. Though Adams believes he’ll be available when push comes to shove, there are no guarantees until the opening whistle blows. And, as we know from years of experience, Rodgers can create his particular brand of magic with essentially any wideout sprinting down the field.
Frank Reich made that position clear on Wednesday, too, blowing as much possible smoke up Rodgers’ behind before the two teams strapped in.
Frank Reich on Aaron Rodgers (Packers-Colts on Sunday): "Arm strength to make every throw from every arm angle, and he gets it out faster than anyone I've ever seen. And his feet don't have to be right because of his arm strength. He can put the ball wherever he wants."
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) November 18, 2020
We’ll stay monitoring the situation in the defensive backfield for the rest of the week, but if these two key cogs can’t find their footing by Sunday, Rodgers could be well-positioned to attack the sudden emergence of a weakness.
Let’s hope we don’t get there. Would make the whole thing much easier.
