The Indianapolis Colts have jumped out to a surprising 3-1 start to the 2025 NFL season. Despite Week 4's brutal and completely preventable loss against the Los Angeles Rams, optimism remains high heading into Week 5.
After a two-game road stretch, the team will return home to Lucas Oil Stadium and face a wildly inferior opponent in the 1-3 Las Vegas Raiders. This is a team that is riding a three-game losing streak into the contest and has to travel across two time zones for an early kickoff.
But just when things didn't seem lopsided enough between these two teams, who seem like they play each other every year, the Raiders got dealt some debilitating news this week. The path to the Colts' fourth victory of the year now seems even easier.
Kolton Miller's injury may doom Raiders' chances against Colts in Week 5
With just a few plays remaining in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears, starting left tackle Kolton Miller left the game for Las Vegas with what appeared to be an ankle injury. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed on Tuesday that Miller's injury is severe enough to warrant placing him on the IR.
This means that Miller will be out for Week 5 when the Colts take on the Raiders, and for much longer. While Indianapolis fans are not cheering for their opponent's best players to be injured, it is a fortunate break for this Colts team in a competitive AFC where every game counts.
Las Vegas' offensive line has already struggled this season, especially against strong defensive fronts like the one they'll face in Indianapolis on Sunday. But without Miller, their best and most experienced player in the group, it should be a cakewalk for the Colts' defensive line.
Backup left tackle Stone Forsythe has been a disaster thus far in his NFL career, and the only other option for the Raiders is third-round rookie Charles Grant, who has yet to be active this season. There really is no excuse for the Colts not to wreak havoc on this shorthanded Las Vegas offense.
Laiatu Latu, Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis and Samson Ebukam should all be able to tee off against this offensive line, especially in its current form. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith has already been seeing ghosts with his league-leading seven interceptions, and things won't get any easier in Week 5.
For the Colts, however, things will be much easier. The question is, can Indianapolis establish itself as a serious contender in the AFC by bouncing back from a loss and dominating in a game in which they have no excuse not to?