The Indianapolis Colts are heading into a major Week 7, taking on the Los Angeles Chargers, in one of their first opponents that could actually pose a challenge. So far, the Colts have been a juggernaut, absolutely dominating the AFC South - so much so that buzz is growing not about the Colts being playoff hopefuls, but Super Bowl contenders.
However, the Colts' injury report heading into the game could make winning a bit more difficult. Star defender Charvarius Ward is out, along with both Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin. The latter is significantly more concerning; Downs is one of the best wide receivers in the league, and the receivers taking over will be Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould.
Mitchell is hopeless - the Colts would be far better cutting their losses and moving on - but for fans' sake, maybe he'll figure it out. But Gould's potential performance on Sunday could be much more intriguing.
If he is able to have a great game, it will not only boost his own career but it will keep the Colts' win streak going. If he can't even come close to what Josh Downs is capable of, though, it could end up disastrous.
Can Anthony Gould handle the pressure and deliver for the Colts?
Receiving depth has been a major issue for Indianapolis, and Week 7 proves exactly why. Gould is a talented player with a lot of potential, but he has mainly been a contributor on special teams. On the depth chart, he's Downs' backup, so it's likely that fans will see him in the slot Sunday instead of Mitchell. (We can only hope, anyway.)
Expecting a major breakout game from Gould is a tall ask, considering his limited number of snaps and one measly pass target over his two seasons in Indianapolis. But with both Dulin and Downs out, he could see his first real chance at some action as a Colt.
There is, of course, the question of whether or not Shane Steichen will want to gamble such an important game on an untested player. Gould isn't a rookie, but again, his contributions have mainly been on special teams, and Steichen could opt to just rotate Tyler Warren, Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce to make up for Downs' absence. Theoretically, Mitchell would be in that mix, too.
But here's the thing: Mitchell has gotten significantly more snaps than Gould has, and has squandered that opportunity every single time. Gould makes much more sense than Mitchell does to have a more active role in Week 7, and if he performs well, it could have a huge impact on the Colts' roster.
It could be further ammunition to keep Mitchell sidelined, with Gould taking more snaps on offense and getting the chance to finally break out as a wide receiver.
If he performs poorly, though, it would be a disaster - both for him, and for the Colts. With such a big game on the line, a poor performance from Gould could put a quick stop to the momentum the Colts have been building all season, and allow the Jacksonville Jaguars to catch up and tie them atop the AFC South.
If that happens, Gould may as well start writing the epitaph for his Indianapolis career, because he isn't likely to get a chance like this again. While Mitchell seems to have never-ending chances to mess up, Gould may not be given this chance again. And the last thing the Colts want to see happen is their golden season come to a screeching halt.