The Indianapolis Colts (2-2) will be tested with their toughest challenge of the early season on Sunday night when they travel to take on the Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) at Arrowhead Stadium.
The primetime matchup comes right before the Colts’ bye week and will be a test to see just how far away they are from being a competitive playoff team. Even if a loss is likely, this matchup will show if they can compete with the best.
As we detailed some reasons to be optimistic, here are three causes for concern in Week 5:
Patrick Mahomes is still spectacular
Many believed that the third-year quarterback would come down to Earth in 2019 and while he might not be on pace for 50 touchdowns at this point in the season, Mahomes is still the elite quarterback that won the MVP award in just his first season.
What the 24-year-old can do on the field is rare. He makes throws that most quarterbacks dream of, and his ability to make big plays when the pocket breaks down makes him that much more dangerous.
The kid is truly an elite talent and should be the top priority when it comes to game-planning for the Chiefs offense.
Stopping the run game?
To say the Colts defense has been subpar through the first quarter of the season is an understatement. One of their biggest concerns when it comes to their struggles comes against the run. The Chiefs don’t have an elite rushing attack necessarily, but they will still do damage.
With starter Damien Williams likely coming back into the mix this week following a knee injury, the Chiefs likely have their two-headed attack with him and the slippery fish in LeSean McCoy. They get to take on a Colts run defense that is allowing the second-most yards per carry (5.5) and the eighth-most rushing yards per game (132.5) in the NFL.
Obviously, Mahomes and the passing attack is the top priority, but controlling the line of scrimmage is a must. The Colts defense hasn’t done so against the run yet this season.
Can the Colts score 30 points?
The way Jacoby Brissett and the Colts offense has handled the departure of Andrew Luck has been impressive. There’s no way around that. The offense still looks like a strong unit but after watching them through the first four weeks, it isn’t clear if the ceiling is there as it was before.
If a few things go their way during the first quarter of the season, the Colts likely could reach the 30-point mark, but they have yet to do so. Against a Chiefs team that is averaging 33.8 points per game—tied for most in the league—the biggest problem is whether the Colts can keep up.
They will likely do their best to utilize the rushing attack to keep Mahomes off the field, but if the Colts can’t put up 30 points in this matchup, then they are walking away with a 2-3 record heading into the bye week.
