Despite losing in the final minutes to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, the Indianapolis Colts have returned home to host the Miami Dolphins in Week 10.
Even with starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett being ruled out of this game earlier on Saturday, the Colts are determined to bounce back before embarking on an important stretch of divisional matchups later this month.
The Dolphins are coming to town, following their first win of the season in Week 9. Even though the AFC East competitor is clearly the worst team the Colts have faced so far, it doesn’t mean they should be overlooked. There are actually quite a few Dolphins players, who are capable of impacting this game on either side of the ball.
Here are three key matchups to watch in the Colts’ Week 10 bout against the Dolphins:
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Colts’ young secondary
This specific matchup, while obvious to highlight, is very interesting in my opinion. Regardless of where the Dolphins stand at this very moment, they still have various matchups that can be won by them.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is a savvy, veteran quarterback, who despite his struggles with inconsistency and turnovers, can still make a variety of throws that’ll beat opposing secondaries all game long. So if the Dolphins can protect him long enough, we’re talking about a 14-year veteran who will face a secondary consisting of two starters who are rookies (Rock Ya-Sin and Marvell Tell).
But let’s give Ya-Sin and Tell some credit here. Both defensive backs played a much better game against the Steelers in Week 9 and even made their own impact on special teams. Even though Fitzpatrick has played solid football in recent weeks (six passing TD’s, three INT’s and 65% completion percentage), he’s still the same quarterback with seven turnovers and was sacked eight times in the last two weeks.
WR Zach Pascal vs. Dolphins’ young secondary
Even though there was a sudden change at quarterback for the Colts last Sunday (Brissett’s injury), one player whose production either stayed the same or improved was Zach Pascal. The second-year target had five catches for 76 yards and one touchdown and is adding to his most productive stretch to date (12 catches, 182 receiving yards, and three touchdowns).
So when considering the injuries that have not only impacted the Colts offense but the Dolphins’ secondary as well, Pascal could produce another big performance on Sunday. Whenever the Colts aren’t running the ball, they will target the Old Dominion product early and often, and he’s facing a defensive unit that has a lack of experience and bad luck with their health.
Colts’ front seven vs. Dolphins’ offensive line
In another example of an “obvious” matchup that’s supposed to be highlighted, this looming battle between the Colts front seven and Dolphins’ offensive line should have your attention.
Since last season, both competitors have gone in the opposite direction when it comes to their play inside the trenches. For the Colts, their offensive line has remained one of the NFL’s best while their defensive line is producing a higher number of sacks (Thanks, Justin Houston!).
As for their opponent, the Dolphins have lived near the bottom of rankings in categories such as sacks allowed/produced and rushing yards allowed per game. Their offensive line is also struggling mightily in both pass protection and run blocking.
