Patriots vs. Colts Three to Watch on Off

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Patriots vs. Colts Three to Watch on Off

The New England Patriots have traveled to Indiana for a Saturday night showdown with quarterback Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts. Saturday's Week Fifteen matchup will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:15pm ET. New England will look to a promising rookie, a valued veteran and more to help mitigate the .Still, many other Patriots players are expected to garner some attention during Mondays matchup. Here are three players on offense that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Colts.Scroll to ContinueMac JonesEarlier this week, Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke told reporters that their defense will attempt to make the Patriots one-dimensional and see what Mac Jones can do. As such, Okerekes comments seem to indicate that the Colts are content to proceed with a strategy of stopping the run and forcing Jones to win by utilizing the pa sing game. Despite the bravado brimming from Indy with regard to this Mike Scott Jersey task, it should be noted that Jones is quite capable of leading a highly-productive pa sing game. In Week Twelve, the Tenne see Titans attempted a similar game plan in prioritizing the stoppage of the Patriots run game. Jones put in a solid performance, throwing for 300-plus yards, to sing two touchdowns and contributing 11 yards rushing. The rookie completed 71 percent of his pa ses, including 11-of-11 of his play-action throws for 169 pa sing yards. Prior to their mere three throwing attempts against the Buffalo Bills in Week Thirteen, McDaniels schemes had been quite effective in breaking their opponents zone coverages. Whether it be deep shots to Jakobi Meyers or Kendrick Bourne, or the Hector Rondon Jersey intermediate pa sing game with tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, the QB/OC combination has been impre sive in utilizing their strengths. Still, Jones will need to be on the watch for potential pre sure from the Colts front seven. While solid at all three levels, Indianapolis defensive brain trust is likely to attempt to confuse the Pats rookie by deploying strategically placed blitzes from the second and third level of the defense. If the Pats offensive line can provide adequate protection for Jones, he should find ways to move the ball through the air on Saturday night. Kendrick BourneBournes versatility has been one of the major reasons for his seemingly perfect fit into the Patriots offensive scheme. The 26-year-old has been targeted 53 Roy Oswalt Jersey times, compiling 42 receptions for 623 yards and five touchdowns. Bourne has also demonstrated an ability to be a threat in the running game; logging 81 yards on seven rushes. However, when deployed as a receiver his natural, and best fit) Bourne has aligned in the slot, and on the outside. Though his technical prowe s allows him to win from either alignment, he has looked most comfortable in the Z-receiver role, while occasionally a sisting in the slot. However, Bourne has also been called upon to line up at the X at times, with a respectable level of succe s. His 79.2 Dallas Keuchel Jersey percent catch rate, third among all NFL receivers, has made him one of Mac Jones most reliable targets at the receiver position. On Saturday, Jones will be looking to his most versatile targets to make plays in the intermediate area of the field. As a result, Bourne could be primed for a big night in primetime. Hunter HenryAgainst Indianapolis on Saturday, Jones may find succe s by targeting the middle of the field. This is an area in which the Colts defense is particularly susceptible to yielding yards, especially when covering tight ends. Indys defense has allowed a league-high 70.8 receiving yards-per-game to tight ends thus far in 2021. As a result, look for Henry to play a major role on Saturday. While widely praised for his versatility, he is most productive when playing the traditional Y role, accentuating his route-running skills, as well as his ability to box out. He has also proven himself a strong blocker and reliable pa s catcher. He leads the team with seven touchdown receptions and has developed quite the synergy with quarterback Mac Jones. Still, what makes Henry such an effective receiver is his route running ability, which he does as well (if not better) than any tight end in the league. With the Patriots still poised to utilize the running game on Saturday, their pa sing opportunities will likely come mostly from play action. In that regard, Henry should see significant looks. in short-yardage situations, as well as a handful of targets in the endzone. Therefore, Henry may be in prime position to help Jones make a one dimensional pa sing attack more potent Justin Verlander Jersey than their opponents may realize.
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