Colts Linebacker Says They're Going To Try To Make Mac Jones Try To Beat Them
FOXBORO (CBS) -- The last time he took the field, Mac Jones was only asked to throw three passes. That game plan worked wonders in a blustery Buffalo, as the Patriots embarrassed the Bills to secure their current spot atop the AFC.
But this Saturday night in Indianapolis, the Colts are itching to make the rookie quarterback do a lot more throwing of the pigskin. That much was clear Monday when linebacker Bobby Okereke basically gave up Indy's defensive plan for the Patriots.
"We're really going to try to make the game one dimensional and see what [Mac Jones] can do," Okereke told reporters, via Stephen Holder of The Athletic.
Before you go shouting about "bulletin board material," it should be noted that the Patriots are one of the best rushing teams in the NFL, and that the Colts are one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL. So this approach to Saturday's game is only natural, especially when it's a rookie quarterback in the national spotlight that they're trying to add pressure to. The Colts should be confident that they can stop New England's ground attack too, as they've held two of their last three opponents (and four of their last six) to under 100 rushing yards.
They are, however, susceptible to some big ground games as well. During that six-game stretch, the Colts did surrender 179 rushing yards to the lowly Jaguars, though they escaped with a 23-17 win thanks in large part to a blocked punt they returned for a touchdown early in the contest.
And if they truly want Mac to beat them, the Colts shouldn't advertise that too much. Jones certainly isn't lighting up the stat sheet every week, but the rookie has shown that he can paper-cut a defense to death. The rookie has completed 70.3 percent of the passes he's attempted, which currently ranks third in the NFL.
The Colts certainly have a run defense that will make Jones work a lot harder for a win on Saturday night. But Indy should probably keep their intentions a little closer to the vest leading up to Saturday night's tilt against a team that they haven't beat since 2009.