Colts Looking For Redemption Against Jets In Week 2
By Abraham Gutierrez
Coming off a stunning defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills, the (1-0) New York Jets better prepare to face the best version of Andrew Luck and the (0-1) Indianapolis Colts in Week 2. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, will take center stage for the second Monday Night Football game of the 2015 NFL season. Opening kickoff for this Jets-Colts showdown is scheduled for Monday (Sept. 21) at 8:30 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast live on ESPN.
This Week 2 clash marks the 72nd time these old foes have faced one another in what is one of the longest rivalries in the history of pro football. The Colts come in leading the way in the overall series with a 41-30-0 edge.
However, the Jets have helped shift the balance of power in recent history, winning two straight against the Colts, as well as three of their last four encounters. The last time they met dates back to the 2012 NFL season at MetLife Stadium, when the J-E-T-S prevailed by a final score of 35-9.
Colts 2015 NFL Season Record
The Rex Ryan era couldn't have possibly gotten off to a better start in Buffalo, as the Bills were responsible for the biggest upset of Week 1 versus the mighty Colts. With Ryan's signature defense and bruising ground-and-pound offense, the lowly Bills took down the reigning, three-time AFC South kings to the tune of 27-14.
Coming off a season in which he led the NFL in passing touchdowns, Luck had a game to forget at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The three-time Pro Bowler closed out Week 1 with 243 yards on 26-for-49 passing, along with a pair of touchdowns and two interceptions, for a dismal quarterback rating of 63.6.
Colts On Offense
Offensive coordinator, Alfonza "Pep" Hamilton handles the Colts' high-powered attack, as he enters his 10th year in the league and the third as OC in Indianapolis. However, Pep had no answer for Ryan's blitz packages in the opener, and the numbers tell a very compelling story.
After closing out the 2014 NFL regular season ranked third in total yards (406.6 typg), first in the passing game (305.9 pypg) and 22nd running the football (100.8), the horseshoe could not get anything going in the opener. As a result, Hamilton's unit starts Week 2 ranked 22nd in points per game (14), 19th in total yards (304), 10th in passing (240) and 26th overall (64) at running with the football.
Colts On Defense
Due to the improvements made on the defensive side of the football, DC Greg Manusky has taken the Colts from a high-flying offensive unit to a legitimate Super Bowl contender with very few holes in just three seasons. A year ago, the Colts defense finished ranked 11th in yards allowed per game (342.7), 12th in passing yards per game surrendered (229.3) and 18th at stopping opposing rushing attacks (113.4).
However, after allowing Ryan's Bills to run wild offensively, Manusky will now be looking to improve on the team's 2015 NFL rankings following a shocking loss at Buffalo. Thus, this team comes into Week 2 ranked 18th in points (27), 16thin total yards (342), 13th in passing yards (195) and a whopping 25th on the ground (147).
Colts Players To Watch
Offensively, Andrew Luck dictates how smooth this offense operates on a weekly basis, and thus, he's the offensive player to watch. The Stanford standout is one of the purest talents ever seen at that position, and the scariest part is that the 26-year-old from Washington, DC, is only getting better.
On defense, the Colts sent three defensive players to the Pro Bowl a year ago. Names like cornerback Vontae Davis, middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and safety Mike Adams will all have to be accounted for at all times in order for the Jets to pull off consecutive upsets to start the 2015 NFL season.
Jets vs. Colts 2015 NFL Point Spreads Week 2
If NFL Week 2 oddsmakers are correct, the Indianapolis Colts should defeat the visiting New York Jets by at least a touchdown and a point after. The latest NFL Week 2 spreads have Indy at -7, Gang Green at +7 and the OVER/UNDER is set at a combined total of 47 points.
Abe Gutierrez's passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers) and CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, Examiner.com. and other online publications.