FOXBOROUGH – Time is running out on the Patriots 2024 season.
With five games left, the chances of the Patriots adding to their win total are also starting to look bleak. That’s why this weekend’s game against the Indianapolis Colts is important.
The 5-7 Colts have struggled this season. They’ll come to Gillette Stadium having won one of their last five matchups. Despite the issues, Indianapolis is still the favorite on Sunday. Unfortunately, for the Patriots, this is the easiest game left on their remaining schedule.
After this weekend, the Patriots have a much-needed bye week before traveling to take on the Arizona Cardinals (6-5). They’ll finish this tough season with two games against the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills and another against the 7-4 Los Angeles Chargers.
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Upsets can happen in the NFL, and the Patriots showed that this season with wins over Cincinnati, Chicago, and the New York Jets. They’ll need to play a cleaner and better brand of football if they want to match last season’s win total.
Here are five things to watch when they take on the Colts:
Drake Maye development
This is what it’s all about. The truth is wins don’t matter as much as Maye’s development does this season. If the Patriots lose their remaining games, but their rookie quarterback continues to improve, it’s still a positive. Last week, against Miami, was tough for the No. 3 overall pick and the offense. This game, however, is ripe for Maye to have a career day.
The Colts defense has been bad this season. They ran 28th in the NFL in total yards allowed per game (375.8), 27th in passing defense (233.3), and 27th in run defense (142.6). If the Patriots can’t move the ball against Indianapolis that’ll be a big disappointment.
Win turnover battle
The big thing Maye needs to work on is limiting his turnovers. He threw an untimely interception and was strip-sacked last week against the Dolphins. With Jacoby Brissett, the Patriots won the turnover battle 6-4 in five games. With Maye as the starter, the Patriots are losing that battle 12-3.
Part of that isn’t just on the quarterback. The Patriots need to force more turnovers. This offense needs as much help as it can get. Indianapolis is 30th in the NFL in interception rate. Quarterback Anthony Richardson also leads the league in fumbles (11). This should be a game where the Patriots defense can force turnovers.
Stop the run
The Colts pass game has been inconsistent this season. They enter this week ranked 24th in the NFL in passing yards per game (199.7). The success of their offense comes with their run game, which is ranked 16th in the league averaging 116.7 rushing yards per game.
The best player on this offense is running back Jonathan Taylor. He leads the Colts with 708 rushing yards to go with five touchdowns. Second on the team is Richardson, who has 335 rushing yards to go with three touchdowns. The Patriots defense needs to force the Colts into passing situations.
Offensive line
Last week, the Patriots started the same offensive line for the third straight game for the first time in a year. That streak will officially end this weekend as the Patriots released starting left guard Michael Jordan. The veteran started 10 games, but his play deteriorated.
That means the Patriots will start a new left guard. Who that will be is kind of a mystery. The top candidate is rookie Layden Robinson. The fourth-round pick started six games this season at right guard. Other options include Sidy Sow, who started one game this season at left guard, and Tyrese Robinson. We’ll see if this move brings about better play as the Patriots offensive line (especially their tackles) was a mess last weekend.
Youth movement
At some point, it would be nice to see more younger players step up and make an impact. That’s been the case with a handful of players – Maye, Christian Gonzalez, and Keion White. Since the Patriots are mainly playing for pride, it would be nice to see some of the other rookies play more and show potential.
On offense, that means Robinson stepping at left guard and playing well. If he does, he could be the left guard of the future with Michael Onwenu stapled in at right guard. On offense, Ja’Lynn Polk is still searching for more consistency. The Patriots need more out of their second-round pick. Fourth-rounder Javon Baker is still searching for his NFL reception. Maybe that’s coming. Help from more younger players would go a long way this week and in the future.
Prediction: Colts 23, Patriots 20
