Bold Predictions: Colts’ Defense Will Hold Red-Hot Cowboys Offense to Less Than 30 Points on SNF

The Indianapolis Colts will play in primetime for a second straight week. This week, Indy travels to Dallas to tackle one of many NFC’s finest groups within the 8-3 Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night time Soccer.

Coming off back-to-back losses, the Colts now sit at 4-7-1 on the season. Whereas their possibilities at making the postseason seems unlikely, they’re not mathematically eradicated simply but, and a win on the highway in opposition to the Cowboys may hold Indy’s hopes alive.

Listed below are my daring predictions for the Colts’ primetime showdown in opposition to the Cowboys.

• The Colts’ protection will maintain Cowboys’ offense to lower than 30 complete factors

Indy’s protection is coming off an uncharacteristic efficiency in Week 12 in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers, surrendering 24 factors and over 300 complete yards of offense, together with 172 speeding yards between the Steelers’ duo of working backs.

Dallas’ offense may be very balanced between their floor recreation and passing assault and will current a tricky matchup for Indianapolis’ protection. The Cowboys have one of many league’s finest speeding assaults, led by one of many higher working again duos you’ll discover within the league at present in Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard.

As a crew, the Cowboys rank inside the highest ten in complete speeding yards (1,531) and have averaged 4.6 yards per try and 139.2 yards per recreation this season, in keeping with Statsmuse.com. Whereas their passing assault isn’t fairly as explosive, Dallas nonetheless has the weapons that may create issues for opposing protection’s if quarterback Dak Prescott is given time to throw.

On the season, the Cowboys are averaging 25.4 factors per recreation, and if the Colts are going come away with a win Sunday, they’re going to have to determine a option to decelerate Prescott and Co. My first daring prediction has Indy holding Dallas’ red-hot offense to lower than 30 factors.

• The Colts’ offensive line will give up lower than 4 sacks to Dallas’ elite cross rush

For some, this will likely not appear to be a lot of a ‘daring prediction,’ however Indianapolis’ offensive line has struggled closely this season. The crew’s poor offensive line play is a part of the rationale they’ve struggled so far, and the unit will doubtless have their arms full with Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. awaiting.

The Colts’ offensive line has has had main points defending their quarterbacks, Matt Ryan and Sam Ehlinger (when beginning), for a lot of the season, because the unit has surrendered a league-high 43 sacks. It’s arduous sufficient as it’s to search out constant offensive success in at present’s NFL, however it’s much more troublesome when your offensive line efficiency has been as underwhelming as Indy’s has been.

It’s additionally price noting that proper sort out Braden Smith will likely be out for this recreation, which is way from splendid contemplating the opponent. Smith’s absence and different points apart, I’m predicting that Indianapolis’ offensive line will present higher safety for quarterback Matt Ryan and give up lower than 4 complete sacks.