New England Patriots: 3 keys to beating the Indianapolis Colts

Attack the edge of the field

It is fair to say the Indianapolis Colts have a very mediocre defense, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have some defensive playmakers.

Athletic rookie linebacker Darius Leonard has been the talk of the NFL as of late. He can play the middle as well as be a pass-rusher, and is a force on the field. He is a player whose name is constantly mentioned throughout the broadcast and makes a name for himself through his great play. He is the teams best playmaker by far on that side of the ball.

Fellow rookie linebacker Anthony Walker has also been great through the first quarter of the season. He is good in space and across the games, he has played has seemed to improve with time.

The New England Patriots should stay away from these playmakers and focus on the outside of the field.

The Colts have a fairly awful cornerback core. They will be without slot corner Kenny Moore as well as another solid corner in Quincy Wilson.

Pierre Desir has had a pretty solid season to this point for them, but that is about it. You won’t see a much worse group than this in the NFL.

The Patriots should rely heavily on pushing the ball downfield and exploiting the weak corners. Push the ball to the outside with James White and Sony Michel and force their corners into making plays in that phase of the game too.

If the Patriots can neutralize their two great linebackers, it should be smooth sailing for the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.