Bold Predictions: QB Sam Ehlinger Will Rush for Over 50 Yards, Score Rushing TD vs. Patriots

The 3-4-1 Indianapolis Colts will be on the road for their next two games, starting with a trip to Foxborough to take on their long-time rival, the New England Patriots, in Week 9.

To keep their playoff hopes alive and keep pace with the Tennessee Titans in the AFC South, the Colts desperately need to come away victorious in New England for the first time since 2006.

Here are bold predictions ahead of the Colts’ massive road matchup against the Patriots:

• Sam Ehlinger will rush for 50 or more yards and score a rushing touchdown

We saw how quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s mobility impacted the Colts’ offensive game plan in Week 8 vs. Washington. Ehlinger had six carries for 15 yards and extended a few plays with his legs, as well.

Despite it only being Ehlinger’s second regular-season start, his mobility is certainly something Frank Reich will likely look to utilize against a tough Patriots’ defense that has struggled with containing some mobile quarterbacks this season.

Going against Bill Belichick — a coach that usually makes things tough for young quarterbacks — doesn’t work in Ehlinger’s favor. With that said, the Colts’ new signal-caller didn’t appear to be rattled much in his first-ever regular-season start against the Commanders, and we’re likely going to see a lot of similar play concepts that play to strengths of Ehlinger Sunday, which I’m predicting will help him rush for more than 50 yards and score a rushing touchdown.

• Parris Campbell will surpass 100 yards from scrimmage and score his third touchdown of the season

Wide receiver Parris Campbell is becoming such a dynamic weapon for the Colts’ offense as the season has gone on. The speedy receiver has 282 receiving yards and two touchdowns through eight games and has been utilized as a rusher as well this season.

The Colts have long waited for the former Ohio State standout to breakout for them, and Campbell is finally able to showcase what makes him such a unique playmaker with the ball in his hands.

With running back Nyheim Hines being traded to the Buffalo Bills, perhaps we see Campbell used in a lot of the same ways Hines was at times in Indy’s offense. I’m predicting that Campbell surpasses 100 total yards from scrimmage and scores his third touchdown of the season against New England Sunday.

• The Colts’ defense will hold New England’s offense to less than 20 points

No, this isn’t the same Patriots offense that we’ve seen for the better part of the last two decades. Make no mistake, though, they’ve got some real offensive firepower at every position offensively, and they can score quite a few points, too.

My final bold prediction has the Colts’ defense hold New England’s offense to less than 20 points Sunday. For context: The Patriots’ offense has been held to fewer than 20 points only three times this season. Indianapolis’ defense will have a lot on their hands, and they’re only allowing 19.6 points per game this season; good for eight-best in the NFL, per Statmuse.com.