Matchups to Watch: Week 3 Vs. Chiefs

Gus Bradley Vs. Patrick Mahomes

So far, not good for Gus Bradley’s defense. After a lot of hype in the offseason, the Colts rank dead last in turnovers forced, and while the run defense has been great, the pass defense has been abysmal. The Colts' defense made Davis Mills and Trevor Lawrence look amazing, allowing completion after completion, while the opposing offense drove down the field. Not only it was the scheme, but there is also the problem that Pro Bowl caliber players like Kenny Moore and DeForest Buckner are simply not performing as expected of them. This will probably be the toughest matchup of the season, so hopefully Bradley and co. manage to turn things around and use this as a stepping stone for the future.

Colts’ Secondary Vs. Travis Kelce

The Colts have struggled against tight ends, allowing two scores from O.J. Howard and a productive game from Evan Engram. Now, they will go up against the best tight end in the NFL in Travis Kelce. Managing to contain Kelce is imperative to stopping the Chiefs’ vaunted offense, and the Colts will need to make Kelce the most important priority on Sunday. Having Shaquille Leonard back would be huge for this unit, as his impact on the entire defense cannot be understated.

Yannick Ngakoue Vs. Orlando Brown Jr.

Among the disappointments on defense this year is edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, who was acquired via trade in the offseason. He has racked up just 4 total pressures on 58 pass-rushing snaps, which is not good at all. The Colts found the blueprint to contain Mahomes in their matchup two seasons ago, and that includes generating consistent pressure. Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. has been having a tough start to the year, allowing 7 pressures, but he is still among the most talented tackles in the NFL and should be a tough matchup for Ngakoue.

Colts’ IOL Vs. Chris Jones

Chris Jones has been on a tear this season, as he has 12 total pressures this year (the Colts’ entire defensive line has 17). Danny Pinter has not been playing well at right guard, so the Chiefs have themselves a potential matchup that could disrupt the Colts’ entire game plan. Even if the Colts manage to stop Jones, the Chiefs have still plenty of other weapons on the defensive line, so overall the entire offensive line will need to step up and start performing like the highest-paid unit in the NFL.

Frank Reich Vs. Himself

Frank Reich is not a bad NFL head coach, and he has shown over his tenure that he is among the brightest offensive minds in the league, but that has not been the case this season. Slow starts have been common for this team, so some improvements should be expected as Reich gets more familiar with the new faces and hopefully gets his two top receivers back. Either way, he better start improving quickly, as that seat is starting to get hotter by the week if this offense continues sputtering.