Breaking Down Indianapolis Colts’ Trends Ahead of Week 3

The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2021 season with several question marks. The one that affected their NFL betting odds the most was whether Carson Wentz could play as well as he did in 2019 when he was with Philadelphia. 2020 was a rough year for the quarterback, and he and the Eagles felt he would benefit from a fresh start on another team.

Coach Frank Reich hopes that the quarterback and the Colts can get back on track. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed some of the optimism that Indianapolis had coming into the season. So what can you expect from Indianapolis heading into Week 3? Read on to find out.

Carson Wentz’s Injuries

Sunday’s game was rough for the Colts’ quarterback Carson Wentz, who sprained both ankles against the Los Angeles Rams.

After his injury in the 4th quarter, backup quarterback Jacob Eason threw a costly interception, and the Colts lost 24-27. The loss put the Colts into an 0-2 hold for the 2021 season.

Coach Frank Reich confirmed that Carson’s injuries would affect his game since he is a highly mobile quarterback. However, he is also hopeful that Carson may play with these sprains, calling him as “tough” and a “fast healer.”

The Run-Down on the Colts’ Offensive Line

Wentz’s injury isn’t the only recent blow that the Colts have taken. Last season’s left tackle Anthony Castonzo retired this offseason.

The Colts replaced him with Eric Fischer, who recently had Achilles surgery and was unable to play until 2.5 weeks ago. However, he is still a solid left tackle and a solid addition to Indy’s offensive line.

Right tackle Braden Smith and left guard Quenton Nelson are two of the best offensive linemen in the league. Center Ryan Kelly is also one of the ten best players at his position.

With a lineup like this, I believe the team can turn things around towards the end of this season. However, their success will still largely depend on the speed of Wentz’s recovery.

Competition With the Tennessee Titans

This week is sure to be a challenge for the Indianapolis Colts. The Titans have one of the best running backs in the NFL and a defense capable of creating turnovers.

It seems likely that the Colts may see their first 0-3 season start in 10 years. However, Reich admits that a few mistakes could cost them their upcoming games and the season.

I would personally recommend holding off most bets on the Colts at this time until we learn more about Carson Wentz’s health.

The Colts’ Offensive Trends Heading Into Week 3

Even with a healthy Wentz, the offense has struggled this year. Wentz has thrown the ball 69 times and has a completion rate of 65.2%. He has 498 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. However, in two games, he’s been sacked six times, calling into question whether the offensive line is playing up to their potential.

The Colts have run the ball for 222 yards, but 60 of those yards come from Wentz. Their leading rusher is Jonathan Taylor, who’s had 32 runs for 107 yards. He’s averaging 3.3 yards a carry, which isn’t going to get the job done if the team has to rely on him this week against a strong Tennessee defense.

Can the Indianapolis Colts Get Back on Track?

While the Indianapolis Colts may pull themselves together later this season, their chances against the Titans this week are not looking good. They hopefully will be able to dig themselves out of what looks like it will be an 0-3 hole when Wentz returns to the field.

Do you have more confidence in Indy’s offense than I do? Then sign up for BetMGM’s free-to-play King of the Weekend challenge, where you can win up to $50,000 this week by choosing the teams that you think will score the most points out of five games. It’s a fun way to test your NFL knowledge.