close
close

Up front, the Indianapolis Colts have an explosive threat in the Detroit Lions’ offensive scheme.

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Up front, the Indianapolis Colts have an explosive threat in the Detroit Lions’ offensive scheme.

The Indianapolis Colts are riding high after a win over the New York Jets, where quarterback Anthony Richardson had a stellar performance. However, on to the next NFL opponent, and that’s the red-hot Detroit Lions for Indy. With this matchup and a lot on the line for the Colts, the Indianapolis defense may have its toughest task yet in stopping Detroit’s incredible offense.

The Lions have many ways to carve up defenses, and the Colts should look at these three offensive methods.

Amon-Ra St. Brown | Wide Receiver (Under/Short Play)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (blue) makes a diving catch in front of a defender.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) makes a catch against Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown (30) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, November 17, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Images Images

A pass catcher who needs no introduction, Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL. He’s also extremely effective against quarterback Jared Goff’s targets, making a ridiculous 83.3% of his 78, which translates to 65 catches. In addition to his receptions, Brown tallied 685 receiving yards (10.5 average) and 9 receiving touchdowns.

Per Professional footballAt St. Brown 155 latches per slot and 142 wide. This setup means Colts names like cornerbacks Jaylon Jones, Kenny Moore II and Samuel Womack III will see a lot of St. Brown, as well as different routes and scenarios with Ben Johnson calling the offensive snaps. St. Brown poses a huge threat to Indy’s secondary if they allow him to eat up too many short catches, opening up chances for bigger hits to receivers like Jameson Williams (22.4 yards per catch – 538 receiving yards). We’ll see if Gus Bradley can have his secondary against a talent like St. Brown.

Sam LaPorta | Tight End (middle of the field)

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (in white) runs down the sideline with no one in sight.

October 13, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) attempts a touchdown in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Sam LaPorta had a tremendous rookie season for the tight end in 2023, catching 86 passes for 889 receiving yards (10.3 average) and 10 touchdowns, earning him an immediate career Pro Bowl nomination. While 2024 isn’t nearly as good, LaPorta still ranks second on the team in catches with 25 and third in receiving yards with 366. He also scored 3 touchdowns and averaged an impressive 14.6 yards per catch.

What’s next for the Colts? Don’t miss any news and analytics! Take a second and Sign up for our free newsletter and get the latest Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

For the Indy team, midfielders Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed ​​and defenders Julian Blackmon and Nick Cross will be critical to preventing LaPorta from having his breakout performance in 2024. LaPorta hasn’t topped 66 receiving yards in any game this year, and the aforementioned defenders must be willing to not let the former Iowa Hawkeye command the middle of the field for Goff. LaPorta is currently dealing with a shoulder injury but appears likely to play in Week 12.

Jamir Gibbs and David Montgomery | Running backs (trenches)

Detroit Lions running backs Jameer Gibbs and David Montgomery (in white) celebrate a touchdown together.

November 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jameer Gibbs (26) celebrates with running back David Montgomery (5) after scoring against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at Sophie Stadium. Mandatory credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

There are high-level quarterback combinations in the NFL…and then there are Jameer Gibbs and David Montgomery, who are in a league of their own with their skill. Together, these two could be the biggest threat to Indy’s defense. Even though the Colts have rebuilt their defensive play in recent weeks, they still rank 28th in the league in yards allowed per contest (148.3). This spells potential disaster for Indianapolis, as the Lions, who rank third in the league, rush the ball at 152.2 yards per game.

While the linebackers must stop the ground attack, Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner will handle Montgomery, while Liatu Latu and Kwity Paye must keep Gibbs from taking the outside advantage. For the year, Montgomery tallied 137 carries for 595 yards (4.3 average) and 10 touchdowns. As for Gibbs, he has 133 carries for 796 yards (6.0 average) and eight rushing touchdowns. Needless to say, Indianapolis can’t afford to let Goff operate as part of a growing offense. This is perhaps the biggest focus of Indy’s defensive game plan to limit the impact of Dan Campbell’s final plan. We’ll see if Stewart and Buckner, along with the rest of Indy’s defensive front, can keep these two from ruining the plan on Sunday.

Want more Colts content? Watch the latest episode of the series Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook And Xand subscribe to YouTube for several live Colts podcasts a week.