Sunday Night Football features one of the league's best games in Week 11 as the New England Patriots travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts. Not only does each team sit atop its respective division, but it's hard to beat a quarterback contest that involves Tom Brady and Andrew Luck.
‘Sunday Night Football,’ Patriots vs. Colts 2014: Brady and Luck duel in Indianapolis
Two of the top quarterbacks in the AFC square off for conference supremacy.
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots struggled out of the gate this season, leading many in the local media to question whether their run of dominance had come to the end. The low point came in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs where New England was blown out 41-14. However, the Patriots rallied behind Brady and the finally healthy Rob Gronkowski and are now riding a five-game winning streak. The streak included a dismantling of the defending AFC champion Denver Broncos and longtime Brady adversary Peyton Manning.
The Colts faced similar questions early in the season, especially concerning offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and his over reliance on running back Trent Richardson while the team fell to 0-2. Indianapolis managed to knock off the Philadelphia Eagles at home and since then have looked like a legitimate title contender. Unsurprisingly, Luck has been the driving force behind the team's success, leading the league with 3,085 passing yards. His 26 touchdowns trail only Manning who has thrown 29.
Digits
During the opening quarter of the season, the Patriots eclipsed 21 points just once. Their fortunes have improved since, as in their last five games, they have scored no fewer than 27 points. As a result, New England has moved into third in points per game at 31.2, behind only the Broncos and Colts. Brady’s numbers during that stretch; 18 touchdown passes and only 1 interception, have been similarly stellar. For the season, Brady is completing 64.1 percent of his passes and sporting a passer rating of 103.5.
No player in the league has thrown more than Luck this season. His 393 attempts through 10 weeks put him on pace for 699, which would be the most the third-year quarterback has ever thrown. Likewise, he’ll have 46 touchdowns against 16 interceptions and a robust 5,484 yards if he keeps pace. One of the primary beneficiaries of Luck’s strong play has been running back Ahmad Bradshaw. Utilized as both a runner and receiver, Bradshaw has 421 rushing yards and another 293 through the air. Most notably, he’s on pace for 10 receiving touchdowns which would be the most ever scored in a single season by a running back.
Who to watch
Darrelle Revis - The Patriots have developed one of the league's best pass defenses this year, and much of their success is predicated on the play of cornerback Darrelle Revis. Opposing quarterbacks have only thrown in Revis' direction 44 times this season, and few have had success, combining for a passer rating of 73.4. Despite the low number of targets, Revis has produced two interceptions and batted away seven passes.
T.Y. Hilton - One of the league's most dominant deep threats, T.Y. Hilton has become Luck's go-to target. In just his last four games, Hilton has averaged 22.2 yards per catch while registering 556 yards. Over the same span he has produced four touchdowns. Hilton's ability to take the top off New England's heralded pass defense is integral to the Colts' chances.
How to watch
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
When: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Online streaming: NBCSports.com Verizon NFL Mobile
The venue
Opened in 2008, Lucas Oil Stadium is the home to the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL combine, and the Big Ten championship game. The facility seats 62,421 for football games, and recently hosted Super Bowl XLVI. The stadium cost $720 million to build, including the cost of the mechanized retractable roof. The team must determine 90 minutes or more before kickoff whether the roof will be closed or open.
Odds
The Colts are 2-point favorites according to OddsShark.
Preliminary Judgment
The experts are split as to which team will emerge victorious. Four of SB Nation’s seven-member panel picked New England. The tune is slightly different at CBS Sports where five of their eight pickers sided with Indianapolis.
Further reading
For more on the Patriots, check out Pats Pulpit. For additional coverage of the Colts, head on over to Stampede Blue.
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