Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Daniel Jones, Charvarius Ward Cleared vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Episode Date: November 21, 2025

The Indianapolis Colts (8-2) face the Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) this Sunday. Colts QB Daniel Jones was removed from the injury report, while CB Charvarius Ward Sr. cleared the concussion protocol. Bec...ome a Locked On Colts insider! Ask your burning questions and get prompt answers from someone who's around the team every day! Get special access from the locker room, practice field, and press box! JOIN HERE! Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts/📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-nfl/ Follow Jake's written work on roundtable.io/sports/nfl/colts/ and Zach's on si.com/nfl/colts/, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, and @LockedOnColts! Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!PelotonLet yourself run, lift, flex, and push forward. Explore the new Peloton Cross Training Tread+ today at https://www.onepeloton.com.PrizePicksDownload the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars, and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Daniel Jones and Mooney Ward are officially back to play this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs. Let's get to it. You are Locked-on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hicks, a resident film nerd of horseshoe huddle.com. I'm joined, as always, by Jake Arthur. The boots on the ground over at Roundtable Sports. And welcome to Lockdown Colts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network,
Starting point is 00:00:36 now the number one sports podcast network. Today's episode is brought to you by Game Time, download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code Lockdown NFL for $20 off of your first purchase. Now, guys, we have a fun Friday show planned for you. Like always, we're going to talk about the latest injury updates before Colts Chiefs, talk about the Colts offense, the Colts defense, and our final score predictions
Starting point is 00:00:57 and random other predictions. heading into this massive matchup against the chiefs but jake let's first dive into this injury report that is filled with the names on those sides here starting off with the big one here there was a little bit of a scare from the colts yesterday where daniel jones popped up on the injury report as a limited participant now you guys on the beat and and also the colts as well seem to do a lot of damage control with that saying like it doesn't seem to be very serious it doesn't seem like it's going to be much of an issue. And I think we got some clarification today from Shane that it was a very, very small amount
Starting point is 00:01:32 of time that Jones missed. You just have to be very careful with that now in the NFL and say when a guy misses even a little bit of practice and put him as limited, he was a full participant today. And Daniel Jones is going to start this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs. Yeah, he's been clear to go. Now, of course, the saga always has to twist some way because it was CAF on Wednesday, because they kind of, you know, they have to assign a designation to it. But when they, when they looked at it further, it turns out it's fibula.
Starting point is 00:02:03 And there's really no reason. I know that sounds scary because it's the name of a bone, but like it's, it's apparently really not anything to worry about. Doesn't even carry a questionable designation. Was technically limited on Thursday because anytime you miss some reps for whatever reason, when it's to have an injury, have any attention. pay to it you just have to downgrade them that way and then he was full today didn't miss a single thing i literally think the extent of it on thursday was just when he described what happened to
Starting point is 00:02:36 the trainer like because i saw it happening i don't even think the trainer examined him i don't think it even had gotten that far uh before jones ran back over with the quarterback so i i think it probably is a bit overblown but i obviously we all understand when a colt's quarterback goes on the injury report you have to take it seriously because Andrew Luck, Anthony Richardson, Peyton Manning, like, we've all seen it before. Like there's always, you got to hold your breath for that. But now it looks like they dodge a bolt on this one. No biggie. The much more impactful thing, though, is Mooney Ward.
Starting point is 00:03:12 Now, Shane Steichen said he cleared concussion protocol today. We spoke to him as well after practice. And he still carries the questionable designation, but I think that's only because They haven't activated him off of IR yet. They have to make that roster move. So as far as I know, all indications I got was that he's supposed to play. You know, again, we spoke to him. We spoke to Shane.
Starting point is 00:03:35 And it sounds like he'll be playing on Sunday. So that's huge. You know, what we've been waiting for for these two, three weeks pairing sauce and Mooney Ward together right off the bat with a matchup like Patrick Mahomes. That's pretty fun. Yeah, no, for sure. It seems exciting that he's going to be back this weekend. And again, not officially back yet.
Starting point is 00:03:55 He's still technically questionable and not activate on the roster, but we expect that to be lifted tomorrow when he gets activated in the Colts to make a couple roster moves on Saturday like we tend to see from this team. A couple of other injury notes from the Colts. A couple of players returning to the lineup, Samson Ebukam, was a full participant these last couple days and he is officially back this week. Anthony Gould, the kick returner, punt returner. He will be back for this game.
Starting point is 00:04:19 Tyquan Lewis is questionable this week, which is funny that his, status got a lot better after we were all doom and gloom about him on Wednesday, Jake. He did get back out there at practice and he is officially questionable. The only Colts player ruled out, or I guess not even technically ruled out because he's not technically on the roster right now is Jalen Carlyse. He has just not activated yet by the Colts. Going over to the chief side of things, the only player they ruled out was Isaiah Pacheco, the running back.
Starting point is 00:04:46 He's just not ready to return yet. And then two questionable, very noteworthy, questionable players, It's Xavier Worthy and Kingsley, Suea Matea at left guard. Kingsley, I'm just going to say Kingsley here, was dealing with a concussion all week. He hasn't cleared protocol yet, but he has progressed very, very well for them. So we'll see if he is able to go. Xavier Worthy, he did ramp up as the week went, but the Chiefs has still kind of been non-committal about him playing this week.
Starting point is 00:05:13 So some noteworthy injuries to watch for the Chiefs there, Pacheco being out is obviously a big one, but both these teams are rolling into this game, Jake, pretty healthy. No, yeah, it's really good news for them. When you look at, my God, all those injuries for Kansas City are all in the offensive side of the ball. So, I mean, that's, I guess you're always worried about Kansas City's offense, obviously. But to me, I just want to see how this cult's offense responds to Kansas City's defense,
Starting point is 00:05:45 which hasn't had a banner year that you would expect with some of the guys that are out there and Steve Spagnolo, call him. shots. But, yeah, the Colts got to play clean. What's the pressure going to look like? Because obviously, that's been the big talking point when it comes to the offense, those last two games. Daniel Jones not taking care of the ball.
Starting point is 00:06:05 And then Jonathan Taylor, do you think you're going to get him able to get rolling? Because the Chiefs know that's what the Colts are eventually going to try and do. But the good news for the Colts is that's not like they're feeding Jonathan Taylor 30 carries a game and trying to get them rolling from the jump. Like once it's like once they've got their hooks into the defense, that's when they really unleashed Taylor, which I think makes it just so hard to defend. So what's your vibe on this one? Colts offense, as long as they take care of it versus the Chiefs defense.
Starting point is 00:06:37 Yeah, the Chiefs defense, I think, is better in the advanced stats and what they kind of appear to be on Sundays. And I think a big part of that is when they've played against like below average type teams, they've taken advantage. Whereas when they've played against a. top offenses outside of Detroit. They did a really good job against Detroit, but most of the better offenses they've played, they have had their struggles. Their edge rush room is a big time concern. Really, the only production they get on defense is from Chris Jones on that defensive line.
Starting point is 00:07:05 And then when you look at the secondary, it's a good competitive secondary. It just has a couple of issues there, like Chamara Connor has had some issues in coverage as well, but Trent McDuffie's a fantastic outside corner. It's actually, it's funny when you think about it, this defense that we're at with the Chiefs is very, very similar to the Colts defense in a lot of ways, where the one impact pass rusher was an interior defensive lineman. Now the Colts don't have their guy for this matchup, but Chris Jones, a pretty good secondary, but very vulnerable at the linebacker room, especially when you're passing against the linebacker room. And that's the one thing I'm really looking at for this Colts offense versus the Chiefs defense is the Chiefs defense have given up a lot
Starting point is 00:07:42 against play action this year, especially early down play action, because teams are just going after those linebackers in coverage relentlessly. And that has been a big part of what the Colts had done from day one this year. I did a video on my personal YouTube channel talking about the Colts out of 12 personnel, getting these quick hitters to Tyler Warren at Michael Pittman Jr. Out of these heavier personnel sets to create yards after catch and put linebackers in absolute hell at the point of attack. And that is where the cheats have really struggled.
Starting point is 00:08:11 So I think when you're looking at that one area right there, where, again, that's the Colts bread and butter in the passing. game. This is where the Chiefs have struggled the most. It seems pretty clear what the plan of attack is to start this game. Come out in your heavy personnel groupings, run your bootleg actions, run your quick play actions. Make sure these linebackers are just not seeing the field correctly, much like how the Colts played against the Chargers a couple weeks ago, and just make them pay in the flats by feeding Warren and feeding Michael Pittman Jr. and getting those guys running after the catch. So I like this matchup for the Colts. The Chiefs do have a pretty decent run defense just in
Starting point is 00:08:47 terms of coming up and making tackles, and that's kind of where they're at their best, but that hasn't really stopped Jonathan Taylor yet this year. I'm not really too concerned about Taylor getting his yards, but I think they're really vulnerable if you come out with a heavy play action attack early, especially on the early downs, get it in space, then get the chiefs out of their base personnel package, get them into diamond nickel, and then you can run all over them with Jonathan Taylor. That sounds like a lot of those, you know, play action boots to Tyler Warren on the outside with getting them an extra 20 or so yards to run with that. Yeah, I think if those linebackers are just not in position or they're late to respond
Starting point is 00:09:25 there on the outside, like, that's the Colts have the horses that can run with that. No, pun intended. Could also be a Josh Downs one. We haven't really seen down, like, Downs has had some good moments and he's been productive when called on, but he hasn't had like that big performance yet. I think a lot of his work, you know, you've seen him get some catches outside. in numbers and stuff. So maybe that pays more dividends, you know, on Sunday.
Starting point is 00:09:50 We'll see. So I'm kind of waiting on that big one from him. Yeah, no, the Chiefs are a bit vulnerable in the passing department in terms of like their slot corner play. They've put Chamari Connor down there a couple of times this year. They've rotated some different players. They have moved Trent McDuffie to the slot at times recently, but I don't think they'll do that this weekend with Pittman Jr. and Pierce on the outside, like those are very
Starting point is 00:10:10 pressing threats. The big thing for the Colts offense is getting away from third and five. plus third and six plus make sure that you're in run or past situations on third down so mcduffy has to move outside still and then maybe you can get those those isolations with for josh downs against backup slot corners or again have that threat of the run use the play action and get the ball out to warren i i think there is a very clear plan of attack here though against this jeez defense go very very heavy play action culture second and play action usage this year come out heavy with that and make these linebackers pay for having bad discipline and bad eyes.
Starting point is 00:10:49 Yeah, I think if you look at it this way, if the Colts offense is actually effective and takes care of the ball and, like, they're always productive with the yardage, but it's just how the drives end up, whether it's points or giving the ball away. If they're not giving the ball away, like, it's going to be tough for the Chiefs to really hang in there, I think, and that's not, I really, I'm always so cautious about discounting the chiefs. But, you know, we're going to explain why further here in a moment because we're finally going to see that shiny new defense featuring its nice little cornerback tandem. This episode is brought to you by Price Picks. You and I make decisions every day, but on Price Picks, being right can actually get you paid.
Starting point is 00:11:31 Whether you're following the NFL, NBA, or both, there's no better time to jump in on the action. If you haven't tried it yet, Price Picks is the simplest way to play. Just pick more or less on at least two. player stats, and if you get them right, you win. It takes less than 60 seconds to make your lineup, but you can play anywhere that price picks operates, and that includes California, Texas, and Georgia. We've all been using prize picks around here at the network for football, Sundays, and NBA tip-offs. It just keeps everything more exciting, especially when your team's not playing.
Starting point is 00:12:02 It gives you a reason to watch even further. The new stacks feature is pretty cool, too. You can now combine, you know, your stat, your stat, pretty. projections on a single player and you could throw them just all into one like one NBA player their points their threes their assists all that you could throw them into one plus if one of your players leaves with an injury then the injury reboot saves your lineup from a loss so download the price picks app today and use code locked on NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup that's locked on NFL for $50 in lineups after your first $5
Starting point is 00:12:37 lineup prize picks it's good to be right all right welcome back every dayers we are giving our final preview of colts chiefs and we want to thank you for making us your first listen of the day and also thank you for making locked on the number one sports podcast network around galaxy universe milky way we're starting to get into two similar things that i'm saying but i'm not galaxy universe milky way that's not the it's why i'm here yeah that's fine in the city you know So let's go ahead and talk about this Colts defense now. So everything else is kind of an afterthought after you consider the fact that you should be getting Mooney Ward back this week, pairing them with Sauce Gardner.
Starting point is 00:13:26 You got Cambon and Nick Cross patrolling back there behind them. I mean, man, it opens up, we've talked about it a lot, you know, but it opens up a lot of opportunity for what you could do with the linebackers. You hope your defensive line now with these guys. you know, buying you a little more time in coverage, can get to Patrick Mahomes a little more often, you know, keep him on the move. I mean, he's always on the move. He, playing in structure is just not his game, like backyard football and just moving around and buying time and just doing his thing. That's how he makes plays. But if you can actually get to him and bring him down while he's doing all that, that's a major plus. Yeah, it's funny. When I'm looking at this Colts defense
Starting point is 00:14:07 versus the Chief's offense, there's not really a single thing that makes me think the Chiefs should be productive on offense in this game, which terrifies me because how could you ever think that about Pat Mahomes and the Chiefs? You know, like this Chief's offense, they still have some magic about them because Mahomes is who he is. But you kind of look at how this Colts defense is made, and it's kind of built to stop the type of offense that the Chiefs like to run right now. The Chiefs has still been very effective this year. Like they're still top 10 in a lot with major analytics, top five, and some others. They get points on the board.
Starting point is 00:14:41 They are effective at moving the football. They get to third and short. They do a lot of good things correct, but a lot of the ways they attack modern defenses is a bit outdated. You know, they still lean heavily into the RPO game. They still just do a lot of these passing concepts that are more effective against single high than they are against two high type systems. And the NFL is moving so much towards these two high systems.
Starting point is 00:15:05 and this is where we're seeing like the lack of explosives with this Chiefs offense. This is where we're seeing them get bogged down in a lot of situations. And they've really struggled against man coverage with the lack of talent at wide receiver. You know, Rishi Rice coming back was a big boost for them. But he's not like this pure like separator route runner type guy. He's more of a catch and run, create after the catch type of player. So when I look at this Colts defense, though, like they have the dogs to run man coverage all game long and just make life hell for those wide.
Starting point is 00:15:35 receivers getting off the line and in delaying their releases. Where the Colts are kind of vulnerable right now is the run game and the Chiefs don't really have an effective run game. I mean, Kareem Hunt's been good at getting like three or four yards on a carry, but he's not an explosive threat. You're not going to get explosive runs against in the carries that he gets, and you can give up that in this type of system. This system is fine, giving up gains on the ground that just aren't explosive. That's what they live by. And then looking at the RPO game, I mean, Luan Rumo was one of the first defensive coordinator. I don't want to say one of the first, but really at the forefront of shutting down
Starting point is 00:16:09 RPO's years ago in terms of using his inverted Tampa 2 stuff and using his drop eight coverage stuff to get in those throwing windows and just daring teams to run it out of the RPO's. He was really big and that's part of why they beat Mahomes that one year to go to the Super Bowl when he was with the Bengals. So so much of this defense is like built to stop what the chiefs want to do. Now, you can't completely shut down the chiefs because Travis Kelsey has been an ageless wonder this year doing a lot of great things
Starting point is 00:16:37 at his age has been crazy. Mahomes still has that scramble threat and that playmaking ability. And they can still get some deep balls down the field with Taekwon Thornton. And if Xavier Worthy plays this week, it's a possibility. But, you know, I think this can be a big statement game for the Colts defense. Come out here and do the things that they do well, especially with their revamped secondary with Soss Gardner and Mooney Ward out there. And I think this can be one of their most impressive defensive showings of the year.
Starting point is 00:17:03 because they have all the ingredients to have a strong, strong day against the Chiefs. It's about just making sure that they don't commit dumb penalties. They take advantage when the turnovers are there in front of them and they get off the field on third down. But I think all the ingredients are there for a really, really strong game from the Colts defense. It's just can they stay disciplined, can they stay on top of it, and can they avoid the Pat Mahom's special plays when those happen? Yes, discipline and being patient, I think is going to be the next.
Starting point is 00:17:33 name of the game in this one. I was talking to Cam Bynum on Wednesday. And it's, you ask him, it's just like, you're facing a team where the pairing of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelsey, so much of what's made them a special pairing throughout the years is what they do outside of structure. And when the play breaks down, when you have to throw the playing out the window on a play, you know? So it's like, how do you defend that? Because you successfully take away what the goal of the play was to do, but now they're scrambling around and finding each other and converting on these broken plays. And he said, it's, it's just about sticking with the assignment the whole time. And, you know, you get these defensive backs that are really talented with their
Starting point is 00:18:17 instincts. And they break off what the assignment was to go make a play somewhere else or like what they see transpiring in front of them. It's, you kind of can't do that in this one, unless you literally see the ball about to fly out of Mahomes' hand, you just have to stay patient and discipline in this one because that is how Kelsey gets that, you know, the extra couple feet of wiggle room to get open. And he can still run a little bit with the ball after. I mean, he's not going to beat guys down the side by and very much anymore.
Starting point is 00:18:47 But a 16-yard chunk play, like, is very valuable. And we've seen that, like the Colts defense on third and way too long, especially early in the season. and they were vulnerable against that stuff. So I think just being patient, discipline, like you said, like just the corny coach speak, do your job and don't try and be Superman in this one. Because whatever Lou has cooked up,
Starting point is 00:19:11 I think is probably going to be relatively successful in this one. And then just another thing that makes me feel pretty positive about this matchup is just like, what are the chiefs going to offer in the run game? Like, I just don't know how much they can. Because if they wanted to come into this, one and throw everyone for a loop and say we're going to punch the Colts in the mouth, you know, on the ground with Pacheco and everything.
Starting point is 00:19:34 Well, they can't. He's out. And Kareem Hunt can't do that anymore. Like he can do some things, but like you mentioned, he's going to get you three, maybe four yards. Like, unless he's just running supremely violently and breaking a bunch of tackles and the Colts aren't getting off the blocks and everything, I just don't see how they're going to be able to rely on the run game at all.
Starting point is 00:19:53 And then the Colts clearly are built to defend the pass at the moment. So I just think they match up really well. Yeah, no, I completely agree. The one thing I will say, and I think this would be the most telling thing early in the game on what kind of Chiefs offensive day we're going to be in store for is do we see Mahomes scrambling early and often in this game? If he's getting out of the pocket, breaking contain, making guys miss, and running for first downs early in this game, it might be a higher score in game that the Colts are going to need
Starting point is 00:20:23 to win. But if he's content to stay in the pocket and trying to deliver against the rush and not making those special out-of-structure plays, then I think this Colts defense has a real good chance of holding them under 20, maybe even lower than that. But that'll be the big factor is can you contain Mahomes to the pocket and make sure he's not scrambling? Because if the Colts want to play man coverage, they have the dogs to do it. They have the ability to play man coverage and lock down these receivers. But the big thing with man coverage is you don't have many eyes on the quarterback. So if you're not getting Mahomes down to the ground on your first hit or you're not containing him to the pocket, he has the potential for big time rushing
Starting point is 00:21:02 performances like we saw early in the season against defenses. Their offense is kind of aggressed in recent weeks when he's not really taken that scramble option that's been there for him like it was early in the year. So they got to keep him in the pocket. They cannot let him scramble because his legs honestly like i know he's not lamar jackson but his legs are the scariest aspect about him right now because you know the plays are coming through the air with him but the legs are the x factor if he uses those and is able to run for some first downs early it could be a long day even if the colts have all the ingredients for success in this one yeah he just has the way of making the improbable happen when he's running especially if he's on the if he's going along
Starting point is 00:21:41 the sideline like things just work out for him when he's using his legs and It's just kind of what makes him him. It can't really be explained. But coming up, guys, we're going to let you know how we see this one turning out. The eight and two Colts, they're falling behind in the AFC standings. You know, the Broncos and Patriots are continuing to win. And then the chiefs at five and five, they're kind of trying to avoid the grave this season. All right, the NFL season is heating up as the postseason nears.
Starting point is 00:22:12 And honestly, there's nothing better than being in the stadium. surrounded by fans cheering on your team. But let's be real. Getting tickets can be a hassle. Between the queues, the login screens, and then the prices just jumping up out of nowhere at checkout, it's just frustrating. But that's why we use GameTime here.
Starting point is 00:22:29 It's the app that gives the advantage back to the fans. Game time is fast, easy, and it's backed up by the game time guarantee. And that means that you'll always get 100% authentic tickets delivered on time and at the best price. Plus, all fees are included. so the price that you see is the price that you're going to pay. I recently pulled up GameTime
Starting point is 00:22:47 and just a couple of taps. I saw amazing deals on some of your favorite NFL games, ones that are going to carry a lot of weight down the stretch for as low as $100. So download the GameTime app, create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off of your first purchase. Terms apply.
Starting point is 00:23:05 Again, that's promo code L-O-C-E-D-O-N-N-FL for $20 on. Swipe, tap, ticket, go. Download game. time today. All right, welcome back every dayers. It is Zach Hicks and Jake Arthur with you. We are talking Colts and Chiefs. And it's been a big news cycle for 72 hours for the Colts.
Starting point is 00:23:29 Mooney Ward has been a full participant all week in practice and has cleared the concussion protocol. We expect that he'll be activated off IR and play on Sunday. Daniel Jones pops up on the injury report with a calf. It's clarified as a fibula today on Friday, but he's actually all good to go. So kind of a roller coaster of emotions, but that leads us all back to kind of feeling the same way about this matchup that we did Wednesday morning, I guess, Zach. So I guess, speak it for myself, but has anything changed for you? How do you think this one's going to go?
Starting point is 00:24:04 Man, this game is such a head versus heart type of game in terms of like the head part of me is looking at the analytic. and looking at where these two teams stand, look at what the Colts are good at, what the Chiefs struggle with. And there's really no way on paper that this Chief's team should win. You know, like on paper, the Chiefs are a pretty good team on paper too.
Starting point is 00:24:24 Like they have very good analytics and they move the ball well in offense. They get teams off the board on defense. But their couple problem areas are all the areas that the Colts excel in. You know, from play action on offense to taking advantage of linebackers. On defense, the Colts are going to play a lot of man
Starting point is 00:24:41 coverage with the corners they're rolling out there and that is where the chief struggles have really popped in this year so like everything in my head says the cult should win this game but the reason why we play the games on sunday are because of things like this you know you could have every single number saying that one team's going to win and then the improbable can happen like the in the Steelers game where the Steelers had no right winning that game against the Colts and turns in the numbers but the Steelers kind of dominated that entire game and the one thing that I keep coming back to is it's the Kansas City Chiefs at home following two losses. They're four and one at home this year. They are the least penalized team in football at home this year as well, which is a big
Starting point is 00:25:21 factor in games like this. They play good hard football. They took care of the lions at home earlier this year as well. And they're fighting for their playoff lives, you know? So I think this is going to be a very, very tough game for the Colts. I'm still going to lean with the Colts here because at the end of the day, I'm a nerd. And the nerds, we've got to lean with our heads. know more so than just the vibes. I will say my head is saying Colts. My vibes are saying chiefs. I'll go Colts and I'll take your prediction here, Jay, because I said it earlier this week. I said it technically before you on a different show this week, but 2724 Colts is what I've had all week. But I think it's going to be a hard fought game. I think it's going to be a playoff
Starting point is 00:26:01 atmosphere, a playoff caliber game. But again, I think in my head, I say everything says Colts. So I'm hoping my head prevails over just the vibes and the superstition going into this. And I think this Colts team is ready for the moment, hopefully. Hopefully I think that they're ready for the moment. Yeah, this one, it feels suspicious, man. It feels to me almost like the Pittsburgh game where I had really no reason to feel like Pittsburgh should have been able to win. Their defense just like magically flipped the switch and like turn crazy and really over. I don't I don't really know that Kansas City has anything to do in that department
Starting point is 00:26:44 versus the Colts that the Colts shouldn't be prepared for. Where I kind of am going to hang my hat on is the fact that the Colts did just have their by week to settle down in those issues that have been plaguing the offense over those last couple games that they've got things figured out a little bit. And that doesn't mean you can't make mistakes. but don't like the rate at which they were turning the ball over the rate at which they were getting sacked like that's it's crazy like it was just night and day from what we'd been seeing earlier in the year so and they can get that stuff under control and at least keep it to a minimum
Starting point is 00:27:21 then they do match up really really well with Kansas City but like you said there's there's so much that the stuff you can't really the stuff you can't really describe like Kansas city is you know their backs are against the wall like it's kind of gopher broke their season is all but done if they lose here you go to five and six and an a fc that's been pretty competitive especially a fc west and you got to try and pray for a wild card spot after that it's tough it's patrick my home it's it's sandy read it's steve spagnolo they still have chris jones like george car loftis is is capable of really good things i have been a i've been a A Drew Trink will stand my entire, or for his entire career going back to Notre Dame.
Starting point is 00:28:09 Don't watch Chiefs defense field that if you're a Drew Trank will stand, Jake. Well, see, that's the thing, because we thought other linebacker crews were butt, and then they go out and play the Colts and make plays. So that's kind of what I'm afraid of, is the things that we think are vulnerable for the Chiefs become a strength on Sunday. Regardless, I'm going to come back to everything with the Colts winning. like I've said to you earlier in the week. I think 27 to 24 sounds about right.
Starting point is 00:28:38 I do think they're capable of winning by a couple scores, to be quite honest with you. But just the fact that this is the NFL and sometimes things happen that don't make sense, I think it'll be pretty close. We obviously know the chiefs are capable of winning this game. I just don't, the most obvious thing, and us following all the evidence does not say at all
Starting point is 00:29:00 that the chief should win. So I do still have the cultural. winning a narrow one, 27-24. Yeah, Colch just got to lean into play action early. Go heavy, heavy play action early. It doesn't have to be downfield shots either because Jones, again, has turned the ball over a little bit recently trying to force downfield shots. Have the intermediate and short game working off play action,
Starting point is 00:29:18 get those run-after-catch opportunities. And then once they get out of base, it's all Jonathan Taylor, baby, after that, you know. And then on defense, just run your man stuff, run your drop-eight stuff. Dare them to run the football. Like, they're not going to. So just dare them. all day long to run the ball, be out there and nickel and dime on first down, even. Like, dare the chiefs to run the football because they don't want to right now.
Starting point is 00:29:41 They're, like, they finish last game with what, like 50 passes to like 14 runs? Like, they don't want to run the ball. So dare them to drop, put three defensive linemen out there, go nickel and dime and just dare them to. So, yeah, I think that this Colts team is set up for success. It's just can they avoid the penalties? Can they avoid the turnovers? Can they avoid the self-inflicted wounds? because if they play a clean football game,
Starting point is 00:30:04 they should win this one. But before we get out of here, Jake, we like to do this on every show, and we're running a little late today. But any random predictions for this one? I think we're both here with, like, Tyler Warren's first 100-yard game, I think, is set up really well for this weekend,
Starting point is 00:30:18 just with where the chiefs are vulnerable. But do we have, like, some outside-the-box ones here for this one? Any big-man touchdowns or something like you've done in the past? No, because, like, I predicted the Tyler one, Tyler Warren one before and he had 99 yards when I said, a hundred yards um it's going to be something defensively it's i i've said i've called out lot to getting a pick before man going on the land saying lot to getting a pick he's like second on the team in interceptions jake that's not even like hot take no uh either of nick cross or can bindin him
Starting point is 00:30:52 will have two picks okay i dude i would take one pick in this game yeah any kind of turnover in this one And, you know, even though my prediction was 27, 24, I just want to put this out there so I can clip it if it happens. But I think this colds defense can hold the chiefs under 20 in this game. I know I mentioned that a little bit early, but they just have so many good ingredients there to shut down the chiefs. And this can be such a coming out game for this defense being like, hey, the rest of the way, we can be this top 10 defense because of the second day we're throwing out there. Because of the havoc we can create with our blitzes stacked on top of man coverage on the back end. And so, again, I don't know if it happens because Chiefs at home, they're not going to be penalized much. They're going to get their little chunk yards.
Starting point is 00:31:38 Like, it's what's going to happen. But I think they have a real opportunity to hold them under 20. Just want to see them stand tall in the red zone and get them off the field on third down. And I think it's a very real possibility they can hold this Chief's offense under 20 points, maybe even lower than that. Like, they just have everything that the Colts defense is built to do is what the chiefs, like, what the chiefs are good at and struggle. like it's it's basically a defense built to stop the chief's offense and i just want them to do it this weekend and play disciplined football i think it's very very possible bold prediction is they
Starting point is 00:32:12 just do absolutely crush them and it's like 34 to 13 or something like we're very cautious about saying that it can happen because it shouldn't because it's the chiefs but again if we're following the evidence i mean the colts have some advantages but yeah My one random prediction, though, because this has happened three times this year. Ashton Doolin has got a reverse run, and he's been tackled at the one yard line three times this year. We're going to finally call it here for this week that he falls forward instead of sideways this time and gets into the end zone. Because he's had three of those runs at the one yard line this year. He's trying to help Jonathan Taylor's MVP candidacy, but we need Doolin to get in the end zone on one of these reverse runs this weekend.
Starting point is 00:32:57 He's killing someone's fantasy team out there. probably that one first in irena or whatever back in the day who used always comments on all of our stuff but yeah that's all we have for today guys let us know your score predictions in the comments below and your overall feelings heading into this big game against the Kansas City Chiefs Colts have an opportunity to maintain momentum in the AFC South
Starting point is 00:33:20 as the two teams behind them appear to be closing in so the Colts a huge opportunity this Sunday to establish themselves still as this top team in the AFC thank you guys for making locked on and Colts your first listen today and every day. The NFL season's in full swing. So for your next listen, get a double dose of the Lockdown NFL podcast. Tyler, the Madman, rolling, gives you a shot of espresso to start your football day.
Starting point is 00:33:41 While Tony Wiggins takes you into the barbershop for the smoothest breakdowns to end the day. Find Lockdown NFL on YouTube or wherever you list of your podcast. You guys want to become a Lockdown Colts insider and chat. Let's direct link at that insider scoop. Follow the link in our show notes. And if you don't already, make sure you're following at Lockdown Colts at Jake Arthur, NFL and at Zach Hicks to all on socials. We're also on TikTok and Instagram.
Starting point is 00:34:00 so follow us over there. Also subscribe to us on YouTube where we list of your podcasts. We love your guys, ratings, reviews, and we'll catch you guys back here after the Colts win, hopefully win, on Sunday afternoon.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.