Game Preview: New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts (Thu – 8:20 ET)
This game looked like a snoozer on the primetime schedule until backup QB Mike White stepped up and gave the Jets a shot in the arm last week. After being drafted by the Cowboys in 2018, White had only preseason experience until Zach Wilson went down with a knee injury against the Patriots. White started his first game last week against a strong Cincinnati Bengals team, and it's an understatement to say "he made the most of his opportunity." With good decision-making and accurate underneath passing, White became the first Jets QB to throw for 400 yards since Vinny Testaverde on Christmas Eve, 2000, and the first QB ever to throw for 400 yards and 3 TDs in their debut. One lucky Jets fan who attended the game actually won $125k for betting on White to have the most passing yards of any quarterback in Week 8, putting $1,000 down on the 125:1 long shot. Another critical piece to the Jets' win last week was the play of rookie RB Michael Carter who compiled 172 all-purpose yards and led all RBs in Week 8 Fantasy scoring.
After going 11-5 last season and making the playoffs, the Colts have already compiled five losses this season after their heartbreaker in overtime against the Titans last week. This week they will look to get back on track against a Jets team that has looked incompetent at times this season. RB Jonathan Taylor and WR Michael Pittman Jr. continue to be reliable playmakers for QB Carson Wentz. However, with TY Hilton continuing to be sidelined, the Colts' offense lacks the ability to stretch the field. On defense, the Colts are middle of the pack, ranking 15th in the league in both rushing and passing yards allowed. While their defensive line showed up last week and kept Derrick Henry to 68 yards rushing (though he may have been injured), they need to do a better job of pressuring opposing quarterbacks, as they are dead last in pressure rate in the NFL. If they can get to Mike White, they will probably be able to expose his inexperience and get back in the W column, but as the Jets recently proved, they can play with the best teams in the NFL on the right week.
Spread: Colts favored by 10.5 points.
Over/under: 46.5
Preview Question: The Colts finished 11-5 and made the playoffs last season, but this year they have gotten off to a 3-5 start. One of the reasons is they have had trouble pressuring opposing quarterbacks. Which of their players will record at least a half-sack in this game?
Despite their 6.2% sack rate (12th best in the NFL), the Colts are last in pressure percentage at 15.2%. Pressure % is calculated as the percentage of passing plays in which a defense compiles a sack, hurry, or QB knockdown. Of course, getting the sack means the opponent will lose yards, but pressuring the QB can cause a bunch of other impactful plays like interceptions, as well as making a QB generally uncomfortable in the pocket. The Jets have given up the 3rd most sacks per game (3.1), but many of those were due to rookie QB Zach Wilson holding on to the ball, whereas Mike White gets rid of the ball much faster.
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