Indianapolis Colts host Cleveland Browns in Week 7 – NFL Preview
It will be the contest between two first-round picks of this year’s draft as Indianapolis Colts face Cleveland Browns in Week 7 on Sunday, October 21, 2012, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN.
Even though both teams have struggled this year, having a talented quarterback could turn their fortunes any time.
Browns got their first win of the season last week after beating Cincinnati Bengals 34-24. Quarterback Brandon Weeden was finally able to tunnel all his energy towards giving good performance.
The win comes at a time when Browns are going through a transition in power. They now have a new owner Jimmy Haslam, who has shown commitment to take the team to new heights.
It was Browns’ first win after a record-tying 11-game losing stretch. Weeden finished Week 6 game with 231 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, the first overall pick of this year’s draft, showed his true class after giving a stunning performance against Green Bay Packers in Week 5.
However, Luck’s inconsistency was visible again last week in Colts’ miserable 9-35 loss against New York Jets in which the quarterback failed to score a touchdown and was intercepted twice. Talking about his performance, Luck said:
"I think it's imperative to be critical of yourself to realize when the blame is on you and figure out why I made the mistake and how I can avoid doing it next time, how can I rectify it. It's learning how to be consistent, and that's something I've struggled
with.”
Colts defensive team have shown good performance in pass defence. The team has allowed an average of just 200.0 passing yards per game this season which is third-least in the league.
However, their rushing defence has struggled massively, giving away an average of 159 rushing yards per game. This has greatly affected their overall defensive performance. Colts interim coach Bruce Arians said:
"We're going to have to stop the run. Once you get blood in the water, everybody is (going to try to capitalize) -- whether it's a blitz on defence that the offense doesn't pick up, you're going to see it over and over until you put the fire out."
Browns will likely have their rookie running back Trent Richardson back in the team. Richardson got an injury on his rib cartilage during last week’s game, but is hopeful to play this Sunday.
This game will also mark return of Colts linebacker Robert Mathis. The Pro Bowler missed Week 6 due to an injury on his knee. His presence in the defensive backfield will help Colts stop the Browns’ running game.
The last time these two teams faced each other was in September 2011. Browns won that game 27-19.
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