Luck returning to form for Colts
QB continues to improve after shoulder surgery
It was an eventful bye week for the Raiders (1-5), who appear to be looking ahead to the 2019 season. But there are still 10 games left, starting with a home matchup Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts are coming off a 37-5 victory over the Buffalo Bills to improve to 2-5.
The last time the Raiders were on the field, they were embarrassed in London, a 27-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and Amari Cooper was their No. 1 wide receiver. Cooper now plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
Here are five things you need to know about the Raiders’ Week 8 opponent:
Same old Luck
When Andrew Luck was pulled to have backup QB Jacoby Brissett attempt a Hail Mary throw against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3, many had concerns that Luck had lost his arm strength. The Colts were just playing it safe. The training wheels are now off, and Luck is back to the form he showed before his shoulder surgery. He leads the league in pass attempts with 311 and is second with 20 touchdown passes. He is the catalyst for an offense that is averaging 27 points. Luck could have a monster outing against the Raiders’ poor pass defense.
T.Y. connection
Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton returned last week after missing two games because of injury. Hilton’s presence gave the team a boost, and he found the end zone twice against the Bills. Hilton creates opportunities for Ryan Grant and tight end Eric Ebron. Hilton’s top-level speed also contributes in the running game on play-action calls.
Rushing help
The Colts had one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL before finally breaking out in Week 7. The team recorded 220 rushing yards with Marlon Mack leading the way with 126 yards on 19 carries. Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins also contributed to the running game. The Raiders give up an average of 131.8 rushing yards, sixth worst in the league.
Standout rookie
Indianapolis drafted left guard Quenton Nelson sixth overall, but it’s the second-round pick that’s turning heads this season. Linebacker Darius Leonard is in contention for Defensive Rookie of the Year. He leads the NFL in combined tackles with 79. The South Carolina State product was unknown heading into the draft. He’s now arguably the Colts’ best defensive player.
Second choice
Looks like Josh McDaniels did the Colts a favor by backing out of his commitment to coach the Colts. First-year coach Frank Reich has received plenty of praise for guiding the Colts in the right direction. They won’t sniff the postseason this year, but there’s finally excitement, and with a healthy Luck it’s the opposite of what’s going on with Derek Carr and the Raiders.
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal. com. Follow @Gmanzano24 on Twitter.