The misery continued in Sin City as the Las Vegas Raiders lost a heartbreaker to the Chicago Bears, putting them at 1-3. Likewise, the Colts stumbled against the Los Angeles Rams, losing for the first time this season. These teams square off this weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Most Week 5 bold predictions have the Colts blowing out the Raiders. Will that be the case? It's time to go over some Raiders-Colts bold predictions and see what might pan out.
Indianapolis is favored to win by 6.5 points, according to FanDuel. Much of that has to do with how they have performed through the first four games. Additionally, the Raiders have not exactly won many people over with their subpar performance to start the season. It has not been pretty in Las Vegas.
To analyze this Raiders-Colts matchup, it's essential to look at the key figures who have contributed. These three bold predictions for the Raiders-Colts showdown will discuss all the elements that could impact this Week 5 matchup in Indianapolis.
The Colts shut down Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty went off this past weekend, after struggling to start the season. Amazingly, he rushed 21 times for 138 yards and a touchdown while catching two passes for 17 yards and two more scores. It was an incredible game for the rookie first-round pick, as he finally arrived in the NFL after not being able to make a dent to start the season.
Jeanty has now rushed 68 times for 282 yards and two touchdowns while catching seven passes for 20 yards. While those are decent stats, it will be tougher this weekend. The Colts allowed just 96 rushing yards per game and have allowed just two rushing touchdowns. Ultimately, they are incredibly tough to run against, and the Raiders will find it challenging to maneuver.
Jeanty showed what he was capable of last weekend when he erupted against the Bears. But can he do it again? Until Jeanty can prove that he runs the ball consistently well, he might have a hard time convincing everyone.
Daniel Jones plays well
Daniel Jones played well through the first two games. First, he went 22 for 29 while throwing 272 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two scores against the Miami Dolphins. Then, he went 23 for 34 with 316 yards passing for one touchdown against the Denver Broncos. Jones did not put up gaudy numbers against the Tennessee Titans, going 18 for 25 with a modest 228 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 27. Then, he had his worst game of the season, going 24 for 33 with 262 yards and one touchdown and two interceptions.
But this week, he faces the Raiders. Currently, the Silver and Black are 23rd in the NFL in opposing passing yards per game. They contained Caleb Williams but still allowed him to do enough damage to hurt them. Likewise, they could not contain Marcus Mariota in Week 3. Jones has plenty of attributes that could make him dangerous. While the Raiders will focus on stopping Jonathan Taylor, it will allow Jones the chance to exploit any holes in the defense, either on the ground or through the air.
Jones may not be the best quarterback in the game. Yet, he is talented enough to exploit good matchups, and the Raiders certainly provide that.
Adonai Mitchell leads the Colts in yards and scores a touchdown
Adonai Mitchell made a ghastly mistake that likely cost the Colts the game last weekend. However, he still finished with three receptions for 96 yards. Had he not fumbled the football into the end zone, he would have been the hero, instead of the goat.
Mitchell has a golden chance to redeem himself this weekend. Last weekend, the Raiders allowed four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown to Rome Odunze. Before that, Terry McLaurin had three receptions for 74 yards while Luke McCaffrey added three catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. While the Raiders are not allowing receivers to destroy them completely, they are enabling big chunk plays that give receivers chances to make magic happen.
Mitchell has shown an ability to make big plays after the catch, and his performance on Sunday could be a sign of things to come. If Mitchell can put his mental error behind him, he has a great opportunity to deliver on exploitable matchups. Yes, the Colts still have Michael Pittman. But Mitchell provides the better target/catch ratio and can exploit some weaknesses in the secondary. Mitchell may have cost his team the game last weekend. But he can give his team a win this weekend with another big performance and actually getting into the end zone. It would be a wonderful storybook ending for the Colts and the young receiver.
