John’s Well-Educated Guesses: Patriots vs Colts

After a serious bounce-back week for the Pats, my predictions remain ice cold.  This is my bounce-back predictions blog.  Im mostly confident because I hate the Thursday night game with a passion and I am at my best when I am mostly fueled by hate.

I’ll keep this quick because the Colts coming to Gilette has been an automatic W since Peyton went to Denver.  Even when Andrew Luck was good, and not an injured shell of himself, we have worked them like 6 times in a row or something.  What was once a storied rivalry has now turned all Pats.

The aforementioned Luck is still a legit QB, and he has my respect.  I’m just not convinced he can beat us on the road.  His O-Line has stunk over the past few years.  I don’t know who his running backs are.  TY Hilton is hurt and confirmed not playing. 

Do you know anyone on the Colt’s D?  Yea me either. 

Prediction:  Let’s call this game the Jonah Gray game 2.0:  We were really getting after the run game against the Dolphins, and I expect that to be a feature of this offense more often than not.  Michel is hopefully rounding into form and I think he gets the rock over 20 times and goes over 100.  Hopefully his alarm clock goes off on Friday.

Prediction:  Gronk barely plays:  I think Gronk will be active but will barely play.  Maybe even a late scratch to force them to prepare for him.  If he does play, he will be just a distraction.  I think they want to keep him fresh, so he will not be part of the game plan and  will have less than 3 catches.  Let’s see if Dwayne Allen can be called out of the witness protection program.

Prediction:  Special teams is special:  I don’t have a way to really measure this, so will likely take credit no matter what.  But I’ll know it when I see it.  Expect special teams to be a difference maker.

Prediction:  Pats Win 38-24.  The Patriots extended preseason is over.  They have a banged up opponent, at home, on a short week.  I think there is a good chance the Colts roll right over.  Put them in for some garbage time points and I think we roll.