3 Matchups to watch Week 1: Colts vs. Jaguars
Two teams with two very different national expectations will go head to head Sunday. The Indianapolis Colts will host the defending AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars. Ahead of the Colts 2023 season opener, it's time to take a look at the three biggest matchups to watch for Sunday. 3 Colts vs. Jaguars Matchups to watch: […]
Two teams with two very different national expectations will go head to head Sunday.
The Indianapolis Colts will host the defending AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars.
Ahead of the Colts 2023 season opener, it's time to take a look at the three biggest matchups to watch for Sunday.
3 Colts vs. Jaguars Matchups to watch:
Shane Steichen vs. Doug Pederson
1st-year head coach Shane Steichen will make his NFL regular season head coaching debut this Sunday. And he gets to go head-to-head with one of the most respected offensive-minded head coaches in the NFL, Doug Pederson.
Pederson is a NFL champion head coach with Steichen's former team, the Philadelphia Eagles. He is coming off his first season with the Jaguars, where he took them from 4th to 1st in the AFC South in 1 season. As well as being a significant contributor in Trevor Lawerence's massive 2nd-year jump.
Steichen's ability to run a team and the offense will be on full display this week, and we will have the opportunity to compare him to Pederson, who will attempt to pick up where he left off last season.
Josh Allen vs. Bernhard Raimann
Colts left tackle Bernhard Raimann is going into his first full season as a starter in the NFL. And his first matchup of the season won’t be an easy one. As he will likely be matchuped with the last season’s Jaguars sack leader, Josh Allen. A player whom Colts head coach Shane Steichen mentioned specifically to the media when discussing the Jaguars defense.
The last matchup between the two was only Raimann's 2nd start in the NFL, where he and the team's offensive line was coming off a disastrous debut against the Denver Broncos. Raimann and the rest of the Colts line responded well, though as they allowed 0 sacks on the day against the Jaguars in Week 6.
The Colts young secondary vs. the Jaguars dynamic WR duo
The Colts secondary has been a major question surrounding the team's roster all off-season. As GM Chris Ballard was elected at the end of last season to go young at the position. And now the team will have two new starters on the outside with Darrell Baker Jr. and Dallis Flowers, paired with veteran Kenny Moore II in the slot. Their two primary depth corners will be even less experienced as they are expected to be rookies Julius Brents and Jaylon Jones.
Their first matchup as a group will be a tall task as they will take on one of the best WR duos in the entire NFL in Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk. Kirk debuted with the Jaguars last year and made his mark against the Indianapolis Colts last season. In his two games, he put up a total of 102 yards and three touchdowns.
This year, Kirk will be joined by Calvin Ridley, who will debut with the Jaguars this Sunday, and Colts head coach Shane Steichen is aware of the type of player they will be facing during Week 1. As Jake Arthur of Horseshoe Huddle shared that, Steichen had high praise to say about Ridley.
Recent 1st round rookie QB debuts ahead of Indianapolis Colts Anthony Richardson’s
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Featured Image By: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
