Colts vs. Buccaneers Week 12 preview

The Indianapolis Colts will be looking to make a playoff push coming off their Week 11 bye. And it all begins with their Week 12 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Weather: The forecast for kickoff at 1 p.m. EST in Indianapolis, Indiana, is set to be 40°. Rain is expected throughout Sunday, likely leading […]

Destin Adams NFL News Writer
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Colts Vs. Buccaneers Week 12 preview

The Indianapolis Colts will be looking to make a playoff push coming off their Week 11 bye.

And it all begins with their Week 12 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Weather:

The forecast for kickoff at 1 p.m. EST in Indianapolis, Indiana, is set to be 40°. Rain is expected throughout Sunday, likely leading to the roof and widow at Lucas Oil Stadium being closed. 

Vegas Spreads:

Draft Kings: Colts -2.5
FanDuel: Colts -2.5
Caesars: Colts -2.5
BetMGM: Colts -2.5
PointsBet: Colts -3

Buccaneers:

The Buccaneers are 4-6 entering Week 12 and coming off a 27-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11. They currently are 3rd in the NFC South but are only a game behind the New Orleans Saints, who are 5-5 and in 1st place. The Buccaneers came in at 21st on A to Z Sports' Week 12 Power Rankings. According to Pro Football Focus, the Buccaneers have graded out as the 19th-best offense and the 31st-best defense in the NFL this season.  

Colts:

The Colts enter Week 12 at 5-5 on the year and are coming off their Week 11 bye. They currently are 3rd in the AFC South, two games behind the Jacksonville Jaguars at 7-5 (Jaguars hold the tiebreaker over the Colts) and one game behind the Houston Texans (Colts currently hold the tiebreaker over the Texans). The Colts came in at 17th on A to Z Sports' Week 12 Power Rankings. According to Pro Football Focus, the Colts have graded out as the 25th-best offense and the 19th-best defense in the NFL this season.

Opponent Player Spotlight of the Week:

Nov 12, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (13) celebrates after a reception in the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Raymond James Stadium.
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Evans

The Colts will have the tough task of corraling Buccaneers WR Mike Evans this week. Evans has 780 yards on the year, which is the 11th most in the NFL, and has found the endzone seven times, the 3rd most in the NFL. An element of Evans game that the Colts must focus on is his big play ability. He is 6th in the NFL with 14 plays of 20 yards or more this season and is 3rd in the NFL with four plays of 40 yards or more. Evans is one of the most reliable and consistent players in the entire NFL. He has went for over 1000 yards in all of his previous nine seasons and is currently on pace to finish this season with 1,326 yards. 

Colts Player Spotlight of the Week:

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) leaves the field Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, during a game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jaylon Jones

With the Colts down starting CB Juju Brents again this week, rookie Jaylon Jones will be asked to be the teams top boundary corner. Which means he will likely line up over Mike Evans often. Evans has led the Buccaneers in targets in both of their last two games with 12 in Week 11, and 10 In Week 10. The most redceptions Jones has allowed in a game this season is four, and the most he's ever been targeted in a game is six times. With a dynamic WR duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Jones will arguably face his toughest tasks of the year. The Colts 2023 7th round pick will look to continue his impressive rookie season where the most yards he's personally been credited with allowing in a game this season is 31.