Game by game predictions: Week 2 @ Indianapolis Colts

Record after week 1: 1-0

All-time record against: 46-25


Big time matchup here for the Miami Dolphins, and, more specifically, Ryan Tannehill. These two teams gave us a dandy of a game last season, with Andrew Luck out-dueling Ryan Tannehill en route to a 23-20 Colts win.  You can't sit there and tell me that Tannehill doesn't have this one circled on the schedule, and I expect him to play with a chip on his shoulder.

Does this mean I think the Fins win this game?

Well, not exactly.

To be honest, this one is a coin flip to me.  The Colts haven't changed that much, if at all, since the meeting a year ago, while the Fins have no doubt become a better football team, on both sides of the ball.  Defense will be the key here, as it was Miami's achilles heel, and Andrew Luck's best friend, during this game last season.  If you remember, Luck set a rookie record for passing yards in a game (433), and converted an inhumane amount of third downs against Miami a year ago, and was the difference in the game. The Dolphin secondary CANNOT let anything even close to this happen again, or we'll be in a same sh**, different day situation.

Luckily, I don't see this happening.  Right now I feel confident that this new look Fins defense will handle Luck MUCH better, and it all starts with Brent Grimes.  The former Pro Bowler, as I've said many times before, looks primed for a HUGE year, and will match up well with Indianapolis receivers, who won't tower over the 5'10 Grimes. Between Grimes, Reshad Jones, Cameron Wake, and Dannell Ellerbe, this new look unit should pose a much bigger problem for Luck than the 2012 unit did.

Offensively, I expect Miami to shine against a defense that overall ranked 26th a year ago.  Let me put it to you like this- If Ryan Tannehill can go 22-38, for 290 yards and a TD against this defense with last year's offense, just imagine what he can do with the additions of Mike Wallace and Brandon Gibson.

Another player to watch here is Lamar Miller.  The Colts run defense?  FOURTH worst last season, giving up an average YPC of 5.1, and an average of 137 YPG.  Yikes. Between Tannehill, Wallace, and Miller, this offense should have no problem putting up points in this game.

Okay, now to my prediction.  I know there are a lot of people out there buying into the Colts this season, and for good reason, but I think Luck and company are in for a down year.  There success last season sort of mirrored the 2008 Miami Dolphins success, in that everything went just right all year long.  I'm not taking anything away from Andrew Luck, but lets be honest, a lot of Indy's wins last season were built around the star QB's last name (see what I did there?), and I just don't see that happening again.

Big time win for the Miami Dolphins here, especially with their upcoming schedule.

Final:  Miami 27 Indianpolis 23