Horseshoe Huddle

3 Key Matchups to Watch For in Colts vs. Bengals Joint Practice

The Indianapolis Colts are traveling to Cincinnati for a joint practice before their final preseason game.

Sean Ackerman

Colts players, including Dallis Flowers (21) and Jaylon Jones (40) run drills during Indianapolis Colts minicamp practice Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.
Colts players, including Dallis Flowers (21) and Jaylon Jones (40) run drills during Indianapolis Colts minicamp practice Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. / Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Indianapolis Colts have one final preseason game against a familiar foe: the Cincinnati Bengals.

The two teams will practice against each other on Tuesday afternoon before taking part in a primetime matchup at Paycor Stadium on Thursday night.

Both teams have a roster full of talent, so let's take a look at the three best matchups taking place this week.

1. Jaylon Jones vs. Tee Higgins

Jaylon Jones will have the opportunity to sharpen his skills against an elite receiver in Tee Higgins to close out the offseason.

The Bengals' true WR1, Ja'Marr Chase, is sitting out of training camp practices as he awaits a contract extension from the team. Higgins does have WR1 talent, so Jones will still have plenty of work on his hands.

In a strong rookie campaign, Jones allowed only three completions for 29 yards when facing the Bengals in a 14-34 road loss last season. This year, Jones is fighting for an open CB1 job in Indy and could secure it if he shows out this week.

Standing at 6-foot-2, Jones has the height and length to go toe to toe with the 6-foot-4 Higgins. Good reps should come from these two as they ramp up intensity heading into the regular season.

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2. Laiatu Latu vs. Orlando Brown Jr.

The Colts' first-round pick will have a lot on his hands going against seasoned veteran Orlando Brown Jr.

Laiatu Latu has dominated the practice field over the last few weeks, recording several sacks and big-time plays in the backfield. The 15th overall pick out of UCLA was one of the best college pass rushers and recorded double-digit sacks in his last two years at the NCAA level.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Brown Jr. is coming off the worst season of his career. This week's matchup should give the Bengals a good look at where he stands against the best young talent in the league.

On top of facing a veteran tackle, Latu has the opportunity to chase down Joe Burrow, who's one of the league's best quarterbacks. It'll be good experience for the rookie to have under his belt before taking on the Houston Texans and their Pro Bowl tackle Laremy Tunsil.

3. Anthony Richardson vs. Bengals Secondary

The final and most obvious matchup to watch for this week is second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson against a veteran Bengals secondary.

Richardson did not play against the Arizona Cardinals in last weekend's preseason game, but current speculation is that he will take the field in the first half of this week's contest. The Bengals have a much stronger secondary than the Cardinals, so it's probably better for Richardson to get tougher reps while he can before September.

More reps against a different defense can only help Richardson's game as he faces off against returning veterans in cornerback Mike Hilton and safety Vonn Bell. Cincinnati's secondary was torn apart in the team's last preseason game against the Chicago Bears, so this week's matchup could be fun to watch (if you're a Colts fan).

This week's practice and game should give the Colts front office a final idea of the direction they're headed in entering the regular season. More likely than not, this week will be the final decider for who makes the final 53-man roster.

The final preseason game for the Colts will kick off Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern on Prime Video.

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Sean Ackerman

SEAN ACKERMAN

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