Patriots Could Catch Major Break Against Colts

The New England Patriots could catch a major break in Week 13 action against the Indianapolis Colts.

Nov 3, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (1) catches a pass against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are set to play host to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13 NFL action.

While the two teams are not the same type of rivals that they were when Tom Brady and Peyton Manning played, there is still a rivalry in place.

Coming into this week's game, the Patriots hold a 3-9 record. The Colts, on the other hand, are 5-7. Both teams would love to pick up a win, although Indianapolis needs it much worse as they look to compete for a spot in the playoffs.

New England is headed towards having a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. If the season were end today, the Patriots would hold the No. 4 overall pick.

All of that being said, New England could end up catching a major break this week against the Colts. It sounds like of the top playmakers for Indianapolis could end up missing the game.

According to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport, wide receiver Josh Downs is considered a long shot to play for the Colts this week.

#Colts WR Josh Downs, who left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury, is considered week-to-week and is a long-shot to play on Sunday against the #Patriots, source said. But the belief is he did not suffer a major injury.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 25, 2024

Downs has been one of the top players for Indianapolis this season. He is one of the only dynamic playmakers that the Colts have on the offensive side of the football.

So far this season, Downs has played in 10 games. He has caught 53 passes for 594 yards and four touchdowns.

At just 23 years old, he has given Indianapolis a long-term playmaker option. He still has a lot of room to grow and continue improving as a player.

If he is unable to play as expected, the Patriots' defense will have a much easier job ahead of them. They'll still need to contain Anthony Richardson and avoid giving up big plays, but not having to game plan against Downs will help towards that goal.

All of that being said, it's expected that Downs won't play. As more updates become available on the situation, there will be more clarity on a final game designation.

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