Starting inside linebacker Gary Brackett will miss this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury. Look for Rob Morris and rookie Freddie Keiaho to split the snaps in the middle.

The Buffalo Bills will try to win their second game in a row after defeating the Packers 24-10 last week. The Colts look to stay undefeated this season and take care of business at home on Sunday.

The Buffalo Bills to have one thing going for them this Sunday…..the Colts run defense! The Colts have allowed 165.4 yards rushing per game this season and 5.3 yards per carry. Look for the Bills to run the ball every play if they have to. The A-Train (Anthony Thomas) is getting the start at tailback and he’s the kind of bruiser that gives the Colts headaches. The Colts will probably go all out to stop Thomas and dare Losman to try to beat them with his arm. If the Bills give Losman time (he’s been sacked 26 times this season) he should be able to get the ball downfield against the Colts pass defense.

The Colts will probably come out running the ball with Joe Addai (490 yards rushing) and Dominic Rhodes (312 yards rushing) to eat some clock and keep the Bills offense off of the field. After the Colts establish the running game, look for Peyton Manning to kill them with play-action passes to Marvin Harrison (52 rec, 698 yards) and Reggie Wayne (44 rec, 732 yards). Manning also has been throwing to his tight-ends (Dallas Clark & Ben Utecht) often, so the Bills’ rookie safeties (Donte’ Whitner and Ko Simpson) will be tested early & often.

This should be a game where the Colts can breathe easy and coast to a victory.

Peyton Manning has been fantastic so far this season. A lot of pressure has been put on Manning and the offense because the defense is really stinking it up. Manning has completed 65.1% of his passes for 2,291 yards with 17 TDs and 3 INTs. Manning has a QB rating of 106.0. Peyton has only been sacked 10 times this season as his line has done a good job of keeping him clean and allowing him to do his thing. Manning has also scored two TDs rushing the ball this season.

The Colts defense picked off 4 Tom Brady passes and the offense put enough points on the board to win the game. Peyton Manning completed 20 of 36 passes for 326 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT. Joseph Addai had a hard time with 18 carries for 43 yards (2.4 ypc) and a TD. Dominic Rhodes carried the ball 4 times for 13 yards (3.3 ypc). Marvin Harrison had a huge game with 8 catches for 145 yards and 2 TDs. Reggie Wayne pitched in with 6 catches for 90 yards. Ben Utecht caught 4 passes for 49 yards and they all seemed like big ones.

S Bob Sanders had 11 tackles and an interception. Rookie S Antoine Bethea had a huge game with 9 tackles and an interception. LB Cato June had 9 tackles and 2 INTs. The Colts had a rough time with the Patriots running game. The Patriots carried the ball 33 times for 148 yards (4.5 ypc). The Patriots completed 20 of 35 passes for 201 net yards passing.

This was a huge win that gives the Colts the inside track on home-field advantage in the playoffs for the Colts.

This could be a battle for home field advantage in the playoffs in the AFC. The Colts are 7-0 and the Patriots are 6-1, and both have a solid lead in their division. This game has alot of sub-plots as Peyton Manning is only 1-7 in his career at Gillette Field (that win came last season) and Adam Vinatieri returns to Foxboro in a different uniform after helping the Pats win 3 Super Bowls.

The Colts will probably try to miss up the run and pass to keep the Patriots off-balance and keep their own defense (which is absolutely pathetic) off of the field. Rookie RB Joseph Addai (447 yards rushing, 5.1 ypc) is emerging as the Colts #1 RB, but he’ll find every yard tough against a Patriots defense that allows only 78.3 yards rushing and 3.4 yards per carry. Peyton Manning (1,965 yards passing, 15 TDs) will have to be careful against a Patriots secondary that has already picked off 8 passes this season. Look for Manning to try to spread the ball around and keep the defense on their toes.Â

The Patriots no doubt will be able to do whatever they want against a Colts defense that can’t stop the run or the pass. Look for the Patriots to run the ball alot, to limit the time Manning has the football.  The Colts allow 167.9 yards rushing per game and 5.4 yards per carry! Rookie Laurence Maroney (395 yards rushing) and Corey Dillon (333 yards rushing) will have a field day running the ball against the Colts. The Colts pass defense allows opponents to complete 65.8% of their passes and have allowed 10 TD passes already. Tom Brady (1,598 yards passing, 14 TDs) will spread the ball around to alot of receivers (he completed the ball to 10 different receivers on Monday Night!) and keep the Colts defense off-balance.

I like the Patriots to win this game. The Colts haven’t played a team as good as the Patriots this season and Belichick will out-coach Tony Dungy again.