Colts looking to end 7-game skid vs. Patriots on road tonight
Keenum not among QBs on TD tear
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Beginning in the early 2000s and lasting for more than a decade, the matchups between Peyton Manning’s Colts and Tom Brady’s Patriots were must-watch matchups.
From their three AFC championship games, to the six regularseason MVP awards Brady and Manning captured during that span, quarterback play was the centerpiece of the rivalry.
Manning’s departure from Colts and Andrew Luck’s arrival in 2012 ushered in a new era in Indianapolis. But in five starts against New England, Luck is 0-5.
He is hoping to change his fortunes tonight as his comeback tour continues in New England.
“Certainly (in) my experience, we have come up on the short end and that’s not fun,” he said. “Obviously, we would like to turn that around. We would like to flip the story in a sense.”
But on a team that has had a significant change in the roster over the past two seasons, the rivalry hasn’t been exactly the hottest topic around the locker room. Perhaps that’s because Indy has lost seven straight games in the series.
Things heated up again in February when Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels reneged on his verbal agreement with Colts general manager Chris Ballard to become Indianapolis’ head coach.
“The rivalry is back on,” Ballard said as he left a news conference to announce a new search had begun.
But the Colts (1-3) have started slowly since Luck returned to action after more than a year away following shoulder surgery.
The Patriots (2-2) also had a modest start to the season, but may be turning a corner coming off a dominating 38-7 win over the Miami Dolphins .
Today is expected to mark receiver Julian Edelman’s season debut after he served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers.
BRONCOS: QB are lighting it up at a record pace this season with 228 TD throws in the first month of the season. But Case Keenum hasn’t joined the party.
Denver’s new quarterback has just three touchdown passes — none since the opener against Seattle — and his six interceptions are one shy of the total he had last season in Minnesota.
Keenum is the first Broncos QB since John Elway in 1986 to go three consecutive games with 20 throws and zero touchdowns.
“Is it a concern? Not really,” coach Vance Joseph said Wednesday. “Our concern is winning football games. … But Case is going to get better and better with time. We’re figuring out who we are as an offense.”
MCCOY: LeSean McCoy’s exgirlfriend says in a new court filing that the running back physically abused her and orchestrated a home invasion that left her beaten and bloodied.
Delicia Cordon on Tuesday filed an amended lawsuit against McCoy alleging physical abuse during their nearly two-year relationship. She also accuses him of arranging a July 10 attack at a home McCoy owns in Milton, just outside Atlanta, where Cordon lived. The armed intruder demanded specific pieces of jewelry McCoy had given Cordon and repeatedly asked her to return, the lawsuit said.
The amended lawsuit seeks more than $50 million in damages.
McCoy has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence.
RAMS: The team signed kicker Cairo Santos this week instead of rushing All-Pro Greg Zuerlein back from a groin injury.
FALCONS: The team expects to have running back Devonta Freeman return for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh after missing three games with a sore right knee.
Coach Dan Quinn said Freeman, the team’s leading rusher, would have full clearance “without any setbacks.”
BILLS: Jordan Phillips might have an opportunity get revenge on the Dolphins later this season.
Phillips, the defensive tackle Miami waived Tuesday, was claimed by Buffalo on Wednesday, and if he’s still a member of Miami’s AFC East rival in December he’ll have two shots at beating his former team in December.
RAIDERS: Oakland placed right offensive tackle Donald Penn on injured reserve with a groin injury Wednesday.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Penn was injured in Sunday’s 45-42 overtime win against Cleveland. Penn limped off the field, returned briefly for a handful of plays then went to the sideline for good.
JETS: New York wide receiver Robby Anderson will not be suspended by the NFL for two arrests in an eight-month span.
The league says Wednesday it completed its investigation into the incidents and the matter has been addressed, and no suspension is being issued.