Lions at Colts
The Indianapolis Colts took a step back in 2015 as quarterback Andrew Luck battled some inconsistency before ending his season with a serious injury, yet they were still in the race for a playoff spot down the stretch. Luck and the Colts will try to kick off the 2016 campaign on a high note when they host the Detroit Lions in the season opener on Sunday.
After Luck missed a total of nine games last season due to a shoulder injury and a lacerated kidney, Indianapolis made upgrading the offensive line to protect the quarterback a priority in the offseason, including drafting center Ryan Kelly in the first round. “I think the center/quarterback relationship is so special,” Kelly told the team's website, “and it kind of drives an offense. Those guys do really work hand-in-hand, every single day, to get the offense on the same page and be successful." The Lions had their own issues on offense last season while finishing last in the NFL in rushing average (83.4 yards), and no longer have wide receiver Calvin Johnson around to spread out the defense. The star receiver decided to retire in the offseason rather than put his body through the strain of another campaign.
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Colts -3.5. O/U: 51.5
ABOUT THE LIONS (2015: 7-9): Detroit will expand running back Ameer Abdullah's role in an effort to boost the rushing attack but don't expect to move too far away from the passing game. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrown for over 4,000 yards in each of the last five seasons and posted the best completion percentage of his career (67.2) in 2015. "We have weapons,” Detroit coach Jim Caldwell told reporters. “We’ve got guys we can throw the ball to. We’ve got a quarterback that’s been around and played. There are a lot of things that I like about our entire team."
ABOUT THE COLTS (2015: 8-8): While Luck is healthy and ready to lead the offense, the Indianapolis defense is coming into the season at less than 100 percent. The Colts secondary could be without a few starters on Sunday but defensive end Kendall Langford, who missed most of camp after undergoing knee surgery, is expected to play. "We’ll ease him back in," Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano told reporters of Langford. "He’s an iron man. He’s a tough, tough guy. If I were betting on anybody, I’d bet on him."
EXTRA POINTS
1. Colts DL Arthur Jones will serve the first of his four-game suspension for violating the league's PED policy.
2. Detroit WR Golden Tate (ankle) was limited in practice.
3. Indianapolis DT Henry Anderson (knee) and CB Vontae Davis (ankle) are not expected to play while CB Darius Butler and S Clayton Geathers are questionable.