Lions at Colts: Preview and prediction

It’s a late afternoon start for the Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, wrapping up Sunday’s NFC North/AFC South four-game tournament. But has the league saved the best for last?

After a forgettable 1-7 start and changes on the coaching staff, Jim Caldwell’s club won six of its final eight games — with one of those losses coming via Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ and tight end Richard Rodgers’ successful Hail Mary in December at Ford Field.

What makes this matchup so intriguing is that one of the Colts’ biggest weaknesses is also one of the Lions’ greatest shortcomings. Indianapolis had its issues stopping the run in 2015, but no team in the league ran for fewer yards than Detroit a year ago. Can second-year running back Ameer Abdullah be a bigger factor this fall?

The Lions’ secondary figures to have its hands full with a trio of potent wide receivers in T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief, and Phillip Dorsett.

But can running back Frank Gore give quarterback Andrew Luck a little support? Yes, the talented passer is back after missing nine games in 2015, but so are a number of the team’s issues that have plagued them in recent seasons.

The Indianapolis defense remains highly suspect and the offensive line still has some question marks — although the team addressed this area heavily in the draft back in April (see center Ryan Kelly). Look for Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah to make more than one appearance in the Indianapolis backfield.

Unfortunately, courtesy of Detroit’s pass rush, you can count on the fifth-year signal-caller putting the ball on the turf (or into a defender’s hands) at least once or twice. The second miscue will ultimately prove to be fatal for the home team and Caldwell leaves Indianapolis with a bit of a grin.

Pick: Detroit 24, Indianapolis 23