Indianapolis offense vs. Philadelphia defense

	COLTS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	19
	Pass	1
	Tot. Yds.	4
	Scoring	3
	Int's allowed	10
	Sacks allowed	7
	EAGLES DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	26
	vs. Pass	18
	Total yds. allowed	25
	# of Ints.	17
	# of Sacks	23
	Turnover differential	-5

Personnel directors around the league are green with envy -- each week they watch Peyton Manning as he continues to develop into one of the best quarterbacks in football. For a second year QB, Manning shows incredible poise in the pocket. Manning progresses through his reads with an almost computer-like precision and is not afraid to stand in the pocket and absorb punishment to deliver the football. This week against the Eagles, expect Manning to have a big day against a defense that does several things well, but can't seem to put everything together in the same game.

The Colts should be able to run the football with rookie RB Edgerrin James, particularly between the tackles, where Indianapolis should be able to overwhelm an undersized Philadelphia defensive line. LOT Tarik Glenn should have a good day against Philadelphia RDE Mike Mamula. Glenn should dominate Mamula at the point of attack, and has the feet to contain the speed rushing Mamula in passing situations, although Mamula did have a good game against the Redskins last Sunday. Expect the Colts to try and set up the run with the pass, as it will be difficult for Philadelphia to put pressure on Manning without sending the safeties in blitz packages.

The Colts are a team against which the Eagles will have a very difficult time matching up on defense. Indianapolis has speed at the WR position with Marvin Harrison, a solid offensive line, and an effective running game.

The Eagles and defensive coordinator Jim Johnson will have to decide whether to put pressure on Manning or protect against the deep ball to Harrison. Last week, the Redskins' Michael Westbrook repeatedly burned this secondary deep. If the team cannot get pressure on Manning, he will have a big day.

FS Brian Dawkins is emerging as one of the top big-play safeties in football, however, he will be limited in how much blitzing he can do, because SS Tim Hauck has struggled to meet his assignments throughout the season in pass coverage situations. One missed assignment by Hauck, and Harrison will be in the end zone. Harrison has soundly beaten the best cover corners in the NFL week in and week out, so expect Eagles' RDC Troy Vincent to get some help from his safeties. Vincent is having an outstanding season, but has been hampered of late with a bad groin pull, and could struggle against Harrison in single coverage.

The Eagles have to hope that they can get pressure on Manning with the front four and one or two linebackers. Why the Eagles, a team with an overabundance of talented linebackers, have not switched to a 3-4 scheme to put more pressure on opposing QB's is a mystery.

LOT Tra Thomas will have his work cut out for him this week against Indianapolis RDE Chad Bratzke. Thomas, a second year player, struggled early in the season, but has shown steady improvement as the season has progressed. He has a tough assignment this week in Bratzke, who has been terrorizing opposing tackles so far this season and is tied for third in the NFL with seven sacks. In passing situations, Thomas will get help, either from a tight end or from FB Kevin Turner. This lessens the amount of weapons from which McNabb has to choose, but it should allow him a little more time to throw the football.

McNabb didn't have great numbers last weekend, but showed poise beyond his years. McNabb scrambled when he had to and didn't make any critical mistakes. The Eagles, if they want to keep this one close, need to establish the run. RB Duce Staley had a big game against the Redskins last week, and needs to continue his great season, both to keep the pressure off McNabb and to keep the Colts offense off the field. McNabb should look for TE Luther Broughton in third down situations, as Broughton has the size and speed to get behind the Colts defense, and Indianapolis LOLB Cornelius Bennett's cover skills are deteriorating.

Luckily for the Colts, the weak part of their defense -- its pass coverage (318 yards per game) -- is going against an offense that averages a mere 127 yards per game through the air. The Colts need to key on Philadelphia RB Staley, as he accounts for over 50% of the Eagles' offense.

Look for the Colts to show McNabb multiple blitz packages, in an attempt to make the rookie force the ball into coverage. McNabb hurt the Redskins with his scrambling ability, so the Colts should assign a spy, most likely MLB Michael Barber, to prevent McNabb from beating them on the ground.

Because the Eagles are a totally inept passing team, the Colts will load-up against RB Staley, play single coverage on the outside, and force McNabb to beat them through the air. Indianapolis' corners, Tyrone Poole and Jeff Burris, are good enough cover guys to neutralize the poor Philadelphia receiving corps, which should free-up defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to take more risks with his safeties and linebackers. Poole and Burris like to gamble, and fortunately for them, the Eagles do not have a receiver on the team that can beat them vertically.