Raiders try to stop early downward spiral against Colts

It is not hyperbole to say that the Las Vegas Raiders’ season is on the line already.

On Sunday, the Raiders hope to bring an end to their three-game losing streak when they take on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Colts have been the early surprise of the NFL season, starting off with a 3-1 record at the end of September. With the team suddenly having playoff aspirations, they will be hoping to keep some momentum at the expense of the reeling Raiders.

Here are three things to keep in mind heading into a matchup where the Raiders can play spoiler.

Reversal of fortunes

Many believed the quarterback situations for the Raiders and Colts would have turned out much differently than it has.

The Colts’ shocking turnaround has been spearheaded by the play of Daniel Jones, who has completed over 70 percent of his passes and thrown only two interceptions in his first season in Indianapolis. By contrast, the Raiders thought they had their short-term answer under center with Geno Smith, only for him to lead the league with seven interceptions in the first four games. This has to be an opportunity for Smith to change the narrative for himself, and a big game against an emerging Colts squad would do the trick.

Ground warfare

The quarterbacks are worth discussing, but the true offensive battle will take place in the running game.

Ashton Jeanty finally had the breakout game fans were waiting for last week against the Chicago Bears, and he now dukes it out against one of the best at the position in Jonathan Taylor. Both running backs have shown a tendency to make defenders miss, with the pair being two of three at the position with 20 or more missed tackles (Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons is the other one.) The Raiders and Colts have both been susceptible to big rushing performances, so whichever running back can take advantage could guide their team to victory.

Answer the bell

The often-maligned Raiders offensive line enjoyed their best game of the season against the Bears, but it came with a heavy cost.

Left tackle Kolton Miller went down with an ankle injury in the final minute of the game, and he is now on injured reserve for at least the next four games. Stone Forsythe will be tasked with manning the blind side in this game, with third-round rookie Charles Grant waiting in the wings at the first sign of trouble. This game is the first opportunity for either one to solidify the position, lest it be a major weakness for the rest of the month.