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The Indianapolis Colts will travel to the Detroit Lions for their 2021 NFL preseason finale, and it'll be the last chance for players to make their case to make the final roster.
The Indianapolis Colts have played well in the NFL preseason, and have narrowly won their first two games. QB Carson Wentz and OL Quenton Nelson are still recovering from their foot surgeries, while QBs Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger will wrap up their competition for the Week 1 starter if Wentz is unavailable.
Meanwhile, it's been a different preseason experience for the Detroit Lions, who are 0-2 so far. They faced tough teams like the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and had opportunities to win those games, but fell short.
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The Detroit Lions will likely sit most of their starters who aren't in a position battle, but their offensive group is pretty much set already. Both the Indianapolis Colts and the Detroit Lions will get one more look at their 2nd, 3rd and 4th-string players in a live game before constructing their 53-man roster ahead of the August 31st deadline.
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Going 3-0 or 0-3 in the NFL preseason does little for you entering the regular season, but it does affect team morale.
Indianapolis Colts vs Detroit Lions game preview
Match Details
Fixture - Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions | 2021 NFL preseason Week 3.
Date & Time - Friday, August 28th, 7:00 PM ET (Saturday, August 29th, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue - Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan.
Indianapolis Colts Preview
The Indianapolis Colts have already outlasted the Carolina Panthers and Minnesota Vikings in the NFL preseasonm and seem to have an easy finale where their roster should perform well.
Unless he gets injured or has a complete meltdown on the field, Jacob Eason should be named the Week 1 starter and future QB1 until Carson Wentz can return.
The Indianapolis Colts hope to see more out of their running game after averaging just 2.7 yards per carry in Week 2, with the longest run being 10 yards. WRs Tyler Vaughn, Tarik Black and Dezmon Patmon have been the teams's top receivers in the NFL preseason, and should all play well as they try to win a roster spot.
The defensive starters are in great shape for the 2021 season, but depth at DL and LB is shaky, and has several key backups questionable for the game.
Key Player - QB Jacob Eason
2020 4th-round pick Jacob Eason has been efficient with the ball as the preseason QB1 for the Indianapolis Colts, with a 65% completion rate, 315 yards, zero TDs and zero INTs through two games.
The downside is that he hasn't thrown a TD yet, but he has also thrown no INTs through 48 pass attempts. He would need to be extra cautious with his ball placement against DBs Ifeatu Melifonwu and Nickell Robey-Coleman.
Predicted starting QB - Jacob Eason.
Detroit Lions Preview
The Detroit Lions are 0-2 in the NFL preseason after falling behind early in both games.
Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass went 3/3 in Week 1, and the Pittsburgh Steelers starters racked up 20 points in the first half. However, the Lions showed grit in the fourth quarter of both games with big comebacks that fell short.
They scored 12 points against the Bills, with kicker Randy Bullock going 2/2 and a rushing TD from Craig Reynolds and a failed game-winning 2-point conversion. The Lions scored 20 unanswered points in the fourth quarter with rushing TDs from both Craig Reynolds and Godwin Igwebuike, but there was another failed 2-point conversion.
Key Player - WR Tom Kennedy
2019 UDFA WR Tom Kennedy spent the last two seasons on the practice squad, but has been the leading WR with eight catches for 107 receiving yards through two games, including catching all four targets against the Steelers.
The WR group for the Detroit Lions lacks star power, with Tyrell Williams, Breshad Perriman and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown. Kennedy has made a case for being promoted to second-string WR to hopefully add some extra talent to the passing attack.
Predicted starting QB - David Blough.
Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions match prediction
The Indianapolis Colts should enter the 2021 season with great morale and confidence after a 3-0 record. They could possess an underrated roster with a top RB group and a potential top-10 DL with Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner and Tyquan Lewis.
Whoever ends up as the leading WR in this game between Patmon, Black and Vaughns should claim the final roster spot. The Detroit Lions and QB David Blough should be able to keep the game close, though.
The defense just has to make an impact early in the game so the offense won't need another huge rally late on in the game. A 0-3 isn't what a new head coach like Dan Campbell wants, but there's plenty of positive feedback from their preseason performances.
Where to watch Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions?
The Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions Week 3 preseason finale game will air on FOX, and can also be streamed on the Yahoo Sports! app and website.
Detroit Lions Fans! Check out the latest Lions Schedule and dive into the Detroit Lions Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.
