Indianapolis @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2017 ) Cincinnati 6, Indianapolis 7

Frustration is beginning to set in in Indianapolis as wide receiver T.Y. Hilton began finger-pointing after the Colts' latest loss. A week after being shut out at home by Jacksonville, Indianapolis will visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a series in which the home team has won the last seven meetings.





Hilton blamed the offensive line following his team's 27-0 loss to the Jaguars which saw quarterback Jacoby Brissett sacked 10 times. "First and foremost, I would like to apologize to the team and the O-line," Hilton told reporters during the week. "It was out of character, frustrated how the game went." The Bengals had their two-game winning streak snapped at Pittsburgh with a 29-14 defeat last week. Cincinnati ranks 29th in the league in scoring averaging (16.3 points a game) and is 31st in the league in total offense.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Bengals - 10. O/U: 41.

ABOUT THE COLTS (2-5): Coach Chuck Pagano reiterated that "nothing has changed" with the expectations about Andrew Luck playing this season despite the quarterback being shut down from practice last week. Brissett was battered by the Jaguars and has just one passing touchdown over the past three weeks. The Colts will look to take the pressure off their quarterback by running the ball, but top running back Frank Gore hasn't gone over 57 yards on the ground in any game this season.
ABOUT THE BENGALS (2-4): Cincinnati ranks fifth in the NFL in total defense but its offense continues to struggle behind quarterback Andy Dalton, who was clearly hobbled with a bad ankle last week. The Bengals also miss tight end Tyler Eifert, who was lost for the season with a back injury, and hopes to get wide receiver John Ross back from a knee injury. Despite seeing weekly double teams, A.J. Green is second in the NFL with 545 yards receiving and has scored three touchdowns.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Former Colts pass rusher and current team pass rush consultant Robert Mathis was arrested on Tuesday morning for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
2. The Colts placed rookie S Malik Hooker on injured reserve during the week but could get Clayton Geathers back from offseason surgery to repair a neck injury on Sunday.
3. Cincinnati's Adam Jones, who missed last week's game with a back injury, returned to practice on Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Bengals 21, Colts 16