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Seattle Seahawks vs. Indianapolis Colts: Prediction, preview, pick to win

By The Sports Xchange
Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks take on the Indianapolis Colts. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI
Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks take on the Indianapolis Colts. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI | License Photo

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1-2) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-2)

GAME SNAPSHOT

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KICKOFF: Sunday, 8:30, p.m. ET, CenturyLink Field, TV: NBC, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya (Field reporter)

SERIES HISTORY: 12th regular-season meeting. Colts lead series, 7-4, but this is just their second trip to Seattle in 16 years. Indianapolis has won the last two games in the series and three of the previous four matchups, including a 34-28 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium on Oct. 6, 2013. The Colts are 4-3 in Seattle (3-2, King Dome; 1-0, Husky Stadium and 0-1 at CenturyLink Field).

KEYS TO THE GAME:

While the Seahawks are coming off a loss, they finally found some offense. Prior to last week, the Seahawks had found the end zone just once. On Sunday, quarterback Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes in Seattle's 33-27 loss at Tennessee. With Thomas Rawls still working his way back from injury and C.J. Prosise questionable with a bum ankle, rookie running back Chris Carson will likely carry the load again. Carson, who started against the Titans, but was held to 34 yards, has been in the lineup for 117 snaps, to just 17 for Rawls and seven for odd-man-out Eddie Lacy. On Monday, Seattle head coach said his team needs to run the ball more. "The running back needs more carries, and our guys are still young and figuring it out," Carroll told the Seattle Times. "There weren't enough carries to share, and so Thomas and Eddie didn't get a shot to go much, but it wasn't there doing. We just didn't get enough plays." Carroll will be looking for the Seahawks defense he's become accustomed to. Last week, Tennessee scorched a unit that features eight Pro Bowlers, scoring seven times in an eight-possession stretch, all on drives of at least 47 yards. "Surprisingly uncharacteristic," Carroll called the effort.

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The Colts will be without quarterback Andrew Luck for at least another week. While head coach Chuck Pagano remained hopeful Luck, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, could return to the practice field this week, but he declared him out on Monday. Jacoby Brissett, who the Colts acquired from New England earlier this month, has started the past two games - a 16-13 loss to Arizona and a 31-28 win over Cleveland. Brissett, who will be making his first-ever road start, ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in the win over the Browns. His biggest impact was getting wide receiver T.Y. Hilton involved. Hilton caught seven passes for 153 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

-- Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin vs. the Colts secondary. Baldwin says he plans to play, though he missed practice on Wednesday and is considered "day-to-day," according to the team's website. He is coming off a 10-catch, 105-yard performance a week ago. Indianpolis enters the game ranked 29th in pass defense but intercepted Cleveland rookie DeShone Kizer three times on Sunday.

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-- Indianapolis offensive line vs. Seattle's "12th man." The Colts have struggled with illegal procedure penalties and now must deal with Seattle's thunderous crowd. "(There's) nothing like it. Unbelievable. When (CenturyLink Field) gets rocking, you can't hear yourself think," head coach Chuck Pagano said Wednesday. "Got to have laser focus to avoid false starts and other penalties."

FRIDAY INJURY REPORT

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

--Out: C Ryan Kelly (foot), QB Andrew Luck (right shoulder), RB Marlon Mack (shoulder), WR Chester Rogers (hamstring), LB Anthony Walker (hamstring), CB Quincy Wilson (knee)

--Questionable: S Matthias Farley (quadricep), CB Chris Milton (hamstring)

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

--Doubtful: RB C.J. Prosise (ankle)

--Questionable: WR Doug Baldwin (groin), CB Neiko Thorpe (ankle)

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham. After catching just four passes for nine yards in the first two games of the season, Graham hauled in seven for 72 against Tennessee. And that followed a week in which he missed two days of practice with a bad ankle. Graham did not practice with the team on Wednesday, although there was no reported setback.

FAST FACTS: The Colts' Jacoby Brissett is the only quarterback in NFL history with at least 250 yards passing, a touchdown pass and two touchdown runs in a single game. Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton got the better of Seattle's All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman in their only meeting. Hilton caught five passes for 140 yards and scored twice in a 34-28 Colts win in October of 2013. Running back Frank Gore has a chance to pass Eric Dickerson for seventh place on the NFL's career rushing list. Gore (13,210) trails Dickerson by 49 yards. Kicker Adam Viniatieri has made 534 career field goals, good for No. 3 on the all-time list. He trails Gary Anderson by four for second place. ... Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson has torched the last four AFC defense he has faced: 328 passing yards per game, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. Defensive end Michael Bennett has 4.5 sacks in his past five games. Linebacker Bobby Wagner clearly likes the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field. He has 79 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception in his past seven home games.

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PREDICTION: While the Colts seemed to find their offensive legs in Jacoby Brissett's second start, expect the Seattle defense to rebound from a subpar effort a week ago. If Russell Wilson picks up where he left off, the Seahawks could run away with this one.

OUR PICK: Seahawks, 26-10.

--Ched Whitney

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