The Redskins take on the Colts for the first time since 2014, as they''ll open up their home slate of regular season games against Indianapolis in Week 2 at FedExField in Landover, Md.
Indianapolis Key Additions: Signed CB Kenneth Acker (Chiefs), OLB Najee Goode (Eagles), G/C Matt Slauson (Chargers), WR Ryan Grant (Redskins), TE Eric Ebron (Lions), DE Denico Autry (Raiders), OT Austin Howard (Ravens)
Indianapolis Key Subtractions: NT Johnathan Hankins, CB Rashaan Melvin, OLB Barkevious Mingo, ILB Jon Bostic, WR Donte Moncrief,
The Redskins will be seeking their first home-opener victory in the regular season since 2014 when they take on the Colts in Week 2 action.
The Colts, unfortunately, overwhelmed the Redskins in their the last matchup, scoring a 49-27 victory in head coach Jay Gruden's first season. Despite the Redskins falling short that game, Colt McCoy made life miserable for the Indianapolis defense with 392 passing yards and three touchdowns while completing 66 percent of his passes. Washington, however, struggled to stop quarterback Andrew Luck, who threw for five touchdowns and 370 yards.
After not playing the entire 2017 season due to injury, Luck will likely be beginning his comeback tour. The seven-year veteran will have some new targets once he is back on the field.
Losing Donte Moncrief put a hole in the passing game, but the Colts brought in Ryan Grant to go along with leading receiver T.Y. Hilton. Grant had a career-best campaign during his final year in Washington, coming up with 45 receptions for 573 yards and four touchdowns. Spending his first four NFL seasons with the Redskins after Washington selected him in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Week 2 will be a homecoming game for the fifth-year wide receiver.
Indianapolis also needed help in the passing game with a quality tight end, where they signed Eric Ebron from the Detroit Lions in free agency. Ebron could turn into the Colts' No. 1 tight end option after registering 186 receptions for more than 2,000 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Colts looked for offseason improvement along the offensive line and they did that by selecting guard Quenton Nelson from Notre Dame with the sixth-overall pick in this year's draft. Indianapolis also used a second-round pick on Auburn guard Braden Smith as well as signing Matt Slauson from the Los Angeles Chargers.
With Vontae Davis' injuries and Rashaan Melvin signing with the Oakland Raiders, the Colts also needed to find a pair of new cornerbacks to fill those departures over the last few months.
Indianapolis will look to 26-year-old Kenneth Acker to fill the hole after spending the last two seasons with the Chiefs. Acker has totaled 12 passes defensed and four interceptions heading into his fifth year.
This, however, could be an advantage for the Redskins. When Smith last faced the Colts' secondary, he only had six incompletions and threw for 223 yards that included two touchdowns for the Chiefs.
The Colts are looking to build off of a successful year defending the pass, giving up the fifth fewest yards through the air in 2017. Their offense, meanwhile, will be one to watch to see if there is improvement with Luck back on the field and if the running game improves from being 22nd in the league in rushing a year ago.
