Dolphins hope bye jump-starts struggling offense while Colts try to move above .500 mark

Updated Oct. 18, 2024 6:09 p.m. ET

Associated Press

Miami (2-3) at Indianapolis (3-3)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, Fox

BetMGM NFL Odds: Colts by 3 1/2.

Series record: Dolphins lead 48-28.

Against the spread: Dolphins 1-4; Colts 5-1.

Last meeting: The Colts beat the Dolphins 27-17 on Oct. 3, 2021, at Miami.

Last week: Dolphins had bye after beating Patriots 15-10 on Oct. 6; Colts beat Titans 20-17.

Dolphins offense: overall (23), rush (18), pass (26), scoring (32).

Dolphins defense: overall (5), rush (18), pass (3), scoring (19).

Colts offense: overall (13), rush (17), pass (15), scoring (16).

Colts defense: overall (30), rush (31), pass (26), scoring (18).

Turnover differential: Dolphins minus-2; Colts plus-1.

Dolphins player to watch

RB Raheem Mostert. The former Purdue star had 80 yards on 19 carries against the Patriots after missing the previous three games with a chest injury. If De’Von Achane, who went into the concussion protocol in the first quarter against New England, can’t play, Mostert will likely get most of the carries.

Colts player to watch

QB Anthony Richardson. Coach Shane Steichen expects his franchise quarterback to return this week after missing the past two games with an injured right hip. Richardson gives opposing defenses another potential problem with his running ability. But how healthy is Richardson? And how long will he stick around after playing only eight games in two seasons?

Key matchup

Dolphins defensive line vs. Colts offensive line. Miami's pass defense and overall defense rank among the NFL's top units. One glaring flaw: Sacks. Only three teams have fewer sacks than the Dolphins (nine) and in their base 3-4 front, the defensive ends have not had one. If the Colts don't have Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, they'll be starting two rookies — fourth-round pick Tanor Bortolini at center and right guard Dalton Tucker, who was undrafted.

Key injuries

The bye week has helped Miami get healthier — even though Tagovailoa remains on injured reserve. Achane was a full participant in Wednesday's workout, an indication he could be cleared to play soon. Starting safety Jevon Holland said he’s “day to day” because of a broken bone in his hand and he could potentially play with a cast on it. ... If Richardson has any unforeseen issues, 39-year-old Joe Flacco will get the call. Flacco, the Super Bowl 47 MVP, has been solid in all three appearances with Indy this season, winning twice. ... Jonathan Taylor, the 2021 NFL rushing champ, will miss his third straight game with a sprained ankle. ... Kelly was a full participant in Friday's light workout and appeared on track to play. ... Six players were listed as questionable: WRs Michael Pittman Jr. (back), Alec Pierce (shoulder) and Josh Downs (toe); DE Dayo Odeyingbo (hamstring); RT Braden Smith (knee); and LB E.J. Speed (knee).

Series notes

Indianapolis has won three of the past four in this series. ... The Dolphins dominated this matchup from 1977-1987, winning 18 of 19 games, including 11 straight in a then-AFC East series. The Colts finally ended their long skid with a 40-21 victory at Miami in November 1987. ... Miami won both playoff matchups between these franchises, but the Colts are 1-1 in Super Bowls played on the Dolphins home field — beating the Bears in Super Bowl 41 and losing to New Orleans three years later. ... Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning made his NFL regular-season debut against the Dan Marino-led Dolphins on Sept. 6, 1998. Miami won 24-15 on a day Manning threw the first of his 539 TD passes and three interceptions.

Stats and stuff

The Dolphins had a bye last week and are 2-0 in post-bye week games under coach Mike McDaniel. ... Miami needs two more wins to become the 19th franchise with 500 wins. ... The Dolphins have scored only 30 total points since Tagovailoa went down. ... Miami has a league-best 14 plays of 50 or more yards since the start of the 2023 season but is averaging a league-low 12 points per game this year. ... Skylar Thompson replaced Tagovailoa as the starter in Week 3. QB Tyler Huntley started the past two games for his hometown team. ... The Dolphins had a season-high 41 carries in Week 5 led by rookie Jaylen Wright who had a career-best 86 yards in a win over the Patriots. ... Former Purdue star Raheem Mostert returned in Week 5 after missing three games with a chest injury. ... WR Odell Beckham Jr. has 214 yards receiving against Indy. He made his Dolphins debut against New England. ... Miami's defense has allowed a third down conversion rate of 25.5%, the stingiest rate in the NFL. ... The Dolphins have pitched shutouts in eight of the 20 quarters they've played this season. ... Miami K Jason Sanders has made a franchise-record 82.8% of his field goals in seven seasons. ... Indy has won three of its past four and two straight at home, but the Dolphins won the most recent matchup in Indianapolis, 16-12 in November 2019. ... The Colts have the league's highest conversion rate on third-and-10 or more yards (35.0%). ... Indy has allowed only 10 sacks through six games. ... Richardson is 4-4 in eight career starts and has only finished four games he started. ... Flacco has thrown three TD passes in the fourth quarter the past two weeks. ... Pittman played through his back injury last week and caught the winning TD pass at Tennessee. He needs 65 yards to become the fifth receiver in team history with 4,000 yards in five or fewer seasons. ... LB Zaire Franklin has the most tackles (405) and most double-digit tackle games (24) since 2022. ... Indy's defense is tied for third in the NFL with two red zone takeaways this season and leads the NFL with 282 solo tackles since 2024. ... The Colts are allowing an average of 25.2 points over their past four games.