Dan Orlovsky ‘Banking’ On This Expectation For Patriots-Colts

Dan Orlovsky believes Bill Belichick is going to force Carson Wentz to beat the Patriots on Saturday night.

This doesn’t mean Orlovsky thinks New England will completely take Jonathan Taylor out of the Week 15 game, as many are expecting. In fact, the NFL quarterback-turned-analyst is confident the visitors will allow Taylor to add serious cushion to his lead atop the league’s rushing yardage board.

That’s until the Colts enter the red zone, where Taylor likely will be public enemy No. 1 and the pressure, in turn, will fall on Wentz to put up six for Indianapolis. Orlovsky, perhaps unlike Belichick, believes the inconsistent signal-caller will be able to come through in those pivotal situations.

“I disagree with the way Bill is going to approach it. I think Bill Belichick is going to give Jonathan Taylor his yards,” Orlovsky said Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I think it’s gonna be a very basketball-coach mindset, almost like they did with Dallas. ‘We’re gonna give you everything you want 20- to the 15-yard line. Once you get inside the 15-yard line in that red zone area, that’s when we’re gonna see Star Wars from Bill. I truly believe that Bill believes that second-and-8 in the red zone, Carson Wentz is gonna press. You know, ‘second-and-6, I’m gonna get him to make a mistake.’ I think that’s the moment where over four quarters, can Carson Wentz be great in those situations? I’m banking that he is.”

Ironically enough, the Colts appear to be approaching the primetime matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium with the same plan in mind. Indianapolis is confident it can slow down the Patriots’ dominant rushing attack, which would force rookie quarterback Mac Jones into a situation he has minimal experience in.