National Football League

Brady, Buccaneers hit the road to take on Jonathan Taylor, Colts in Week 12

Published Nov. 26, 2021 6:32 p.m. ET

Week 12 of the NFL season features two powerhouse squads doing battle right out of the gate on Sunday.

That's when the 7-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take on the 6-5 Indianapolis Colts on FOX (1 p.m. ET). Both teams are coming off convincing wins in Week 11 — the Bucs dominated the New York Giants at home, 30-10, and the Colts went on the road and shut down Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, 41-15.

Heading into Sunday's matchup, Tampa Bay leads the NFC South and is looking for a win to gain some ground in the race for the NFC's top playoff seed. To do so, however, the Buccaneers have to face a red-hot Colts squad that sits second in the AFC South behind only the Tennessee Titans.

Indianapolis has won five of its last six games, the only defeat in that stretch coming in overtime to the Titans in Week 8. What's more, the Colts have averaged 33.5 points per game during the six-week run to get back into playoff contention.

This is the first matchup between the Buccaneers and Colts since 2019, and this time around the matchup will feature the league's leading rusher Jonathan Taylor (1,122 rushing yards) against the NFL’s best rushing defense (Buccaneers are allowing only 78.4 rushing YPG).

Taylor is also leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns (13), total touchdowns (15) and yards from scrimmage (1,444). He had 185 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in Week 11, becoming the first player in Colts franchise history to score five touchdowns in a single game.

On Friday's "Undisputed," Shannon Sharpe predicted the outcome of Sunday's matchup and revealed what he believes it'll take for Taylor and the Colts to pull off the win.

"The Colts can do something that very few teams can do, which is keeping Brady off the field, and they can pressure him," he said. "Their defense — they are covered to a tee, but they believe they can get pressure on you when their front four, playing zone, letting nothing get over their head. But offensively, with that offensive line that's outstanding and Carson Wentz has been very, very good. He's not turning the ball over. I think he's [got] 21 touchdowns, two interceptions. Johnathan Taylor has run the air out of the football.

"They can control the clock, keep Tom Brady off the field, and have a defense that doesn't give up the big plays," Sharpe continued. "They're better than you think … I think they'll do a great job of protecting Carson Wentz, I think they'll do a great job of opening holes for Jonathan Taylor, and I think the defense will keep Tom from getting these big plays. I'm gonna take the Colts to win a close ballgame, last-second field goal … 27-24."

Shannon Sharpe: Colts can do something to the Bucs that few teams can: keep Tom Brady off the field I UNDISPUTED

Watch Shannon Sharpe discuss who will come out on top: Tom Brady and the Bucs or Jonathan Taylor and the Colts?

Of course, that's easier said than done.

Brady is 15-4 in 19 career starts vs. the Colts — including the playoffs — and has won his last eight meetings with Indy dating back to 2010. The seven-time Super Bowl champion is currently leading the NFL in passing touchdowns (29) and passing YPG (317.7).

What's more, Mike Evans, one of Brady's favorite receivers, is tied for the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL, with 10. Another favorite target of Brady's, Rob Gronkowski, has returned to action after missing several weeks earlier this season with fractured ribs.

Regardless of which team comes out on top, this figures to be among the most intriguing AFC-NFC matchups this season has to offer.