The Indianapolis Colts entered Sunday’s Week 7 matchup with the Buffalo Bills in a season featuring several ups and downs and holding a 1-5 record to show for it. The Colts may not have faced a very impressive squad in the Bills Cheap Andrew Luck Jersey , but that doesn’t take away how strong they looked outside of a scoreless first quarter of play.Andrew Luck threw at least 3 touchdowns for the fourth straight week, the Colts defense forced at least 2 turnovers for the fifth time this season and the Colts are now 2-5 with the best record in the AFC South being only 2 games better with 9 games left to play. Is this the beginning of a surge from the Colts? Or is it just one win in one game, against a less-than-average Bills team that the Colts absolutely should have won? We’ll find out, but for now, here are 4 takeaways from the Colts huge win over the Bills in Week 7.Marlon Mack is hitting his strideLast week Mack racked up 89 rushing yards on just 12 carries and had, undoubtedly, his best game in the NFL to that point. Today, Mack bested that output with a performance resembling that of an NFL lead back gaining 126 rushing yards — and 159 all-purpose yards — with 2 total touchdowns.Mack has had trouble in his young career with his vision and staying to the gameplan when it comes to running between the tackles, we’ve all discussed that at this point. But, this year it looks as though there’s some legitimate breakout potential for him with an offensive line that appears to be gaining the chemistry needed to be successful. Mack has looked very disciplined, strong, smart and powerful lately since coming back from recent injuries. If Mack can remain healthy, and continue his ascension, the explosive running back gives the Colts an aspect to this offense that the team hasn’t had in years.Colts OL continues to protect Andrew Luck very well Many took shots at Chris Ballard and the Colts for picking Quenton Nelson at No. 6 overall in the 2018 NFL draft. A guard simply isn’t given the same value that other positions are regardless of the fact that he was clearly the best offensive line prospect of the draft class. However, Nelson has worked out and remained healthy, and right now — the other rookie — Braden Smith is showing that he is just as valuable a pick http://www.coltscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-anthony-walker-jersey , and doing a very good job at right tackle for the Colts at this point.Anthony Castonzo is back and looking good, and even Mark Glowinski is more than holding his own at right guard after Matt Slauson was placed on IR a couple weeks ago. Ryan Kelly has had some struggles against the Texans and today against the Bills with snapping the ball, but has been very good blocking in the run game as well as protecting Luck.This Colts offensive line hasn’t given up a sack in the past two weeks — only 2 QB hits all game today — and has only allowed 1 sack in the past 3 weeks. They’re blocking very well in the running game and it looks as though this unit is really creating a solid foundation for the long-term future of the offense. This past week PFF ranked the Colts’ line as the 10th best in the league, and I admit that I didn’t really think much of it. But, after another very good week in all facets of the game, you have to start thinking this group is for real. Andrew Luck has been amazing this seasonWe remember how we were feeling in the first few weeks of the season when the Colts’ offense was doing literally everything with a dink-and-dunk approach, right? Well, all appears to be forgotten now. Luck didn’t have to throw the ball 50 times today, he didn’t have to put the entire roster on his shoulders just to keep things close, but he was still every bit the “Andrew Luck” Colts fans were hoping to see this year.Luck was 17-of-23 (73.9%) with only 156 passing yards, but tossed 4 touchdowns without any blemishes on the day. He was smart, didn’t force much at all and was extremely accurate on the day. What else is there to say about the man? He’s doing exactly what he needs to do in order to be a top-5 NFL quarterback without argument.Colts defense forcing key turnoversThe Colts defense has been a group of peaks and valleys so far this year, but when they’ve been good, they’ve been very good. Bend but don’t break is a reality right now within this scheme, but this type of defensive system is predicated on forcing turnovers and playing with the lead.Today included, the Colts have been forcing turnovers all season. Newly signed safety Mike Mitchell was a part of two turnovers for the Colts (interception/forced fumble) Womens Matt Slauson Jersey , rookie Kemoko Turay strip-sacked Anderson and Quincy Wilson recovered it leading to another Luck touchdown pass, Kenny Moore picked Anderson off midway through the fourth quarter, and Corey Moore picked him off after a tipped ball by Wilson.This was certainly the first 5-turnover game of the year for the Colts defense, but it was the fifth time in which this defense forced at least 2 turnovers this season. Additionally, the Colts have forced at least 1 turnover in each game through Week 7. Though the defense obviously has a lot to work on going forward, these turnovers have been a big part in the Colts remaining competitive in each game this season. The Indianapolis Colts appear to have a potent running game, an offensive line that can protect and a record-setting kicker.Combined all that with a healthy Andrew Luck and the results are impressive.Luck threw his third touchdown pass of the game to break a tie with 5:28 to go, Adam Vinatieri set the career scoring mark and the Colts beat the Oakland Raiders 42-28 on Sunday to win in back-to-back weeks for the first time in three years."I think we're believing it now, I really do," Luck said. "I think we're proving to ourselves that we can do it, that this is a winning formula."Marlon Mack ran for a career-high 132 yards and two touchdowns, breaking the personal mark he set last week against Buffalo with 126 yards. The Colts finished with 222 yards rushing and didn't allow a sack for the third straight game as the investments made in the offensive line are paying off.The Colts are the first team since the 1970 merger to go consecutive games with at least 200 yards rushing, no sacks and no giveaways."I think you'd like to establish your identity in Week 1 and get that going right from the start," coach Frank Reich said. "On offense, it's taken us a few weeks to get that going, but right now I like where we're at."Mack's second TD came after Doug Martin lost a fumble for Oakland and sealed the victory as the Colts won in consecutive weeks for the first time in three years.Luck connected with all three of his tight ends with the 10-yard pass to Jack Doyle putting the Colts (3-5) up 35-28. Luck connected earlier in the game on passes to Mo Alie-Cox and Eric Ebron and finished with 239 yards against an overmatched defense for the Raiders (1-6).Derek Carr threw three TD passes and ran for a fourth just days after Oakland traded his top receiver Amari Cooper to Dallas . But it wasn't enough to prevent another loss in what is quickly becoming a lost season to begin coach Jon Gruden's second stint with the team."I'm not going to give up. Period Youth Eric Ebron Jersey ," Gruden said. "I just hope Raiders fans out there understand we're doing everything we can. I know it gets ugly at times, but in a lot of ways I'm excited about the future."The Colts started fast with Mo Alie-Cox making a one-handed 26-yard touchdown catch and Vinatieri adding a field goal to make it 10-0 before the Raiders finally found their stride."He swallowed the ball with his hands," Luck said. "It was truly like there was a gravitational pull flopped it in there. What an awesome job our tight ends group does to complement this offense, complement the wideouts and to complement each other."Carr threw a pair of touchdown passes in the second quarter to put Oakland on top and added a 1-yard sneak for a score on fourth down to make it 21-13 early in the third.The game went back and forth from there with Luck tying it with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Eric Ebron and a 2-point conversion pass to Chester Rogers.Carr then avoided a sack before finding Brandon LaFell for a 6-yard touchdown late in the third before the Colts tied it back up early in the fourth on Mack's 4-yard run .MOST POINTS IN NFL HISTORYVinatieri set the record as the NFL's top all-time scorer in the first half. He kicked a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter to tie Morten Andersen with 2,544 points and then added a 25-yarder late in the second to set the record . Vinatieri scored three more points, giving him 2,550 for his career."He'd done it for so long and for so many years and so prolifically, that I just thought, 'Man, it's untouchable.'" Vinatieri said. "But I guess as you keep going, you stack years upon years, the numbers start stacking up."RARE RUSHCarr scored on a 1-yard sneak on fourth down in the third quarter for the Raiders for his first career touchdown run. Oakland hadn't had a quarterback run for a TD since Terrelle Pryor scored on a 93-yard run against Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2013. Only the Chargers had gone longer without a TD run for a QB."I had a dance planned, but they threw a flag," Carr said. "I'll have to get another one."BACK TO BACKMack followed up last week's big game with another strong performance. This is just the sixth time the Colts have had a 100-yard rusher during Luck's seven NFL seasons and the first time since Joseph Addai did it in 2007 that a back topped the century mark in consecutive games.INJURIESThe Raiders lost backup OL T.J. Clemmings to a knee injury in the second half. ... Colts S Mike Mitchell left in the second half with a calf injury.UP NEXTColts: Host Jacksonville on Nov. 11.Raiders: Visit 49ers on Thursday night.
