The Indianapolis Colts are Coming Home

Dec 29, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12) high fives the fans as he runs off the field after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis defeats Jacksonville 30-10. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Playing on the road against a dominant football team may be one of the hardest things that an NFL team has to go through.

But nothing feels better than coming home.

Since the Andrew Luck era began in Indianapolis, the Colts have posted an incredible 14-3 record in Lucas Oil Stadium. Luck’s stats always seem to get a statistical boost at home and the team plays with a better cohesion under the lights of Lucas Oil.

This week, the Indianapolis Colts host their home opener against a very good Philadelphia Eagles team. The Eagles are coming off of a 34-17 rout of the Jaguars in Philadelphia where Nick Foles had a nearly flawless second half. It’s going to take the loud crowd of Lucas Oil to rattle the Eagles under the Monday night spotlight.

But two things are certain: Andrew Luck doesn’t lose at home and he has never lost two consecutive regular season games.

There are several things about the Colts’ first home game that bode well for them, despite the 0-1 start. It can’t be overstated that the Colts really did have a good game against the Broncos on Sunday night. The defense was shoddy and the offense was slow initially, but the AFC Champion, record-setting Broncos were held to 31 points; that’s a feat in itself. If the Colts can keep themselves in a game against a team as prolific as Denver, handling a Philadelphia team that’s a tier down shouldn’t be an issue; especially at home.

The Eagles defense really is nothing to be afraid of heading into this Monday night matchup. However, Philadelphia was a great team on the road last season, most likely due to a dominant run game. This week, the Chip Kelly offense will look to control the clock and the ball throughout the entire game using LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles.

If the Colts allow the Eagles to run well early in the game, it won’t bode well for the late game heroics that Luck tends to pull out of nowhere. The Philadelphia Eagles are a team designed to grab a lead and maintain the lead while the Colts have historically been a team that enjoys coming back from behind; two styles that could clash in a offensive showdown on Monday night.

The X-factor in this game is the crowd noise and home-field advantage. When the roof is closed for a primetime game in Lucas Oil, communication is a big barrier to overcome for the opposing offense. With Kelly’s offense relying on pinpoint communication using sounds and signals, the Eagles could struggle with playcalls against the Colts.

The hope opener is approaching for the Indianapolis Colts and the game has more storylines than ever.

Let’s hope the Eagles get caught in the lights of Lucas Oil.