INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II

understands this week’s challenge each time he pops in an Atlanta Falcons tape.He sees quarterback Matt Ryan Joe Haeg Jersey , the 2016 league MVP, adjusting on the fly to new wrinkles posed by defensive coordinators. He sees Julio Jones, the fast, physical, two-time All-Pro receiver, and the emerging Calvin Ridley, who posted his second career 100-yard game last weekend, stressing secondaries. He sees Mohamed Sanu, the perfect complementary piece to Atlanta’s home-run hitters, and tight end Austin Hooper exposing the middle of the field.It helps Moore recognize what he and his teammates must do to keep Ryan and his receivers under control Sunday.“They’re very talented, very crafty receivers,” Moore said. “Everybody knows what Julio brings to the table. We just have to be on point.”For Moore and most of Indy’s young defense, game tapes are all they have. Only six players have ever faced Ryan up close and personal, and safety Clayton Geathers is the only one in the Colts’ back seven to experience it.Moore recognizes it may take a few series to adapt to the Falcons’ potentially high-scoring offense at game speed.But that’s only one potential problem for the Colts (1-1). They could be short-handed, too.All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard spent this week in the concussion protocol. Indy’s top cornerback, Pierre Desir, was limited in practice by a bruised right knee. Starting defensive end Jabaal Sheard, who has played Ryan twice, including in New England’s fifth Super Bowl win, returned for a light practice Wednesday after missing eight weeks with a knee injury.If the defense can’t slow down Falcons receivers, there could be other options.Indy could rely on its suddenly strong ground game to control the clock. The Colts could use a vastly improved pass rush to make Ryan uncomfortable, as they did the last two weeks with Philip Rivers and Marcus Mariota. Or perhaps they’ll take advantage of the Falcons’ biggest early-season bugaboo: turnovers.After throwing seven interceptions all of last season, Ryan already has five this year, including two in the red zone.“It’s not the start you want, but it’s like that sometimes,” said Ryan, now in his 11th season. “You’ve just got to weather the storm and keep making good decisions and be aggressive.”And keep finding Jones and Ridley John Simon Color Rush Jersey , Sanu and Hooper.“It’s going to be a big test,” Colts cornerback Quincy Wilson said. “We just have to make sure we’re staying on our details, making sure our techniques are on point and don’t walk past any mistakes.”RUNNING HARDWith Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning both retired, the Colts have taken advantage of a run-first philosophy that’s reflected in fashionably impressive numbers.Indy and Minnesota are tied for second this season in yards rushing, Marlon Mack ranks No. 3 among all runners and Indy’s 370 yards are the franchise’s highest for two games to start a season since 1971. Equally strange is the fact Indy ranks No. 32 in passing offense.Nobody minds. All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson keeps a hat with the phrase “Run The Damn Ball” in his locker and quarterback Jacoby Brissett appreciates the impact the running game has had.“Our guys up front sense that and they like when that happens,” Brissett said when asked about seeing defenses wearing down. “They ask for more runs, so they get more runs.”GOING NOWHEREThe Falcons, in contrast, are 28th in rushing at 65 yards per game. Devonta Freeman has only 41 yards with no run longer than 9. Freeman looked quick early in last week’s win over the Eagles when he had three carries for 18 yards in Atlanta’s first five plays. But after he was tackled for losses twice, Atlanta changed course.Injuries, which derailed Freeman last season, don’t seem to be the problem, either.“He showed the speed, the burst, the finish,” coach Bob Quinn said. “He looked stronger in a lot of ways.”CHANGE OF DIRECTIONIndy returns to Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time since Aug. 24, when fans booed as Andrew Luck left the field before announcing his retirement.Players acknowledge it will seem strange without Luck on the sideline or field.“I hadn’t really thought about that, but it will be different,” longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo said. “I think it will be a good atmosphere, I think it will be rockin’.”PUNTING DILEMMAThe Falcons may make a late decision on the status of punter Matt Bosher, who strained his groin in warmups before last week’s game. Atlanta signed Matt Wile to the practice squad as a possible backup on punts and kickoffs.Matt Bryant handled kickoffs last week. Wile was with Minnesota in 2018 and Atlanta briefly in 2016. Adam Vinatieri started his career as a young kicker in awe of the stats of a Hall of Famer such as Morten Andersen.As a rookie in New England, the lofty numbers seemed as out of reach as a 70-yard field goal.“I remember playing against him early in the league going, so many points, no one’s even going to come close,” Vinatieri said.Come close?Vinatieri is on the brink of passing Andersen in career field goals and total points and putting the final bows on a career that has him destined for Canton, Ohio.The 45-year-old Vinatieri kicked field goals of 35, 31 and 28 yards on Sunday to match Andersen for most field goals in NFL history with 565.Vinatieri added an extra point to finish with 10 points in the game https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Chester-Rogers-Jersey , putting him 33 shy of matching Andersen (2,544) for the most points scored in NFL history.“That’s the one,” Vinatieri said. “Nobody every pays attention to who has the most field goals. It’s who’s got the most points. They almost run hand-in-hand. It’d be fun if it happens.”The scoring mark could fall in a few weeks.But on a soggy Sunday in Philadelphia, Vinatieri at least snagged a share of Andersen’s field-goal record. The Colts couldn’t take advantage in a 20-16 loss to the Super Bowl champion Eagles, setting the stage for Vinatieri to set the field goal record next week at home against the Houston Texans.“It’s obviously special,” Vinatieri said, “but gosh dang it, when you do it on a close game and you lose, it just doesn’t feel quite the same. It’s a record that’s been a long time coming. I just appreciate the opportunities I have.”Andersen needed 709 attempts to set the record; Vinatieri just 670 in 23 seasons to tie.“We put him in situations to give us three and he delivers every time,” Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton said.Vinatieri was already the NFL’s postseason record holder for scoring (234) and field goals (56); and he hit two Super Bowl winners in the final minute. He’s won four Super Bowls and was the only unanimous selection on the Super Bowl 50 Golden Team.He made 263 field goals in 10 years with the New England Patriots and has 302 with the Colts.Few fans will forget the two kicks he made in the Snow Bowl, or “Tuck Rule” game, to help New England beat Oakland in a divisional-round playoff game following the 2001 season. It helped the Patriots capture their first Super Bowl.Last year, the oldest player in the league made a seemingly impossible extra point to force overtime in a December blizzard in Buffalo and helped keep the Colts within striking distance just 13 days later in monsoon-like weather in Baltimore.Last year, with a new long snapper and a new holder, Vinatieri made 85.3 percent of his field goals.“I like to step out there and kick field goals,” he said, “but it’s better kicking extra points, that’s for sure.”Vinatieri remembers talking to Andersen, one of only two full-time kickers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, about the secrets to enjoying a long, successful career.Staying healthy, for sure.And the other?“Stubbornness, probably,” Vinatieri said, smiling. “There’s a lot of great young guys around and I think my joy of being around these young guys and trying to compete against guys half my age … I’d contribute that to it a little bit.”___