Tampa Bay @ Indianapolis preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 3, 2011 ) Indianapolis 17, Tampa Bay 24

The Indianapolis Colts are undefeated with 40-year-old Matt Hasselbeck starting under center and are hanging in at the top of the AFC South. Hasselbeck and the Colts will go up against a much younger quarterback when surging rookie Jameis Winston brings the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Indianapolis on Sunday.

Hasselbeck threw a pair of touchdown passes and got plenty of help from injured starter Andrew Luck while preparing for the 24-21 victory at Atlanta last week that lifted the Colts to .500 and kept them in first place in the South, and he’ll continue to seek Luck’s advice. “I pleaded with him, sort of begged him, ‘Hey, even though you’re hurt and you’re not with us, I need you to be with us,’” Hasselbeck told reporters. “He said, ‘Absolutely.’ I anticipate that he’ll be very helpful (and) my goal is really just to kind of hold the fort down until he gets back.” Winston has more in common with Luck as a former No. 1 overall draft pick and is dragging his team back to respectability with wins in four of the last six games. The Florida State product put on a show with five touchdown passes in a 45-17 victory at Philadelphia last week.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Colts -3 O/U: 46.5

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (5-5): Winston’s big day was possible in part because of the success of the running game, which opened up play action and throws downfield. Tampa Bay broke a team record with 283 rushing yards - 235 on 27 carries from Doug Martin - and became the first road team in NFL history with at least 200 yards rushing and five TD passes in the same game. “You talk about great running back, what do they have? Vision, instincts to know when to make a move,” Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith told reporters of Martin. “That’s what he’s been doing. … I think he’s kind of showed us everything a great running back should show people on a weekly basis."

ABOUT THE COLTS (5-5): Hasselbeck is just keeping the seat warm for Luck, who is not practicing as he heals from abdomen and kidney injuries. “As we take this thing day-to-day, week-to-week, whatever it is, (Luck’s) going to see the docs and they’ll communicate with him, he’ll communicate with them, they’ll communicate with us,” Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano told reporters. “Then, as he starts to heal and heal more, I’m sure then they’ll get him back out there and do whatever he can from a conditioning standpoint.” Indianapolis is dealing with an injury to another key piece in left tackle Anthony Castonzo, who suffered an MCL sprain in the fourth quarter at Atlanta and is week-to-week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Former Colts and Buccaneers coach Tony Dungy was named a Hall of Fame semifinalist.

2. Martin needs 59 yards to secure his second career 1,000-yard season and first since 2012.

3. Indianapolis RB Ahmad Bradshaw has three receiving TDs in the last two games.

PREDICTION: Buccaneers 28, Colts 17