The familiarity on the coaching staffs range from Bill Belichick and Bubba Ventrone to — for an evening in February 2018 — Josh McDaniels.
But the list of former New England Patriots and former Indianapolis Colts extends down to the players. Seven can currently be found between the active rosters, practice squads and reserve lists.
Here’s a glance through those ties as Saturday’s 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium nears.
INDIANAPOLIS
Kenny Moore II, cornerback — The Valdosta State product arrived as part of New England’s 2017 undrafted class, agreeing to terms on a rookie contract that included $5,000 in guarantees. Moore would be waived following his preseason audition and was claimed by Indianapolis. A Colt the 26-year-old slot corner has remained since then, signing four-year, $36 million extension during the 2019 offseason. The tenure spans 71 games and 58 starts. It also spans 333 tackles, seven sacks, 14 interceptions, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery as well as one touchdown. Moore has played 98 percent of the snaps on defense and 24 percent of the snaps on special teams this campaign. He stands as the Colts’ nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year.
Brian Poole, cornerback — Indianapolis signed Poole to the practice squad in November, two weeks after he had been released from New England’s scout team 13 days in. The 29-year-old cornerback has also been a member of the Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Florida in 2016. Through 70 career games and 38 starts, Poole has recorded 299 tackles, six sacks, seven interceptions — including a touchdown runback — along with one forced fumble and four fumble recoveries. He initially crossed paths with the Patriots in Super Bowl LI while a Falcons rookie.
NEW ENGLAND
Brian Hoyer, quarterback — Hoyer has thrown touchdowns to 32 different targets during his NFL run. The veteran found wide receivers Zach Pascal and Chester Rogers and tight end Jack Doyle during his 2019 tour in Indianapolis. The Colts had signed Hoyer to a three-year, $12 million deal that September after he had been released by the Patriots. Four appearances and one start followed as Hoyer passed for 372 yards with four scores and four interceptions. The Michigan State alum then rejoined the organization that he signed with an undrafted rookie in 2009 and previously returned to in 2017. Now at age 36, Hoyer has gone 6-of-7 passing for 164 yards this year. In November, he hit Jakobi Meyers for the wideout’s first touchdown catch.
Lawrence Guy, defensive tackle — No. 233 overall in the 2011 draft spent his rookie season on injured reserve before departing from the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad the next fall. Guy did so for a spot on the 53 in Indianapolis. He appeared in his first nine NFL games while a Colt to record 21 tackles and a sack against quarterback Matt Schaub. The defensive tackle by way of Arizona State was waived and claimed by the San Diego Chargers in 2013 and found himself a Baltimore Raven by 2014. Guy now finds himself a Super Bowl LIII champion and on the Patriots All-Decade depth chart. The 31-year-old has started 73 of his 75 contests with New England, accruing 279 tackles, 8.5 sacks, one forced fumble, four fumble recoveries and a pick.
Carl Davis Jr., defensive tackle — The Colts marked the third team of the NFL journey for Davis, who originally landed in the third round of the 2015 draft. The Iowa Hawkeye signed with Indianapolis in October 2019 and was released three weeks later. Time with the Jacksonville Jaguars followed before Davis was signed off the practice squad and to New England’s active roster last autumn. The 29-year-old defensive lineman finished 2020 on injured reserve due to a concussion. He has since played in every game to log three starts, 16 tackles and his first career solo sack.
Henry Anderson, defensive tackle — Signed to a two-year, $7 million contract in March, Anderson saw action in three games this campaign for New England before being placed on injured reserve with a torn pectoral. The Stanford alum originally set foot in the NFL as a Colts third-round pick in the 2015 draft. He would later be acquired by the Jets during the 2018 draft. Through 78 games and 43 starts, the 30-year-old Anderson has tallied 170 tackles, 11.5 sacks, eight batted passes, four blocked kicks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Sean Davis, safety — The Patriots added Davis to the practice squad one October day after the 28-year-old safety out of Maryland visited for a workout. His debut came before the bye week with five snaps as a Covid-19 replacement. Davis made previous stops this season on the practice squads of the Colts as well as the Cincinnati Bengals, serving as a standard elevation for both clubs through four appearances. Drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2016, Davis has appeared in 69 games and made 42 starts to register 259 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
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