The Indianapolis Colts faced another disappointing defeat on Sunday, losing 37-34 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Colts were notably undermanned, missing key offensive players like quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor. On defense, they were without several important figures, including DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, and Kenny Moore. It might be tempting to attribute the loss primarily to these injuries, especially on the defensive front. However, this perspective overlooks the fact that the Colts’ defense has struggled significantly since the season began. After five games, they currently rank 25th in points allowed and dead last (32nd) in total yards allowed. If this trend continues, they could be on track for historically poor defensive statistics.
In their first game against the Houston Texans, when the Colts defense was at full strength, they allowed Joe Mixon and his team to rush for an alarming 213 yards. The following week against the Green Bay Packers, who were led by Malik Willis, the Colts surrendered 261 rushing yards. In Week 3, even against a struggling Chicago Bears offense, Caleb Williams managed to throw for 332 yards, a performance that showcased the vulnerabilities in the Colts’ secondary. Although the Colts secured a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, they still permitted a staggering 404 total yards. Most recently, they allowed the Jaguars, a team that had previously lost all four of its games, to accumulate 497 total yards, with 371 of those yards coming from the air—a career high for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
This level of defensive performance is clearly untenable. Fans have been vocal about their desire for defensive coordinator Gus Bradley to be dismissed, and it’s hard to argue against that frustration. Since his arrival, the Colts’ defense has consistently ranked poorly, finishing 28th in points allowed. While they were 15th in yards allowed in his first season, they dropped to 25th in his second. Although injuries have plagued the team this year, their struggles were evident even when they had their top players available.
Concerns about the defense were present even before the season kicked off, particularly regarding the secondary. The Colts chose to downplay these worries, a decision that falls squarely on general manager Chris Ballard. Unfortunately for Bradley, if the defense does not improve, he may be the one held accountable for these ongoing issues.
On the Monday edition of “The Ride With JMV,” host John spoke with Stephen Holder from ESPN about the Colts and their defensive struggles. For more insights and discussions, listeners can tune in to “The Ride With JMV” on weekdays from 3 to 6 PM on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.
Leave a Reply