Through two games to begin the season, the Indianapolis Colts’ run defense hasn’t just struggled, but that unit has been run over by the Houston Texans and the Green Bay Packers.
The Colts surrendered 213 rushing yards to the Texans and 261 rushing yards to the Packers. That’s an average of 237.0 rushing yards per game allowed, which of course, is the worst in football. The Carolina Panthers, who rank 31st, are allowing 199.5 rushing yards per game.
In addition to that, and as expected, the 5.1 yards per rush attempt that the Colts are allowing ranks 28th.
At the end of the day, Gus Bradley is the defensive coordinator and has to shoulder the blame for what has transpired so far.
The emphasis on a heavy rotation up front takes players like Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner–prior to his injury–off the field. Against the Packers in particular, who had Malik Willis at quarterback, it should have been known that Green Bay was going to run the ball–so why did it take 164 rushing yards in the first quarter before we saw five man fronts and heavier boxes from the Colts?
“It starts with me as a play caller,” said Bradley on Tuesday via The Athletic. “Getting us in the right call, executing the call, things like that, I take full responsibility for that,” Bradley said. “I think also, though, you gotta look at (whether) there’s a bust on a play. (Whether) there’s a missed a tackle on a play. So, there are a few things that we looked at that said, ‘All right, it’s a shared responsibility.’ It’s not just one thing. We gotta correct all of these things and get them right.”
GM Chris Ballard can also take some of the blame here with the roster constructed in a way that is going to require Taven Bryan and Adetomiwa Adebawore–two undersized pass rushers–to see heavy playing time on running downs.
However, at this stage of the game, personnel-wise, there aren’t any real changes that can be made. This is the Colts defensive line group–although perhaps we do see more of Tyquan Lewis and/or Dayo Odeyingbo inside.
Lastly, the players have to perform, and that just isn’t happening. There have been way too many missed tackles, edges not being set, gaps not being filled by the linebackers, and defenders unable to get off blocks.
It’s Bradley’s job to draw up a game plan that puts the players in a position to make plays, but ultimately, the players have to go make it happen.
When things are this bad, there isn’t any one answer–it’s everything.
If the Colts are going to turn their season around, it starts with the run defense being significantly better. The negative trickle-down effect that a poor run defense has on the rest of the team is oftentimes just too much to overcome on a consistent basis.
“I’m a big believer in, ‘You see what you coach,’” Bradley said. “And right now, they’re not playing very good, so we’ve got to get it right as a coach, and if you’re not demanding it, you’re accepting it. That’s what the conversation (Monday) in the meeting was, ‘These things need to get right,’ and there’s accountability throughout (the coaches and players).”
