As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, scouting the Indianapolis Colts’ defense.
ALEX’S SCHEME REPORT
Colts’ Run Defense
In broad metrics, the Colts’ run defense looks bad and made worse by losing DT DeForest Buckner to an ankle injury. Through three games, they’re allowing 179 yards per game on the ground, 31st in football. They’ve been run on a league-high 121 times — the Green Bay Packers had 53 attempts in Malik Willis’ first start — and they’re a more average 4.4-yard per carry, ranking 15th. Despite all the rush attempts, they’ve given up just one rushing score this season. However, they’ve allowed 15 runs of 10-plus yards, 30th in the NFL. So there’s a mixed bag here. They were run on by the Packers while they adjusted and contained the Chicago Bears’ run game last week.
It’s a base 4-3 defense, the same as last year. It’s worth noting two of the Colts’ linebackers don’t leave the field as opposed to most teams, like Pittsburgh, that only have one such guy. LBs Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed have played 100 and 99 percent of the Colts’ snaps this season, and they don’t play a dime defense with six DBs, even in third and long.
Statistically, S Nick Cross leads the team with 39 tackles. DE Kwity Paye has 3 TFL while CB Jaylon Jones has a pair of them.
They two-gap more than most teams, trying to clog and command double teams to let their linebackers run free. They do a nice job of stopping the run even from lighter boxes against more spread looks.
They will bump their line in tight on early downs, putting a d-tackle head-up on the center with two three techs, an old-school Bear front.
The Colts had a great goal-line stand against Chicago last week, stopping four runs near the goal line. The weakness? Gap schemes gave them more trouble and they lack great team speed on the edge. Receiver runs and crack/toss have worked well against them and the Packers had success. They are prone to taking the cheese and window dressing, slowing down their processing and being late with the eyes. I’d use a heavy amount of motion on them. Also included one RPO throw in the flat as an extension of the run game that can work.
That would be my approach. I’ll go heavy and run power and look to get the ball outside with even the occasional receiver run with Calvin Austin III or maybe even Roman Wilson if he plays. It will be unfortunate if Jaylen Warren can’t go because I like him better on the toss/perimeter run game. The Colts’ DBs struggle to tackle and finish, and Najee Harris could really impose his power and will in this one.
Some other stats. Colts have missed 19 tackles this year, which is a bit above average. They’ve allowed 20.3 points per game this season, tied-13th, but held their last two opponents to exactly 16. They’ve forced four turnovers, a top-10 figure, but have been poor situationally. They’re 26th in red zone defense (66.7 percent) and 28th on third down (50 percent).
Colts’ Pass Defense
They’re allowing 219 yards per game through the air, 21st in football. They allow a high completion percentage and YPA, a dubious combination, 23rd in both categories (70.4 completion percentage, 7.3 YPA). They’ve allowed five passing scores in three games while picking off two passes and have eight sacks. They’ve allowed eight completions of 20-plus yards, tied for 10th-best, so there’s one positive number for them.
No one has more than 1.5 sacks this season, but eight different Colts have picked up at least a half-sack. So they get pressure from different places. Their blitz rate is low, 19.1 percent that ranks 26th, but their pressure rate is just under a quarter and ranks 17th. Paye leads them with four QB hits. NCB Kenny Moore, who may not play this weekend, has a half-sack that came on 3rd and 8 against the Bears last week.
Jones leads the secondary with two picks and three pass breakups.
You see a lot of post safety and MOFC on first down. They want to drop the safety down and play the run. Leaves them vulnerable to play-action and the Bears hit some plays off it. If I was Pittsburgh, I’d mix things up with some first-downs shots. Look for the big play out of heavy personnel when the Colts are gearing up to stop the run.
They play a lot of Cover 3 on early downs so quick outs could work, too, for an easy 5 yards.
They will man up and run more Cover 1 on third down to bring additional pressure, really the only down they bring heat. The Colts also play match principles, especially against 3×1 sets on early downs. Examples of both below.
Watching them defend the Bears two-minute drill, I charted the following coverages against these alignments.
– 3×1 = Cover 6 (Cloud to X-receiver side)
– Empty = Quarters
– 2×2 = Cover 2
And the d-line will align in 3×1 and wide 2×2 looks to stress the edges and run games and twists. Also want to point out that the Bears caught a Hail Mary off the tip last week, stopped at the 1-yard line after the ball got batted into the field of play. But Chicago nearly scored. Just something to file away if Pittsburgh ends up in the same situation.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers head to Indianapolis on Sunday hoping to keep their hot streak going against the Colts, who just won their first game of the season last week against the Chicago Bears. The Colts’ defense is near the bottom of the league to start the season, allowing the second-most yards in football through three games (398 YPG) and allowing the most first downs in the league. They rank 21st against the pass and 31st against the run.
Defensive Line
The Colts’ defensive line is led by Pro Bowl DL No.99 DeForest Buckner, but the veteran went on IR after last week’s game and is slated to miss this week. Beside Buckner on the interior is DL No. 90 Grover Stewart. The 6-4, 315-pound Stewart is an immovable object, having the brute strength and base to sit down in gaps and command double teams, allowing linebackers to run to the ball. He effectively pushes the pocket, trapping opposing RBs in the backfield. He doesn’t have a sack on the season, but he is a handful for centers and guards to block.
Behind Stewart are No. 98 Raekwon Davis, No. 96 Taven Bryan, and No. 95 Adetomiwa Adebawore. Davis came over from Miami this offseason and gives Indy another big-bodied run stuffer in the middle. Bryan is a former first-round pick who’s played for the Jaguars and Browns and started seven games last season with the Colts, adding more pass-rush upside up front along with being a strong run defender. Adebawore is slightly undersized but has great athleticism along the defensive line and is getting more playing time in his second season, logging a sack last week against Chicago.
EDGE
Leading the charge on the edge for the Colts is No. 51 Kwity Paye. The 6-3, 265-pounder is strong against the run, having good play strength, and plays with great effort in pursuit of the ball. He is more disruptive than productive as a pass rusher, but he’s slowly developing more and more with each passing season. He posted 8.5 sacks in 2023 and is at 1.5 through three games this season. He has a non-stop motor and will try to give RT Broderick Jones fits on Sunday.
Indianapolis lost No. 52 Samson Ebukam to a torn Achilles prior to the start of the season, and Indy has rotated multiple edge rushers in his absence. No. 94 Tyquan Lewis is starting in the place of Ebukam and profiles more as a run defender while No. 54 Dayo Odeyingbo brings more pass-rush upside to the table. The freak athlete out of Vanderbilt posted eight sacks and two forced fumbles last season, having a big game against Broderick Jones in their last matchup.
No. 97 Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft this as the talented pass rusher out of UCLA showed that he could beat opposing offensive tackles with a combination of speed, power, and finesse. Latu recorded his first NFL sack last week against Chicago and is starting to see more playing time, bringing more burst to Indy’s front seven. No. 55 Isaiah Land and No. 92 Genard Avery provide depth for Indianapolis at EDGE.
Linebackers
LB No. 44 Zaire Franklin has seen his impact on the defensive side of the ball greatly increase the last several years. Franklin made his bones as a special teams ace and has become a steady, reliable defender who racks up tackles in droves. The former seventh-round pick posted 179 total stops last season and already has 33 this year, having a nose to be around the football. He pursues the ball relentlessly and is a capable blitzer and coverage defender, being the guy to key on in the middle of the defense.
Starting alongside Franklin is No. 45 E.J. Speed. He is better in run-and-chase situations as well as coverage but can struggle going downhill and fighting off blocks due to lack of size (6-4, 227 pounds). He covers ground well thanks to his size and length, working well from sideline to sideline in pursuit of the football. Behind the Colts’ starters are No. 57 Jaylon Carlies, No. 50 Segun Olubi, and No. 41 Grant Stuard with the rookie Carlies rotating in the most. He has good pursuit of the football and can line up on the edge.
Cornerbacks
The main man in the secondary for the Colts is No. 23 Kenny Moore II, who sees time at both outside corner and nickel. Moore has been one of the best slot defenders in the league the last few years, being a physical defender against the run while also an opportunistic coverage defender. He has recorded 17 career INTs and returned two for touchdowns against the Carolina Panthers in the same game last season. He has a hip injury to monitor that has caused him to miss practice, Moore being a huge loss if he can’t go Sunday.
Starting opposite of Baker is rookie No. 40 Jaylon Jones, a seventh-round pick out of Texas A&M who has outplayed his draft status thus far. The 6-2, 203-pounder has great size and decent speed to carry receivers vertically down the field. He can lose his positioning when tracking balls down the field, but he can make the big play, recording two interceptions last week against Chicago.
The Colts also have No. 33 Samuel Womack, who came over from San Francisco and sees time both inside and outside, being a feisty defender who competes in coverage and gets involved against the run. No. 35 Chris Lammons and No. 21 Dallis Flowers provide depth for Indianapolis.
Safeties
Leading the charge at safety is No. 32 Julian Blackmon. Blackmon had a great rookie season in 2020, but unfortunately suffered a torn Achilles in 2021. He has returned to form the last two seasons and has posted 20 total stops through two games this season. Blackmon is a physical hitter, flying to the football and willing to throw his body around to make stops as a run defender. He does some of his best work deep as a centerfield safety, having the range, instincts, and ball skills to cover ground and impact deep pass attempts.
No. 20 Nick Cross was a third-round pick out of Maryland last year and is a great athlete. A good run defender thanks to his play speed and pursuit of the football, He leads the league in tackles with 39 stops. He has flashed in coverage but still is pretty raw in terms of adjusting in man coverage as well as breaking on the ball when tasked with zone coverage.
No. 25 Rodney Thomas has taken a backseat to Cross as a former starter but still rotates in a fair amount, seeing time on the back end as more of a free/deep safety. No. 48 Ronnie Harrison came in last season and has seen time as a sub-package linebacker as well as a dime defender. The Colts also have No. 43 Trevor Denbow, who is primarily a special teams ace.
