Colts are trying to figure out how to fix defense after historically poor start to the season

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts defense has been historically bad through two games this season.

It’s not just that they’re ranked last in points scored, yards allowed, yards per play and yards passing or that they rank No. 31 in run defense. They’ve yielded the second-highest yardage total (1,029) in NFL history through two weeks.

Yes, Indy (0-2) looked marginally better in last weekend’s overtime loss at Kansas City than in its season-opening loss to Baltimore — two teams with league MVPs playing quarterback. But the Colts recognize if they want to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2021, they must find a solution before C.J. Stroud and the winless Houston Texans (0-2) come to town Sunday.

“We have to learn from every single mistake we made and all the good things that we did,” safety Camryn Bynum said. “We have to replicate it and do it even better, and I think just going into next week, going in with high confidence, knowing if we practice the right way, we’ll put ourselves in a good spot to be able to perform on Sunday.”

What’s wrong? What’s not?

Bynum opened the season as the defense’s designated “green dot” radio helmet player, the one coaches use to relay play calls from the sideline to the unit on the field. While most teams use a linebacker, it is one of Indy’s least experienced positions. So Bynum willingly gave it a try throughout training camp and the preseason.

The experiment lasted just one week because Bynum sometimes found himself running from deep coverage to the huddle, trying to get teammates properly aligned before dropping back into coverage. Baltimore took full advantage by snapping the ball fast when the Colts were misaligned, which led to uncovered receivers and improper fits in the ground game.

So Indy’s coaches handed the radio helmet to linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither last week, and Bynum said he thought things went smoother as he managed to better communicate with the rest of the secondary.

Yet the end result wasn’t much better. Patrick Mahomes, Kenneth Walker III and the Chiefs piled up 523 yards in a 70-minute game, compared with the 506 yards the Ravens compiled in the 60-minute regulation game the previous week.

Only the 2016 Oakland Raiders had a worse start, allowing 1,035 yards.

It’s not just the glaring stat lines causing concern, either. Indy already has 22 missed tackles, second in the league to the Denver Broncos, who opened the season with a loss to the Chiefs.

“We all know the obvious things are the yardage we can’t give up, those types of chunk plays to start,” second-year defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said Tuesday. “That’s clear as day to everybody. Where we have to improve and continue to work to improve are just our simple fundamentals. Let’s start with tackling. That was something we were good at last year. We have taken a step back in that area. That was on full display on the negative end the other night.”

Some of the troubles could stem from Indy’s massive offseason defensive overhaul.

General manager Chris Ballard traded linebacker Zaire Franklin, a team captain, to Green Bay for defensive tackle Colby Wooden. He also signed free agent defensive lineman Micheal Clemons, Arden Key, Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery as well as cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, safeties Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas and Davis-Gaither. Then he tried to rebuild the linebacking corps through the draft with the selections of CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher.

Some of those additions so far haven’t worked. Wooden and Thomas were released during final cutdowns, Clemons landed on injured reserve this week and Allen’s assortment of injuries slowed the progression the Colts expected.

But fans don’t want excuses, they want answers. The good news is those 2016 Raiders finished 12-4 and made their first playoff appearance in 14 years.

And Steichen believes his players and coaches can replicate that defensive rally and end their playoff drought at five.

“Yeah, absolutely, I have confidence in Lou,” Steichen said. “No doubt about it. He’s been doing it for a long time in this league. He’s had success in this league, and I have no doubt that this thing will get turned defensively.”

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