Three reasons the Colts defense will continue to struggle

Nik Cline
Updated
Colts
Colts

Back in 2012 the Indianapolis Colts hired Chuck Pagano to start a new regime here. Pagano was a defensive minded coach that was supposed to lead the way. That has been far from the case.

Before Andrew Luck, Colts owner Jim Irsay watched his team build around Peyton Manning. That plan worked out for the most part, and even brought a Super Bowl to Indianapolis. However, when Manning went down in 2011, the Colts finished 2-14.

He wanted change and stability on both sides of the football. The Andrew Luck selection was a no-brainer, and pairing him with a defensive coach like Pagano was as well.

But here were are, five season later and the Colts defense is still at the bottom on the league. In fact, the defense has never been this bad under Pagano. And it is only getting worse.

Andrew Luck is playing at an elite level this season, but the team still sits at 3-4.

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The defense ranks 29th in total defense, giving up 399 yards per game. Factor that in with giving up 28.6 points per game (28th) and you have a recipe for disaster.

But those are just broad numbers. What is the real problem with the Colts defense? Here are three areas the Colts will continue to struggle in.

3. Opponent scoring efficiency.

According to sportingcharts.com, the Colts defense is giving up a score on 48 percent of their possessions this season. The highest mark in the league not only this year, but since the stat was started in 2009.

The next two stats show you why that number is so high.

2. Big rushing plays.

The Colts have given up 28 rushes of 10 or more yards this season. That is 30th in the league. The run defense has been in the cellar for years now in Indy.

With the personnel the Colts trot out each week right now, that will not change anytime soon.

1. Yard after catch allowed.

The Colts are allowing 152.9 yards after the catch each week this season. That is 31st in the league.

Factor that in with the big rushing plays allowed and you can see a trend. Blown assignments and missed tackles.

Tackling has seemed to become a thing of the past in Indianapolis this season. Routine tackles are missed and average players have looked like All-Pro’s against them.

This defense allowed Brian Hoyer and Brock Oswieler look like Pro Bowl quarterbacks.

Normally a team can make adjustments to fix their weaknesses on defense. That cannot be the case here unless the Colts figure out how to tackle.

If they can figure that out, then maybe than can stop giving up a score on almost 50 percent of their drives.

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