The Indianapolis Colts played their first preseason game at home against the Denver Broncos. In that contest, Gus Bradley’s defense was tested and with that, a lot of good came, but also a lot of bad. Bradley is entering his third season as the defensive coordinator for the Colts. After a less-than-stellar 2023 campaign, the Colts are relying on Bradley to turn things around. Preseason games do not tell the whole picture of a team. They do, however, tell a considerable picture of individual players and units. Gus Bradley and the Colts have many things to be happy about from Sunday’s game, but some improvements need to happen.
The Good and Bad from Gus Bradley’s defense
The Good – Laiatu Latu
One of the shining aspects of the Colts’ first preseason game was rookie edge rusher, Laiatu Latu. He was only in the game for a couple of series, but his impact was noticed. On a couple of occasions, Latu was able to disrupt the quarterback. He was also double-teamed on a couple of occasions with a tight end to chip him. In his locker-room interview, Latu expressed how being doubled teamed is a “badge of honor” as it shows that opposing offenses respect his ability. He finished with one tackle and one quarterback pressure.
There is no question that Latu has a love for the game and a dedication to being great. If he can stay healthy, the Colts have found a potential top-tier edge rusher who brings excitement to Gus Bradley’s defense. He also has the skills and talent to make an impact for years to come.
The Good – Forcing Turnovers
Another shining aspect of the Colts’ first preseason game was how they created turnovers. In this league, turnovers are crucial to a team’s success. On Sunday, the Colts were plus two on turnovers. They forced two in the first half with one being a key interception on a bobbled pass and the other being a fumble in the opponent’s own territory. The third turnover came in the third quarter by way of a fumble returned for a touchdown.
Gus Bradley’s starting defense showcased a mass amount of speed to the ball. In the three series in which the starting defense was primarily on the field, they forced a punt, interception, and field goal. All around a very good day. However, it does need to be noted that they were going up against six-year backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham and rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
The Bad – Stopping the Run
Gus Bradley’s second and third-string defense has some little issues with coverage in the secondary. However, the main issue with the defense on Sunday was stopping the run. The Broncos accumulated 131 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns. Throughout the game, the Colts struggled with outside contain and contain within the middle.
Deforest Buckner and Grover Stewart, the Colts’ top defensive linemen in the middle, did not play on Sunday. With that, the depth on the line showed poor execution with stopping the run. The depth in the secondary also showed poor execution with stopping contain on the outside. As a whole, the Broncos only managed 3.4 yards per carry. However, the timing of their runs and the situations in which they ran produced a lot of efficiency in setting up the pass.
The Colts have two more preseason games including joint practice this week with the Arizona Cardinals. If Indy does not choose to add more experience to their defense for depth, Gus Bradley will have an uphill battle to climb. That being said, though, this inexperience can lead to development and potential greatness. Unfortunately, this development might take some time to manifest itself.
Main Photo: Grace Smith/IndyStar-USA TODAY NETWORK
