For Being a Defensive Minded Coach, Chuck Pagano’s Defense Still Struggling

Five years ago, the Indianapolis Colts brought in former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano to shore up their defense.

Team owner Jim Irsay‘s original expectation regarding the hiring was that the Colts would be a more well-balanced team (instead of just an often one dimensional team featuring an elite offense), which would ultimately translate into more playoff success overall come January.

Yet, five years later, the Colts defense is about as bad as it’s ever been.

Specifically, the Colts ranked 22nd in allowed average points per game at 24.5 avg. ppg., 30th in total average yards per game at 382.9 total avg. ypg. (the worst in franchise history since 1981 via Fox 59’s Mike Chappell), 27th in total average passing yards per game at 262.5 total avg. passing ypg., and 25th in total average rushing yards per game at 120.4 total avg. rushing ypg.

Five years is an eternity in today’s NFL, where head coaches, starting quarterbacks, and other players are usually given a 2-3 year shelf life to either ‘sink or swim’ before being put out to pasture–should they falter.

While the Colts initially had the excuse that it takes a few years to successfully transition from a ‘Cover 2’ defensive scheme to a true ‘3-4’ system that the team now deploys, it shouldn’t have taken more than three seasons to completely overhaul the defensive roster and implement Pagano’s scheme.

The reality of the situation is that the Colts are now entering ‘Year 6’, and their defense hasn’t improved at all–leaving many to question what exactly is the point of having a defensive minded coach when the defense routinely hasn’t been any good.

To be fair, that isn’t necessarily all Pagano’s fault, as after all, even an award-winning baker can’t necessarily bake a cake with inferior ingredients–not that Pagano will necessarily be featured on The Food Network anytime soon.

Point being, the Colts have invested very little into their defense, which this past season, was littered with aging veterans–namely at starting linebacker.

It’s worth noting that in his general manager Ryan Grigson‘s last 5 draft classes, only 4 of the team’s 14 players (28.6%) selected in the first three rounds of each respective year total have actually been on defensive players.

2 of those 4 defensive players were former 2013 first round pass rusher Bjoern Werner and 2015 3rd round cornerback D’Joun Smith–neither of whom are even still on the team.

While the Colts have a handful of impact players defensively including veteran cornerback Vontae Davis, as well as young building blocks such as safety Clayton Geathers and defensive end Henry Anderson–perhaps even rookie defensive lineman Hassan Ridgeway, there is little else beyond them.

Starting 2nd-year nose tackle David Parry has been a nice find as a 2015 5th round pick for Grigson–having started all 32 games over the past two seasons, but may be better served as a rotational defensive lineman rather than the Colts long-term answer at the position.

There aren’t many other players three years from now that someone would even reasonably expect to still be on the starting defense–maybe young safety T.J. Green if he can make significant strides in his 2nd-year, having had more than his fair share of rookie struggles.

It’s a fair question of whether the Colts actually have enough talent defensively to have consistent success, as the unit is desperately in need of young impactful talent–especially at the 2nd level of the defense.

Simply put, the Colts have no proven young pass rushers, which is a huge deficiency defensively in today’s passing league.

The team has been through two defensive coordinators under Pagano with the departed Greg Manusky and now Ted Monachino, but the unit hasn’t gotten any better–raising the question of whether it’s the defensive coaching or purely a lack of talent all together.

Maybe it’s a combination of both.

Grigson hasn’t given Pagano an abundance of defensive talent by any means, but at the same time, has the Colts embattled head coach maximized what he’s actually been given?

For all of the blaming of Andrew Luck‘s mistakes or for holding onto the football too long, the offensive line’s shoddy pass protection, etc., it’s actually the defense that has largely been the Colts downfall this season.

Regardless of who’s calling the shots on the sidelines next season, the Colts defense has to significantly improve going forward. It’s just a matter now of whether it’ll be Pagano still entrusted with such a tall task come 2017.