Colts: TJ Carrie being ruled out for Week 4 is huge blow to defense
The Colts’ secondary continues to get rocked by injuries.
The Indianapolis Colts could be getting Rock Ya-Sin back in Week 4 after the young cornerback missed the last two weeks with a stomach illness. However, if he does return (it’s still not guaranteed), he’ll merely be replacing another lost member of the secondary.
TJ Carrie, whom the Colts signed in free agency this offseason to bolster their veteran presence in the defensive backfield alongside Xavier Rhodes, has already been ruled out after showing up on the injury report Thursday with a hamstring issue.
We’d like to think defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will be ready to adjust, but this lack of continuity is difficult to cope with regardless of the talent on the roster.
Colts have ruled out CB TJ Carrie for Sunday’s game in Chicago.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 2, 2020
So, Trey Burton and Sheldon Day could make their season debuts Sunday, but team still hasn’t decided.
Carrie’s been a positive influence across three games (one start) in 2020, recording six tackles, two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and three passes defended. He’s been an integral member of a Colts’ defense that’d held their opponents to just 225.3 yards per game (fewest in NFL), including a paltry 396 total passing yards (also fewest in NFL).
Now it’ll be up to Xavier Rhodes, who has rebounded tremendously the past two weeks, Isaiah Rodgers, Tremon Smith, and Ya-Sin, assuming he gets the green light for Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
The problem is that Rodgers has played in just 29 defensive snaps this year and Smith just 12.
Frank Reich opens up his daily update saying Michael Pittman and TJ Carrie are ruled out. Carrie had an issue yesterday. No definitive answers on Trey Burton or Sheldon Day (eligible to be activated).
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 2, 2020
While the Bears don’t exactly strike fear into their opponents, Nick Foles is now quarterbacking the offense and Allen Robinson has gotten off to a fast start with 18 receptions for 230 yards and a touchdown in the first three games of the season. Fellow wideout Anthony Miller has two TDs and tight end Jimmy Graham has hauled in three himself.
Chicago head coach Matt Nagy, who’s an offense-first mind, could look to exploit a wounded Colts secondary, so this will now be a matchup to watch out for come Sunday.
