Sustainability remains the only question for Colts’ top-ranked defense

The Colts have the top defense in the NFL by an extreme margin, but there’s more to prove.

Through the first quarter of the season, the Indianapolis Colts have taken the NFL by storm with their top-ranked defense.

Questions swirled in the preseason whether or not the team was finally going to take the next step with the plethora of young talent that GM Chris Ballard had been stockpiling since 2017. With a roster largely built of the same core as last year, apart from a few key offseason pickups, it wasn’t a sure thing.

Nothing loomed larger over the defense more than the need to generate pressure off the edge. Last year, the team ranked 16th in total sacks and 20th in sack yards lost. That surely wasn’t going to be good enough to survive 2020.

The only bright spot last year was the team’s success defending the run (finishing seventh in rush yards allowed per game), but that was negated by the secondary’s wildly inconsistent play that led had them tied for 30th in completion percentage allowed with 70.1% (one of just three teams to allow over 70%).

Heading into the offseason, Ballard did what he had never done in his three-year stint: be aggressive in free agency. He attacked swiftly and immediately traded the team’s 13th overall pick for All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and inked him to a long-term deal immediately after. He went out and snagged two veteran corners as well — Xavier Rhodes and TJ Carrie — with the hopes of finally getting the secondary unit up to par with the emerging front-seven’s run defense that had been successful since 2018.

In the draft, the Colts made a controversial move with their third-round pick, taking Utah safety Julian Blackmon despite him being regarded as the second-best safety on his college roster. Coming off of a season-ending ACL injury, many around the league predicted Blackmon would end with the same fate as current Colts starting safety, Malik Hooker — ultimate potential but unable to stay on the field.

Through four games of the season, the tables have turned. The Colts have the best defense in the NFL, and it isn’t even a contest. In terms of the run defense, it’s steadily improved to fourth in the league behind the stellar linebacking corps of Darius Leonard, Anthony Walker and Bobby Okereke. They’ve allowed just one rushing touchdown all year and only 77 yards per game from the ground. Buckner and Justin Houston have combined for five sacks and endless QB pressures.

By far the biggest jump was in the pass defense. The team has allowed just 159.3 yards per game and has forced a league-leading seven interceptions. For a back end consisting of write-offs and rookies, the unit has performed absolutely brilliantly.

Xavier Rhodes is back to his No. 1 cornerback status from a few years ago, as he’s already snagged two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and has five passes defended. Additional, he’s allowed a 50% completion rate and just one touchdown.

Blackmon has played in three of the four games so far this year, starting the last two after Hooker ended his fourth consecutive season with an injury, and he’s been incredible. Blackmon has allowed a 42.7% completion rate while notching five passes defended and an interception. And don’t forget the added boost from Carrie and improved play from the Khari Willis-Rock Ya-Sin sophomore duo in the secondary.

The only question that remains is sustainability. It’s clear that, through four games, the team hasn’t faced any stellar offenses. Jacksonville’s 19th-ranked offense (in terms of total yards) is the best one the Colts have seen so far this season.

But that’s going to change fast. This week they’ll see the Browns, who have shown to possess the offensive firepower to run through anybody. If Indy is able to get by with a win and carry that into their matchups with Cincinnati and Detroit, it’ll be perfect for them heading into their bye week.

The reason being is that the schedule toughens up significantly starting in Week 9. Six of their final nine games will come against teams that are .500 or better:

Week 9: vs Ravens (3-1)

Week 10: @ Titans (3-0)

Week 11: vs Packers (4-0)

Week 12: vs Titans (3-0)

Week 13: @ Texans (0-4)

Week 14: @ Raiders (2-2)

Week 15: vs Texans (0-4)

Week 16: @ Steelers (3-0)

Week 17: vs Jaguars (1-3)

If the defense can stay hot and the offense can score over 20 points per game in those final nine weeks (not a tall order given the 25.8 points per game the team averages so far), the Colts could be in a prime position to make the playoffs and go on a run.

Sustaining on the defensive side of the ball will also silence all the critics, and Colts fans would sure love to see that.

Colts better have internal options at LB because free agent market is terrible

The Indianapolis Colts have gotten hit hard with injuries at the linebacker position and hopefully guys can step up because the free agent market is bad.