Is Jim Irsay trying to get Colts defensive coordinator, Gus Bradley, to drastically change his scheme?
Recently, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, revealed a conversation he had with new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
During the final preseason game for the Indianapolis Colts, team owner Jim Irsay joined the broadcast during the third quarter. Irsay is one of the more involved owners in the league that also has an eclectic style and a real knowledge of football. Both are on display every time he talks and his appearance during Saturday’s game was no different.
During the conversation, something interesting came up when Irsay was asked about Indy’s new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Irsay revealed the details of a meeting he had with Bradley where he expressed to the new defensive coordinator what he would love to see from the defense. The one thing that Irsay stressed to Bradley is that he wants to see pressure. He wants the Colts to be a team that makes opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable in the pocket.
Irsay highlighted Indy’s last win against the Tennessee Titans as an example. In Week 10 of the 2020 season, the Colts were able to keep Ryan Tannehill uncomfortable and it led to a 34-17 win. Irsay believes consistently getting after the QB like that will take Indy back to the top. The problem is, Gus Bradley isn’t really a defensive coordinator that’s going to dial up blitz to make sure he’s pressuring the quarterback.
How will Gus Bradley pressure the quarterback with the Colts?
It has become somewhat of a running joke in NFL circles about how Bradley refuses to blitz, but, as J. Cole said, all good jokes contain some truth. Gus Bradley-coached defenses have had the lowest blitz percentage each of the last three seasons. That’s just not his style of defense.
However, you don’t necessarily have to blitz to get after the quarterback. Even still, Bradley’s defenses haven’t had impressive sack numbers in the last two seasons. Last year with the Las Vegas Raiders, the team had 35 sacks, which was 20th in the NFL. In 2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers, LA was 25th in the league with just 27 sacks.
When Bradley first arrived in Indianapolis, he said the goal was to find ways to generate pressure with just the four defensive linemen. That’s why Indy traded for Yannick Ngakoue and has been focused on developing the team’s young defensive linemen. Either the new group of defensive linemen will step up and generate a consistent pass rush, or Bradley may have to start acting brand new and draw up some blitz.
However it gets done, Jim Irsay has made clear that he’s ready for the Colts to have an elite pass rush again and it’s on Gus Bradley to deliver that in his first season with the team.
