The Indianapolis Colts were routed by the Baltimore Ravens in their 2026 regular season opener after Lou Anarumo’s defense was torn to pieces. To compete for the division title and make the playoffs, the Colts have to fix their defensive issues as soon as possible, and that might include slot corner Justin Walley, who was toasted by Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers.
The next test is the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, who just dropped 31 points on one of the best defenses in the NFL last year. Another poor Indianapolis defensive performance likely results in another disastrous loss.
In Week 1, the Colts’ weakest link was second-year nickel cornerback Justin Walley. The Chiefs have plenty of dangerous weapons, including multiple players who can specifically take advantage of Walley. If Anarumo doesn’t come up with a solution, his unit will stand no chance against Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City.
Indianapolis Colts need to address their Justin Walley problem in Week 2
There wasn’t one player to blame for the Colts’ Week 1 defensive collapse. Anarumo was outcoached, the run defense had no answer for Derrick Henry, and Lamar Jackson threw all over the secondary for more than 300 yards. However, the most vulnerable Indianapolis player on the field was Walley in the slot.
Walley was a big question mark entering this season. The Colts selected him in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but a torn ACL sidelined him for his entire rookie season. The game against the Ravens was the first competitive snap Walley has played since November 2024, when he was still in college.
Despite his lack of in-game NFL experience, Walley’s performance in practice has been promising, and Indianapolis trusted him to be their starting nickel cornerback. It's still very early, but that bet looked like a mistake in Week 1.
Baltimore wide receiver Zay Flowers had an explosive 150-yard game — all in the first half — largely operating in the slot and targeting the matchup against Walley. The young Colts corner looked totally lost trying to keep up with Flowers, who consistently beat Walley in space.
Heading into Week 2, the Chiefs will likely replicate the Ravens’ game plan. Kansas City’s top two wideouts — Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy — can both line up in the slot. Similar to Flowers, their speed and route-running could once again expose Walley.
While none are perfect, Anarumo has a few options at his disposal to try to resolve the slot corner issue. After serving a one-game suspension, the Colts added veteran corner Cam Taylor-Britt to their 53-man roster this week. Taylor-Britt is familiar with Anarumo’s scheme from his days in Cincinnati and has experience playing in the slot. He could be a logical and more proven alternative to Walley.
Anarumo could also shift his star lockdown cornerback Sauce Gardner to the slot when necessary. The Ravens purposefully deployed Flowers on the inside to avoid a matchup with Gardner. The Chiefs may do the same with Rice and Worthy. While the Colts generally prefer to not move Sauce around, they might not have a choice.
Finally, it’s important to remember that Week 1 was Walley’s pro debut. He clearly has the right traits to be a solid NFL player and may just need time to adjust to the big leagues. Anarumo may choose to let Walley develop with more in-game reps, but that’s a risky gamble. And by the time Walley figures it out, if he even can, it might be too late for Indianapolis’ season.
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