Following a disappointing first year in charge of the defense, the Indianapolis Colts gave defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo the players he needed to implement his philosophy. Once again, they reunited him with some familiar faces to make life easier.
While everyone else made some moves, the Colts signed veteran linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither to a one-year, $2.75 million deal early in the offseason, presumably to be a backup at best. But with CJ Allen missing time in training camp and not being there yet, the Colts had no choice but to roll with him.
Suffice it to say that it didn't go as planned, as the former Arizona Cardinal was on the wrong end of several big plays in the Week 1 41-23 loss against the Baltimore Ravens. It got so bad that most fans probably wouldn't mind if he got cut in the locker room.
Akeem Davis-Gaither didn't give the Indianapolis Colts much in Week 1
To be fair, it was a pretty rough outing for the entire defense, but Davis-Gaither had plenty to do with that. In a game where Lamar Jackson had all day to stand in the pocket and find his receivers in stride, Davis-Gaither's lack of awareness was just baffling.
He struggled mightily in coverage, and he also failed to adjust whenever Jackson left the pocket and moved on to the second level. It was a tough watch, and the final box score (five tackles and three assists) doesn't tell even half of the story.
With all due respect, there's a reason why Davis-Gaither was never considered a starter. He's struggled everywhere he's been, and he's not particularly strong against the run or in coverage. He's not a starting-caliber player for a contending team.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he gave up three receptions on as many targets for 47 yards, including 18 yards after the catch and one missed tackle. Props to the new-look Ravens for how they schemed up plays and everything, but this is unacceptable.
The Colts gave up a whopping 506 total yards of offense, 202 of which came on the ground. Granted, there's no such thing as containing Derrick Henry, but it was just a lousy effort overall. Anarumo's seat should've been lukewarm in Week 1, and his old pal from the Bengals definitely didn't do much to help his case.
Unfortunately, Anarumo and company can't afford to be patient with Allen. They will have to throw him into the mix and give him a baptism by fire to get him up to speed. If this is an omen of what's to come, this team will have to make some moves or show him the door.
Add us as a preferred source on Google