The Indianapolis Colts are 8-2, and while they are entering the bye week after playing two iffy games, the truth is, NFL games should be close. The good teams steal ones they shouldn't at times, and Indy is a good team. But the second half of the season could expose them a bit more.
This is especially true defensively. One might wonder what Lou Anarumo's defense would look like if it could ever get healthy, but nearly every team battles some brutal injuries. The issue for the Colts is that when they add a player on defense, they seem to lose another key guy.
This happened when the team shockingly acquired cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New York Jets at the trade deadline, but then saw DeForest Buckner go on injured reserve. But it isn't the back of the defense and the front that are the issues. It's the middle of the field that can eventually stunt the potential of the 2025 Indy team.
Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo needs to fix one glaring issue
Anarumo doesn't ask his inside linebackers to do a lot. The group doesn't need to pressure quarterbacks, but it does need to help stop the run and provide good pass coverage in a zone scheme. The problems with that zone coverage are beginning to show, and could be exposed by better teams.
The greatest offender might be in-season free agent signee Germaine Pratt. He is consistently slow to roll over in coverage. Against the Falcons in Week 10, Atlanta was able to get wide receiver Drake London to find the opening in the zone, and Indy couldn't stop the play.
When Pratt was targeted, London caught all four of his passes for 74 yards and a touchdown. When working outside, London was targeted just three times, catching two of them for 30 yards. The Falcons don't have a great many good receivers, but Indianapolis struggled against the one they do have.
The upcoming schedule features offense with multiple high-end receivers. The Colts play the Kansas City Chiefs after the bye week, and one can safely assume KC head coach Andy Reid is salivating at the production his offense can have in the middle of the field with tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Rashee Rice.
The Seattle Seahawks in Week 15 have the kind of defense that could slow the Colts' fantastic offense, but they have the tools on offense in wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp to cause Anarumo to have nightmares about his team's ability to cover in the middle of the field. Pratt and Zaire Franklin will need help.
The same problem will exist in Week 16 when Indy takes on the San Francisco 49ers. Running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle could easily be the difference in the game.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Pratt ranks 85th among inside linebackers as far as coverage grades. Franklin is worse at 129. Franklin has allowed 33 of the 43 times he has been targeted to be completed for 308 yards. Pratt has allowed 31 completions on 43 targets for 310 yards and three touchdowns.
How does the inside linebacker coverage issue get fixed? That is up to Lou Anarumo. He will need to be at his game-planning best for the Indianapolis Colts to continue their momentum.