Defense wins championships. It's a phrase often quoted during the NFL season when a team has a stifling defense. It definitely helps to have an offense that can put numbers on the scoreboard, like the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Per Fox Sports, the Eagles ranked 8th in total offense, 29th in passing, 2nd in rushing, and 7th in scoring. ou may see that scoring rank and think that isn't all that impressive, but it's what they did in the playoffs that mattered the most. During the regular season, they averaged 27.2 PPG (points per game) and then cranked it up to 35.0 PPG in the playoffs.
It's what their defense also did that should be talked about as well. The Eagles defense led the league in fewest yards per game allowing just 278.4 YPG, per ESPN. They also gave up just 17.8 PPG, which was second only to the LA Chargers defense, which gave up a mere 17.7 PPG. So where did the Colts defense rank last season?
During the 2024 campaign, the Colts defense definitely left a lot to be desired. The team ranked near the bottom of the league in yards per game, allowing a whopping 361.2 YPG to opposing offenses in 2024 and 349.8 in 2023. Thus, it's no surprise the defense allowed opponents to score an average of 25.1 PPG, up from 24.4 PPG in 2023. This can be considered a byproduct of two important factors. First, the offense needs to sustain drives and give the defense an opportunity to rest. A defense that has to stay on the field for lengthy periods of time will wear down, and not be able to keep the opposition off the scoreboard. Second would be creating turnovers, as the Colts defense created a respectable 25 takeaways last season. It didn't help that the offense gave the ball away 29 times, but that's a topic for another day.
So, what has changed going into this season? The biggest change comes in the form of replacing defensive coordinator Gus Bradley with former Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Many pundits seem to think this was an upgrade for the Colts, and maybe it is. That may very well be the case, but with Bengals QB Joe Burrow wishing his team had a defense, only time will tell if hiring Lou was a wise decision. Fox Sports shows the 2024 Bengals defense (25th in total defense) ranked four spots ahead of the Colts defense. Not much of an improvement overall.
Indianapolis has a strong D-line, boasting starters Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner, Laiatu Latu, and Dayo Odeyingbo. First round draft pick, Latu, showed growth as the season went on, and looks to improve even further in year two. The signing of veteran cornerback Charvarius Ward, along with safety Camryn Bynum, serves to strengthen the Colts secondary and to provide a threat to opposing quarterbacks looking to go deep downfield. Combine these with Anarumo's reputation for being aggressive, and there is hope for improvement on defense.
None of us know how the season will play out. Change can be good, and at least the team has taken steps to improve upon recent lackluster showings. As I mentioned earlier, defense wins championships, but nobody is expecting 2025 to be a Super Bowl season in Indianapolis. However, the first steps towards becoming world champions can begin this year - baby steps, but steps forward nonetheless.