Horseshoe Huddle

Colts Defense Etched on the Wrong Side of History After Two Weeks

The Indianapolis Colts' run defense is on the edge of oblivion if they don't answer against the Bears.
Sean Ackerman|
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs for a first down in the fourth quarter againt the Indianapolis Colts during their football game Sunday, September 15, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs for a first down in the fourth quarter againt the Indianapolis Colts during their football game Sunday, September 15, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Indianapolis Colts

The blame for an 0-2 start for the Indianapolis Colts can go a number of ways, but the group that's disappointed the most is undoubtedly Indy's front seven.

For a piece of the defense that was thought to be under control entering the 2024 season, it's been completely the opposite. Joe Mixon and Josh Jacobs have run over the Colts in back-to-back morally devastating losses where the team was simply outplayed.

Through two weeks of NFL action, the Colts have allowed 474(!) yards on the ground to opposing teams -- the highest in the league by a country mile. To put it in comparison, no team has allowed as many rushing yards in the first two games of the season since the 1978 Baltimore Colts, a team that ended the season 5-11.

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To make matters worse, the Colts will be without two-time All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner for at least four weeks due to an ankle injury he suffered against the Packers. In an already battered defense, Buckner's injury could only make things worse as Indy looks to avoid a winless September.

On top of Buckner's absence, rookie defensive edge Laiatu Latu also has a chance of missing a Week 3 battle against the Chicago Bears. Latu suffered a hip injury but could be ready to go after head coach Shane Steichen refused to rule him out after Friday's practice.

Indy's front seven are injured and off to a really bad start, a combination that could prove lethal to any chance of success. The best-graded run defender on the Colts last week was safety Nick Cross (77.3), per Pro Football Focus. Cross, who also leads the league in tackles, has been a silver lining for Gus Bradley's defense but is being asked to step in too often as first-level defenders continue to miss tackles.

Looking ahead, the Colts will face off against Bears running back D'Andre Swift who has tallied only 48 total rushing yards through two weeks. Barring another catastrophic performance, Indy looks to have a more favorable matchup this Sunday.

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Sean Ackerman
SEAN ACKERMAN

Sean Ackerman is the co-Deputy Editor of Indianapolis Colts on SI. Ackerman, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, majored in broadcasting. He's in his third year covering the NFL.

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