Colts' Linebacker Room Was Somehow Worse Than It Looked

Indianapolis got exposed at linebacker against Baltimore, raising even more questions about why CJ Allen never played.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Tahj Chambers (44) tackles Baltimore Ravens wide receiver LaJohntay Wester (10) on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, during a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Indianapolis Colts’ linebacker corps looked awful against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

Then you look at the numbers, and somehow it gets even worse.

Baltimore rolled up 506 total yards in a 41-23 win at Lucas Oil Stadium, including 202 on the ground. Baltimore RB Derrick Henry ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns, while Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson threw for 324 yards and added another score with his legs.

What makes the performance even more frustrating is that Colts rookie LB CJ Allen never saw the field.

Allen was active Sunday, but played zero defensive snaps and zero special-teams snaps despite how badly the rest of the linebacker room struggled.

Shane Steichen said afterward that Allen was banged up during camp and is still working his way back into football shape.

That makes sense to a point. Allen dealt with calf and hamstring injuries, but after watching this room get picked apart for four quarters, it is hard to understand how Indianapolis could not find one snap for its first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Numbers Are Almost Impossible to Ignore

Jul 30, 2026; Westfield, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts linebacker Jaylon Carlies (57) participates in a drill on day two of training camp at Grand Park Sports Campus. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colts LB Jaylon Carlies started and played 42 snaps.

He recorded zero tackles. Zero passes defended. Zero statistics of any kind.

For a linebacker who entered the league as a safety and is supposed to bring coverage ability, that is an absurdly quiet night.

Colts rookie LB Bryce Boettcher played just 23 snaps and finished with six tackles. Veteran LB Akeem Davis-Gaither led the room with eight, but the unit struggled against both the run and the pass.

Modern linebackers cannot just fill gaps anymore. They have to survive in coverage against tight ends, running backs and quick slot receivers, and Baltimore exposed Indianapolis in every direction.

The scheme was not much better.

Colts DC Lou Anarumo entered Sunday 1-9 against Jackson. He is now 1-10, and after the Ravens piled up 506 yards, at some point something has to change.

That frustration only grows after the Colts waived CB Jaylon Jones last week, putting more pressure on Anarumo’s vision for this defense.

It Is Time to Let the Rookies Play

Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs with the ball past Indianapolis Colts linebacker Bryce Boettcher (50) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There does need to be some perspective here. This linebacker rotation, cornerback room and safety group had never played a regular-season snap together before Sunday, and their first test came against Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and one of the most explosive offenses in football.

That is a brutal matchup for a defense still trying to figure out how all of its pieces fit together. If Baltimore is still playing deep into January, this performance probably will not look quite as embarrassing in hindsight.

But that does not excuse what we saw Sunday.

Indianapolis was bad against the run, bad in coverage and too often looked a step behind before the ball was even snapped. That is where the frustration with Allen not seeing the field really comes in.

Allen was the Colts’ first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Boettcher already showed in limited action that he can make plays around the football. If this linebacker room is going to have growing pains anyway, I would much rather see Indianapolis start getting those young guys meaningful reps now.

Nobody should be writing off this defense after one game, especially against Baltimore. But Kansas City is up next, and the schedule is not exactly giving this group much time to slowly figure things out.

The Colts do not need to completely overhaul the defense after Week 1, but they do need answers quickly. Because if the linebacker play we saw Sunday becomes the norm instead of the exception, this defense is going to be a problem all season.

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