Colts' Shane Steichen: 'I've Got Faith and Trust' in DC Gus Bradley

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen reinforced his belief in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley despite a horrific defensive performance.

Colts Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley and head coach Shane Steichen on the sideline during fourth quarter action. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The 2024 season has not been kind to the Indianapolis Colts defense.

The Colts started the season by allowing over 250 yards rushing in each of their first two games, leading to an 0-2 start. Indy seemed to stop the bleeding against the run in their next two contests but allowed Caleb Williams and Justin Fields to each throw for over 300 yards. Despite giving up big afternoons through the air, the Colts captured back-to-back victories.

But everything came to a head last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts defense gave up a season-high 497 yards and 37 points to the lone winless team in the NFL. Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for a career-high 371 yards to help lead the Jags to victory and send the Colts home with their tails between their legs.

Through five weeks, the Colts rank near the bottom of the league in many defensive categories. They are last in the league in yards allowed per game (419.2), 31st in run defense (157.0 ypg), and 29th in pass defense (262.2 ypg). The scoring numbers are not much better, as the Colts are ranked 25th after allowing 24.4 points per game.

Much of the blame for the Colts' defensive troubles has been placed on defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Bradley is in his third season as the Colts defensive coordinator, and the defense has seemingly regressed each season. Fans were calling for Bradley's firing at the end of last season.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (4) breaks loose for a touchdown score against Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon (32) during the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Colts, however, have continued to show faith in Bradley. Head coach Shane Steichen echoed his support for the DC after the loss to the Jaguars.

"Gus (Bradley) has been doing this for a long time and he's had incredible defenses – obviously, where he's been," Steichen stated on Monday. "And I’ve got the faith and trust in him to get this thing turned around."

Indy has seen a steady decline in their defense since Bradley was hired in 2022. The Colts' rankings in total defense have gone from 15th (334.0 ypg) to 24th (349.8) to last (419.2). Although the yardage has increased, the scoring defense has largely remained the same, going from t-28th (25.1 ppg) to 28th (24.4) to 25th (24.4).

The root of frustration for many fans is the scheme Bradley deploys. The Colts play a lot of zone coverage in an effort to limit explosive plays. The Colts also do not blitz very often, relying on their front four to get pressure while dropping everyone else in coverage.

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Neither tactic was effective against the Jaguars. With the Colts playing a lot of soft coverage, Lawrence got the ball out quickly to his receivers on short throws to neutralize the pass rush. It resulted in just one pressure all day from the Colts.

Explosive plays were readily available for the Jags as well. Three plays of over 60 yards were given up by the Colts on Sunday, with two going for touchdowns. It is hard to win any game when the defense plays as poorly as Indy's at EverBank Stadium.

"If you look back at the game, the biggest thing that we need to improve on is not giving up the explosive plays," Steichen explained. "We allowed too many of those and we’ve got to get those things cleaned up. And also, affecting the quarterback whether that's with the four-man rush, a five-man rush or a six-man rush. We’ve got to affect the quarterback early in games and we go from there.”

The Colts have given up 33 explosive plays – counted as runs of over 10 yards and passes of over 20 yards – through five weeks of the season. If the Colts are not able to stop the explosive plays, it defeats one of the core principles of Bradley's defensive scheme.

Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley on the sideline during late fourth quarter action at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Bradley is not the only one at fault for the Colts' defensive struggles. The Colts have been hit with numerous injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Seven starters on the Colts' defense are either on injured reserve or have missed time this season. The defense desperately needs to get healthy and stay that way.

General manager Chris Ballard also holds some of the blame for not properly addressing the concerns about this defense heading into the season. One example is the depth at cornerback. While Samuel Womack III has turned into a solid find off waivers, Ballard and the Colts put their trust in a cornerback coming off an Achilles injury in Dallis Flowers and two late-round rookies in Jaylin Simpson and Micah Abraham to provide adequate depth at the position. Flowers and Abraham are no longer on the team, and Simpson is on the practice squad.

Players also have to produce on the field. The Colts had 16 missed tackles on Sunday, including six by E.J. Speed. Miscommunications and mistakes in coverage also helped the Jaguars offense have a banner day. If the players do not execute, it will not matter who the coach is or what scheme is run by the Colts' defense.

While there is plenty of blame to go around, it all starts with Bradley. Steichen has known Bradley for a long time and will continue to voice support for his defensive coordinator. However, even Steichen referenced the need for accountability and immediate improvement.

"I’ve got a lot of confidence in the guys in the locker room. I really do," Steichen reiterated. "We had two good weeks the past two weeks. Obviously, we'd love to have yesterday back, but we can't take it back. We’ve got to move forward. We’ve got to learn from our mistakes. There's constructive criticism, holding people accountable going forward, and that's what we’ve got to get done."

It is unlikely that Bradley will be fired during the season unless the Colts' defense nosedives even further. But make no mistake, Bradley is coaching for his job, because if the Colts' defense does not improve, there will be a new man calling the shots for that side of the ball next season.

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