If The Colts Defense Gets Burned Again, Then What?
Sunday afternoon against the Chicago Bears is starting to feel less like a game in Week 3 and more like a pressure cooker situation for the Colts. Already sitting at 0-2, a loss on Sunday would put them firmly on the brink of a season going the wrong direction very quickly.
The Colts are already banged up defensively with Juju Brents out for the season and now without DeForest Buckner for at least the next four games. The run defense has been atrocious, but the good news is the Bears running game has been virtually nonexistent through two games. D'Andre Swift, Chicago's lead running back, is averaging a paltry two yards a carry through two games, while the Bears offensive line hasn't been able to protect rookie quarterback Caleb Williams. Something has to give between these two units.
Should the Bears offense awaken and take Gus Bradley's defense to task on Sunday, holy hell. I can't even fathom what Monday would be like. The Colts need to pressure Caleb Williams and force him into mistakes and take away the running game to make him really work at keeping the offense moving. It sounds simple but the Colts also failed to make Malik Willis even slightly uncomfortable a week ago. They allowed him and the Green Bay offense to get comfortable, do whatever they want offensively and recorded zero sacks against him.
Will there actually be repercussions if the defense gets carved up again? The noise will be deafening outside of West 56th Street for some sort of consequences. But the Colts chose to bring Gus Bradley and his defensive scheme back this season so it seems almost impossible they p
It's not just the Colts defense that needs to step up. The Colts offense will have a really tough task when they take on an elite Chicago defense. The Bears have playmakers all over the defense. From Montez Sweat to TJ Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, Jaylon Johnson, Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, Kevin Byard, etc. The Bears defense can make you pay in multiple ways and if Anthony Richardson isn't at his best it could be another long day for him and the offense. The Bears boast arguably the best secondary in the NFL, which means accuracy will be at a premium.
The pressure is turned up for the Colts, all of their own doing. They have to come out and start hot. They can't be playing from behind again. It's a home game that is likely to feel more like a road game with the amount of Bears fans set to invade Lucas Oil Stadium. A slow start could spell disaster for the Colts. An 0-3 start would put this season quickly in a spiral that nobody could have prepared for. Real questions about the longevity of Gus Bradley and Chris Ballard will go from hot to a full on five alarm fire. Fans will be demanding consequences for a season going off the rails in a hurry.
The Colts need a win in the worst way. Unfortunately, the Bears feel the same way. Something is going to give on Sunday and if it's the Colts...God help us all.
