Content available exclusively for subscribers
This is a major transition year for the Indianapolis Colts’ defense.
The Jets’ Week Six opponent is moving from the Tony Dungy-esque 4-3 front, they were playing for quite some time, to Baltimore’s 3-4, a Rex Ryan-type defense.
The Colts essentially have two defensive coordinators, the head coach, Chuck Pagano, who handled that role last year in Baltimore, and Greg Manusky, who has the title.
These two are strong believers in the 3-4.
Manusky came over from San Diego, where he was the coordinator last year, after spending the previous four years handling the job in San Francisco.
Pagano had the team sign three former Ravens to help with the installation, and provide on-field leadership – defensive ends Brandon McKinney and Cory Redding, and safety Tom Zbikowski.
This was similar to what Rex Ryan did when he came to the Jets, and brought defensive end Marques Douglas, linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard with him.
The biggest question on defense is whether long-time stalwarts at defensive end Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis can make the transition to outside linebacker.
The Colts clearly think they can do it because they kept them both around, and are paying both of them a lot of money.
There is a good chance this will work out well. Honestly, if they were both coming out of school now, they probably would have been drafted by 3-4 teams. They are both built like 3-4 outside linebackers, and both possess the requisite speed and quickness for the job.
We know they will both be able to handle the pass rushing part of the job, and stopping the run. The big question is can either of them cover anybody, which you are asked to do, from time to time, in this job.
The Colts, in their old defense, liked smaller, faster linebackers, so the new regime inherited a few players who might not be ideal fits for a 3-4.
Inside linebacker Pat Angerer, who is a terrific player, is just 6-0, 235, not ideal size for ILB in the new defense. We all remember what happened to Jon Vilma, when the Jets switched to the 3-4. He just wasn’t big enough to play ILB in this defense. Angerer could have the same problem.
Speaking of covering, the Colts don’t seem particularly strong at corner, and this could be a problem in 2012. They didn’t address this position in the draft. Right now, Kevin Thomas and Jerraud Powers are the starters.
Zbikowski will start at one of the safety spots, and it remains to be seen if he’s starting material. Baltimore never thought so. He’s supertough, but is a little stiff athletically.
Expect Pagano and GM Ryan Grigson to be very active on the waiver wire, defensively, this summer, with a keen eye on the Jets and Baltimore, two teams playing a similar defense.
This is a defense in major transition, so if the Jets can’t move the ball consistently on these guys, they clearly aren’t a good offense.
July 14, 2012
(Premium will return on MONDAY by 9:30 pm.)
