The Unfortunate Reality About Gus Bradley's Job

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Changes need to be made when it comes to the Indianapolis Colts defensive scheme. Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Malik Willis, and Caleb Williams have all had career performances against Gus Bradley’s defense.

Week 1:

– Joe Mixon 159 rush yards (third most in career – best game since 2019)

– Nico Collins 117 receiving yards (3rd straight 100+ receiving game vs Colts

Week 2:

– Josh Jacobs 151 rush yards (third most in career – best game since 2022)

– Malik Willis 12/14 122 yards 1 TD (first 100+ yard passing game of his career and first passing TD of career)

Week 3:

– Caleb Williams 363 yards passing (second most yards in a game through week 3 – now 7th most)

– Rome Odunze 112 receiving yards (94 yards in other four games combined)

Week 4:

– Justin Fields 312 yards passing (second most in his career and only second career 300+ yard passing game)

– George Pickens 113 receiving yards (197 in other four games combined)

Week 5:

– Trevor Lawrence 371 yards passing (Most in his career)

– Brian Thomas Jr. recorded first 100+ yard receiving game

– Tank Bigsby ran for career high 101 and 2 TDs 

Want to play the injury card? Fine. Missing DeForest Buckner, JuJu Brents, Kenny Moore II, Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis is nothing to scoff at. However, General Manager Chris Ballard gushed about the defensive line depth leading up to the season.

“I feel really good about our fronts, man. I mean, I do. I think we’re really good upfront. I think on both sides of the ball, you could say this probably is our best front teams. I think the skill, now they’re young, but I do think we’re really skilled. I think it’s a really good football team. Now, we’ve got to go perform. ” Chris Ballard in August about the Colts.

That defensive line group did not generate one quarterback hit in Sunday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence was just pressured ONCE on his thirty-four drop backs. It was the second time this season that the defense failed to register one quarterback hit on the opposing QB.

Blame can be applied to the defensive line not getting after the quarterback, the defensive backs not giving the defensive line enough time to pressure the quarterback, or the lack of creativity defensively. How often do you see the Colts bring E.J. Speed and Zaire Franklin up to the line of scrimmage to act like they’re blitzing? Hardly. Indianapolis is tied for the fourth fewest number of blitzes this season (32). Detroit has played one less game and ghas blitzed 25 more times than the Colts. In terms of blitz percentage, the Colts are blitzing 17.2% of the time, second lowest.

Indianapolis started Laiatu Latu (15th overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft), Grover Stewart (4th round pick), Dayo Odeyingbo (2nd round pick), and Taven Bryan (29th overall pick in 2018 NFL Draft) on Sunday. It wasn’t like the Colts were starting guys they elevated from the practice squad, signed off the street, or anything like that. These are guys, minus Bryan, that Ballard has invested draft capital in.

Since Jacksonville fired Bradley in 2016, this is where the Bradley’s defenses have ranked in points scored ever since:

• 2017 – 17.0 points per game – 3rd – Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
• 2018 – 20.6 points per game – 8th – Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
• 2019 – 21.6 points per game – 14th – Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
• 2020 – 26.6 points per game – 23rd – Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
• 2021 – 25.8 points per game – 26th – Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Coordinator
• 2022 – 25.1 points per game – Tied for 29th – Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator
• 2023 – 24.4 points per game – 28th – Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator
• 2024 – 24.4 points per game – 25th (through 5 games) – Indianapolis Colts Defensive Coordinator

The reality is that it seems unlikely Bradley will be fired during the season. All of the assistant defensive coaches are his guys. Only two defensive coaches on staff even have experience calling plays as a coordinator. Defensive line coach Charlie Partridge and linebackers coach Richard Smith. Partridge was a co-defensive coordinator at the college level with Pittsburgh (2018-2023) and Wisconsin (2011-2012). Smith’s experience as a coordinator was with the Falcons (2015-2016), Texans 2006-2008), and Dolphins (2005).

On Monday’s edition of Query & Company, CBS4 and FOX59’s Mike Chappell joined the conversation about Gus Bradley’s future.

To listen to Jake Query and Jimmy Cook’s conversation with Mike Chappell, download the podcast containing the conversation below! You can always listen to the Query & Company from 12pm-3pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. You can also watch and interact with the show by going to the 107.5 The Fan YouTube Channel.

The Unfortunate Reality About Gus Bradley’s Job was originally published on 1075thefan.com