The defensive coordinator changed, but nothing will if things stay the same elsewhere.
The Indianapolis Colts desperately needed a change on the defensive side of the ball. It was a unit that struggled mightily in 2023 and again in 2024 under Gus Bradley. His propensity for zones and light pressure were problematic, but they were also a symptom of what he had at his disposal. Bradley was only going to be as effective as the players he was provided, and after yelling last season that the Colts needed to bring in more talent on that side of the ball, the calls went unanswered. Lou Anarumo is the new man in town tasked with leading this unit, but he will suffer the same fate as Bradley if Chris Ballard refuses to make personnel changes.
Ending the season, the talk was all about issues regarding egos and how a sense of team and cohesiveness was lost. Ballard admitted that he didn’t create a high enough level of competition and running it back was a mistake. That is going to have to change for Anarumo to find success. Nate Atkins of the IndyStar points out that the new coordinator is going to need more support and better talent at key positions to create the desired change.
And the secondary is probably where the roster overhaul needs to start, because Anarumo’s defense is built from the back forward. …it’s what’s most memorable about his two battles with Mahomes, the way he changed the looks from pre-snap to post-snap…
Anarumo’s defense fell off primarily because the Bengals let Jessie Bates walk in free agency after that 2022 postseason. The loss…dictated the way he’d deploy his linebackers, which impacted the aggressiveness and disguises of his pressure packages…it’s what the Colts risked all season last year by not bringing in a difference-making safety for Bradley.
Changing the defensive coordinator alone isn’t going to solve the problem. Every organization relies on a group effort, so Chris Ballard is going to have to do his part to put Lou Anarumo in a position to succeed. The back end of the defense has been porous for years. It is time to use premium picks there and bring in a stud free agent if one is available. This side of the ball can make a leap. The front is still solid and only a season removed from a franchise year. Beefing up the coverage is only going to elevate the unit as a whole and allow Anarumo to deploy his concepts and schemes fully and effectively. He just needs a little bit of help. The question is, will he get it?