The Indianapolis Colts (7-4) face their final five-game stretch of the regular season with a road matchup against the Houston Texans (4-7) at NRG Stadium in Week 13.
The coordinators met with the media on Tuesday, giving some insight into the process of preparing for the crucial divisional matchup. While defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus looks to get his unit going sooner in games, offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni is likely going to have to prepare for Anthony Castonzo’s absence.
In our latest edition of the coordinator corner, here’s where the focus is entering Week 13:
DC Matt Eberflus: Getting off to a fast start
While the Colts defense has earned the heaps of praise thrown its way this season, it hasn’t been without its flaws. Arguably the biggest throughout the unit is the slow start they seemingly have in the first half. Their second-half adjustments have been incredible, leading to several comebacks this season, but there are issues in the first two quarters of the game.
Eberflus told the media Tuesday that its a matter of execution and that it doesn’t really come down to just one factor.
“I don’t think it’s ever one thing. I just look at execution of each individual play and I think that’s important to look at with the breakdowns,” Eberflus said. “We actually looked at it last week prior to our game just to see what it was and we really looked at it hard and we said, ‘Hey, it’s really about execution and we have to be on our fundamentals and keys throughout the course of the game.’ It’s about that consistency of doing that.”
Since Week 6 (five games), the Colts defense is allowing an average of 20.2 points in the first half alone. In the last three weeks, they’ve allowed an average of 26.7 points in the first half. Most of the time, the second half adjustments allow the offense to stage a comeback. But that didn’t happen in Week 12 and it showed how dangerous of a game it can be.
“The set of circumstances always changes and you have to play what hand you’re dealt with during the course of the game and you’re always trying to win the game,” Eberflus said. “You’re obviously always trying to come out and do a great job early and all the way through the game, and that’s what we try to do. But it’s the game of football and you have to adjust and adapt as the course of the game unfolds.”
The Colts will take on a Texans offense without Will Fuller, hoping to get off to a strong, less-stressful start.
OC Nick Sirianni: Life without Castonzo
Dealing with an MCL sprain, there is a high chance the Colts will be without left tackle Anthony Castonzo for a time. It could be one week or it could be a few. But the Colts have to prepare this week as if they won’t have their anchor on the left side.
The problem will be containing Texans star edge rusher J.J. Watt from wreaking havoc on the left side. That likely means sending more help to Le’Raven Clark.
“We have to account for it – any good defensive end we always have to account for whether Anthony (Castonzo) is there or whether Anthony is not there. What Anthony does give you, he is just a dominant left tackle that is able to win his one-on-one matchups,” Sirianni said. “We just have to be aware that there might need to be a little bit more help for whoever is in there because Anthony is elite so we might not look exactly the same, but accounting for all things – not only with who is replacing Anthony but also who we are playing against.”
Fortunately, the Texans don’t generate pressure at a high rate. Their 21.9% pressure rate is middling despite having the ninth-highest blitz percentage at 35.9%. That said, losing a left tackle changes everything.
And preparing for Watt will keep any offensive coordinator up at night.
“We’ve thought about J.J. Watt more than you could possibly think about a person these last couple of days – well, yesterday and today,” Sirianni said. “We will continue to think about him as the week goes along. We don’t want to let a good player beat us – not a good player, a great player beat us. So we will do everything we can do to slow him down and he is going to be able to get his because of how good of a player he is.”
Stopping Watt will be the top priority for the Colts in Week 13. Even if they don’t have Castonzo, they can win the game if they stop Watt.
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