After getting ripped apart in the run game by the Houston Texans in Week 1, the Indianapolis Colts face another difficult test in Week 2, facing Josh Jacobs and the Green Bay Packers.
With the Texans having a trio of receivers who can do a lot of damage, the Colts opted to run with lighter boxes in that game to provide additional help on the back end.
Texans’ running back Joe Mixon then took full advantage, rushing for 159 yards, while Houston as a team generated over 200 yards in the run game.
For Jacobs and the Packers, it was a slow start on the ground in their opening game against Philadelphia, but sparked by a pair of second-half runs that went for 22 yards and 33 yards, Jacobs totaled 87 yards on the game at 5.4 yards per rush.
With quarterback Jordan Love likely not playing for the Packers, the Colts are preparing for Malik Willis to get the start. An added wrinkle that the Colts will have to contend with this week is Willis’ ability to make plays with his legs, which when coupled with a player of Jacobs’ caliber, can potentially be a stressor for defenses.
Success for the defense, particularly against a backup, begins with slowing the run game, which will put Willis predictable passing situations, where the Colts’ pass rush can really pin its ears back.
On the flip side, moving the ball on the ground sets up short down-and-distance situations where the entire playbook is open to offense, specifically putting an added stress on the secondary, opening up opportunities in the pass game.
So unlike in Week 1, where the Colts wanted to provide more help on the back-end, we could see Bradley deploy heavier boxes against the Packers in an effort to force Willis to be the one to beat them.
The trickle-down effect of that approach, however, is that is going to leave some one-on-one matchups for the Packers’ talented receiving group against a Colts’ cornerback room that now has even more questions with JuJu Brents on injured reserve.
There isn’t ever a perfect game plan–otherwise every team would run the same scheme. There are pros and cons to each, and an emphasis in one area can leave you exposed in another.
Having said that, it’s hard to envision a path to success for the Colts on Sunday in Green Bay if they’re unable to stop the run once again. The Colts have to find a way to limit Jacobs.