With JuJu Brents sidelined, the Indianapolis Colts utilized both Samuel Womack and Dallis Flowers in his absence against the Green Bay Packers. Will that rotation continue in Week 2?
With Brents on injured reserve, the depth of the Colts already thin cornerback room was going to be put to the test. When in nickel, Kenny Moore would man the slot and Jaylon Jones one of the boundary positions. When in their 4-3 base defense, Moore moves to the boundary position opposite of Jones.
However, that boundary position opposite of Jones is where playing time is now available. This past week, Womack would get the start, but he and Flowers played an almost equal amount of snaps, with Womack on the field for 20 and Flowers on the field for 19.
With the Packers relying so heavily on the run game–rushing the ball 53 times–neither player was tested in coverage.
Flowers finished the game with no targets and one tackle. The same for Womack.
So in terms of trying to decipher who might have separated himself, from the outside looking in, that’s not easy to do. And given the small sample size along with the unique nature of last week’s game, perhaps neither player did, which could mean we see the Flowers and Womack splitting playing time against his week.
This approach gives each player an opportunity to see playing time while also easing both Flowers and Womack in. Flowers is still looking to regain his form following an Achilles injury in 2023 and Womack has only been with the team for a few weeks after being claimed on waivers following roster cuts.
Even with the Colts run game woes, it’s almost a given that the secondary will see more action this week–again, we don’t often see a team running the ball for 53 plays in a game.
While the Chicago passing offense has struggled to get going, they are loaded with talent at the receiver position with DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Keenan Allen–who is on the injury report this week–along with Caleb Williams at quarterback.
Cornerback, and the secondary in general, was a big question mark for the Colts coming into the season and still remains one, especially without Brents.