Colts' offense is fine, but defense is in pieces
07:57 PM CST on Sunday, November 8, 2009
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis offense are playing to win a championship in 2009. But these days the Colts defense is playing for mere survival.
The Colts secondary was devastated in the last week, losing three starters with injuries. Safety Bob Sanders (elbow) and cornerback Marlin Jackson (knee) went on injured reserve. Cornerback Kelvin Hayden will be out indefinitely with a knee injury.
The last thing the Colts (8-0) needed to see Sunday was an elite passing team. The Houston Texans pulled into Indianapolis with the NFL's third-ranked passing attack.
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But an inexperienced secondary survived Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and the Texans, allowing the Colts to steal a 20-17 win.
The Colts started two rookies at cornerback – third-round draft pick Jerraud Powers and undrafted free agent Jacob Lacey – and promoted Melvin Bullitt at strong safety to replace Sanders. Powers and Bullitt are from Garland.
Schaub completed 32 passes for 311 yards, and Johnson caught 10 passes for 103 yards. But those yards did little damage to the Colts. Schuab threw only one touchdown pass, a mere 1-yarder to running back Ryan Moats.
Powers and linebacker Clint Session each intercepted Schaub, and safety Antoine Bethea, the one holdover starter in the secondary, recovered a Moats fumble. The three new starters in the defensive backfield also combined for 26 tackles.
The Colts got some help. Kris Brown, who boomed a 56-yard field goal for the Texans on the final play of the first half, was wide left on the final play with a 42-yard attempt that could have forced an overtime.
That young defensive backfield will barely have time to catch its breath, though. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots roll into Indianapolis this week, and the Texans will get a rematch in Houston in just three weeks.