INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts defense is getting some headlines, finally. And they are positive ones too.
The Indianapolis defensive unit doesn’t get quite the attention that the team’s high-powered offensive group has engendered over the years. But this season, under first-year coordinator Larry Coyer, the Colts have begun to impress more than a few people.
That includes first-year head coach Jim Caldwell.
“You look at the last eight quarters that they have not allowed a touchdown, and I think that is something that is important. Bottom line is, can you keep them out of the end zone? That’s what they’ve been able to do more consistently. The energy level is there. The concepts we are using were a little foreign to [the Indianapolis players] at the beginning of the season, and they are getting a bit more familiar with them,” Caldwell explained Monday.
“It’s still early yet. They still have a lot of room to improve upon. We are going to get better as time goes on. The effort and execution is improving every single week. The thing I’m really pleased about, overall, is we just keep getting better every week. We keep improving just little by little. That’s encouraging.”
Cornerback Kelvin Hayden returned to the Colts defensive lineup against St. Louis on Sunday. He had missed the previous three games with a sore hamstring, so he’d had a chance to watch the unit develop from the sidelines and on the field.
“We’re clicking right now. Guys are having fun,” Hayden said after the Rams game. He had an interception against the Rams, his first of the season.
But, really, how good has Indianapolis been playing defensively? The Colts have allowed just 77 points on the year while coming up with 16 sacks, six interceptions and recovering four of seven forced fumbles.
And then throw in these numbers: the Colts have not allowed a touchdown over the past eight quarters, the Colts have not allowed a touchdown in the first half since a Ronnie Brown 14-yard run in the first quarter of a Week Two win over Miami and Indianapolis has allowed just five field goals over its last two games.
n Injury report — Caldwell didn’t offer any updates on the availability of wide receiver Reggie Wayne (strained groin) or rookie running back Donald Brown (sprained left shoulder) for Sunday’s home game with San Francisco.
Both were scheduled to undergo magnetic resonance imaging tests on Monday, but the results most likely won’t be known until today or Wednesday. Wayne and Brown were both injured in the second quarter of the St. Louis game.
“We’ll have a better feel for them as the week goes on. Not quite certain what MRIs look like or things of that nature. We may be able to make a determination a little bit later on. [Wayne] did feel a bit of a strain early [in the game],” the Colts coach said.
“He felt he could come back and go. He came back and after the game was no longer in the balance, he didn’t play any longer. He’s getting it treated. He felt pretty good about it. We’ll see how it goes.”
Should Wayne be forced to miss the 49ers game, wide receiver Hank Baskett might see increased playing time. Baskett was signed in early September to help fill the void left by the knee injury to starter Anthony Gonzalez. He caught his first pass of the season against the Rams.
“We had an opportunity to see [Baskett] in the game a little bit. I think he has gotten a good grasp of the system. He can get in and function without any extra attention. He’ll continue to get better. He’s coming along,” Caldwell said, adding that Mike Hart would be a possibility for additional playing time if Brown is ruled out of the San Francisco game.
As for Gonzalez, the former Ohio State wide receiver might be able to begin a light practice routine this week.
“Possibly. I just had the chance to visit with him [Monday morning], and he feels really good about where he is. He ran some [pass] routes on Saturday. He thought he felt really good,” Caldwell said.
“He feels like he’s close to going. Whether that’s this week or next week remains to be seen. I think we may see a little something out of him this week.”
n Lacey celebration — Just chalk it up to youthful excitement.
Rookie cornerback Jacob Lacey was served an unsportsmanslike-conduct penalty for excessive celebration following his 37-yard return of a Marc Bulger pass. It was Lacey’s first career interception and his first NFL touchdown. In fact, it was the first interception return that he had for a touchdown since his sophomore year at Oklahoma State, when he did it against Texas.
The play ended with the Garland, Texas, native sliding into the end zone, bouncing up and declaring himself safe. He said that he did it to send a message to his family. Caldwell wasn’t sure why the penalty was called. So he asked the officials.
“The rule is once you are in the end zone, if you leave your feet and go to your knees, the only thing you can do is pray. That’s the only thing that is acceptable. Anything other than that you will get penalized. He slid and popped to his feet so there is a penalty,” Caldwell explained.
“You can dive in from the 1-yard line. You can turn a somersault from the 1-yard line as long as you land on your feet. That’s the rule. That’s the way it is.
“They were right to make the call. I had to find out exactly what he had done wrong. We did talk about it, and we’ll stress that as well. That could be costly in a tight game.”
Colts
Colts’ defense finally getting some attention
- Colts
-
-
Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
While the Indianapolis Colts put their rookies and a handful of second-year players through workouts this weekend at the team’s Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, a pair of first-year coordinators are getting a chance to do some valuable on-field work as well.
-
Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
The Indianapolis Colts welcomed 37 players to the start of the team’s rookie mini camp Friday at the West 56th Street headquarters.
-
Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. -
Werner at top of game
Bjoern Werner was a late comer to football. But after being selected in the first round of the 2013 National Football League draft by the Indianapolis Colts, Werner realizes that he has reached the pinnacle of the sport in a relatively short amount of time.
-
Colts select pass rusher Werner in first round
The Indianapolis Colts selected Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner. The 6-foot-3, 266-pound defensive lineman can also play left outside linebacker.
-
Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
As the 2013 NFL draft gets underway tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the Indianapolis Colts are continuing their wait-and-see stance in regard to the first-round pick.
The draft begins at 8 p.m. — televised by the NFL Network and ESPN — with the Kansas City Chiefs making the night’s first selection. Teams will have 10 minutes to make their decisions during the first round. Indianapolis will have the 24th overall pick in the first round.
There will be only one round tonight. The second and third rounds are scheduled for Friday, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with seven minutes allotted per pick in the second round and five minutes allowed in the third. The final four rounds are slated to begin at noon Saturday with four minutes between selections.
As it stands now, Indianapolis does not have a second-round pick. It was traded to Miami last fall in exchange for veteran cornerback Vontae Davis. But second-year general manager Ryan Grigson has nut ruled out the possibility of trading down from the first round if the Colts aren’t satisfied with the players available. -
Direction clear for Colts in 2013 draft
The Indianapolis Colts head into the 2013 NFL Draft with some definite plans.
-
Colts veteran among those excited to see Luck's growth in 2013-14
Veteran defensive end Cory Redding is a big fan — literally and figuratively — of Indianapolis Colts second-year quarterback Andrew Luck.
Redding, who has become one of the Colts’ lockerroom leaders after just one season with the team, thinks he has some reasonable expectations of Indianapolis’ former No. 1 draft pick. -
Heyward-Bey feeling fortunate to hook up with Luck
Add one more player to the list of veteran free agents signed by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.
Former Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey agreed to a a deal with the Colts late Monday evening. Bey, who played collegiately at Maryland, was the seventh player selected in the first round of the 2009 National Football League draft. -
Colts sign nose tackle
Another day, more player signings for the Indianapolis Colts.
Nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin agreed to terms with the Colts on Tuesday evening and officially signed with the team Wednesday. Franklin (6-1, 315) is a 10-year NFL veteran with stops in Baltimore (2003-06), San Francisco (2007-10), New Orleans (2011) and San Diego (2012). -
Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
The Indianapolis Colts’ roster moves just keep coming.
While the Colts haven’t yet added that big-name wide receiver that team owner Jim Irsay hinted at in tweets over the weekend, Indianapolis has addressed one area on offense.
Former Tennessee Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had agreed Monday night to be the Colts’ primary back-up to second-year starter Andrew Luck. He officially signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the team Tuesday morning.
“We are very pleased to announce the signing of Matt Hasselbeck,” general manager Ryan Grigson said in a prepared statement. “His body of work, intangibles, and extensive league experience speak for themselves. Those factors, plus his familiarity with our offensive scheme, will make him a great asset to our team and its vision as we move forward.” -
Colts likely done signing free agents, for now
With the possible exception of adding a few lesser-priced players, the Indianapolis Colts’ big-time foray into the veteran free-agent marketplace is pretty much done.
-
Landry, Jean Francois join Colts defensive unit
After adding five veteran free agent players to the Indianapolis Colts roster on Tuesday, general manager Ryan Grigson plucked two more plums late Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
New York Jets safety LaRon Landry and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Ricky Jean-Francois both signed contracts with the Colts. Landry, a strong safety who appears to be a bigger version of former Indianapolis Pro Bowler Bob Sanders, and the versatile Jean-Francois are expected to make immediate impacts on the Colts’ defensive unit. -
Colts introduce free-agent signees
What the Indianapolis Colts accomplished last season — posting an 11-5 record and earning an AFC wild-card berth with a young team plus having that kind of success without its head coach on the sidelines for 12 games — didn’t go unnoticed by players around the NFL.
That was especially true for the five veteran free agents who were added to the Colts’ roster Tuesday. Offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus (Detroit), cornerback Greg Toler (Arizona), outside linebacker Erik Walden (Green Bay), offensive guard Donald Thomas (New England) and linebacker Lawrence Sidbury (Atlanta) admitted as much Wednesday.
“I felt like this would be the best fit for me at this point in my career. I really liked what I saw was happening with the program here and the way things have taken shape. I feel like we have a really great team here and it’s on the rise. I really wanted to be a part of that,” Thomas said during a teleconference interview with the Colts’ media. -
Colts sign five free agents, filling needs at offensive line, cornerback
The Indianapolis Colts were a busy team on the opening day of the National Football League’s veteran free agent market, which got underway at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
-
Jeff Saturday retires as a Colt
An Indianapolis Colt for life. Pencil in Jeff Saturday for that honor.
The 14-year veteran center in the NFL put an official stamp on a career Thursday that began in Baltimore in 1998 and ended in Green Bay in 2012. But it was those 13 seasons in between — from 1999 to 2011 in which he played for Indianapolis — when Saturday earned his greatest rewards. -
Saturday thrilled to retire as a Colt
The 14-year veteran center in the National Football League put an official stamp on a career Thursday that began in Baltimore in 1998 and ended in Green Bay in 2012. But it was those 13 seasons in-between — from 1999 to 2011 in which he played for Indianapolis — that Saturday earned his greatest rewards.
-
Saturday to retire as Colt on Thursday
Former Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday will make his retirement from the National Football League official on Thursday.
-
Indianapolis franchises punter McAfee
A week ago, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said it was a priority that the team retain the services of punter Pat McAfee.
McAfee, an unrestricted free agent who’s contract is due to expire March 12, was designated as the Colts’ franchise player Friday. The move allows Indianapolis extra time to work out a long-term deal for the team’s special-teams ace.
“He’s huge. He’s a major priority in free agency. Obviously, we’ve reached out and are working to get Pat re-signed,” Pagano said during the National Football Scouting Combine. “We saw what he did for us last year. He’s a great weapon, not only kickoffs and touchbacks. -
Colts GM enjoying time at combine
Indianapolis Colts second-year general manager Ryan Grigson makes no bones about it. He enjoys watching prospective football players strut their stuff.
-
Colts keeping eye on large crop of talented linemen in NFL Draft
According to most National Football League draft observers, this year’s crop of prospects is deep with quality offensive and defensive linemen.
Among the offensive line candidates who have been showcasing their talents at the National Football Scouting Combine, which began in earnest Thursday and wraps up on Tuesday, the spotlight has been on the offensive tackles. Offensive left tackles in particular. -
Colts' Pagano back to full work schedule at combine
Back and ready to go.
That’s the attitude Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano is taking during the National Football Scouting Combine, which completed its second day of operations Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. During a wide-ranging press conference at the combine, Pagano confirmed that he is back to a full work regimen after missing 12 games last fall as he battled a rare form of leukemia.
After undergoing cancer treatments that featured heavy doses of chemotherapy, the second-year head coach was able to return to the sidelines for Indianapolis’ final regular-season home game against Houston and for the team’s AFC wild-card matchup with eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore. -
Colts looking forward to different approach to draft in 2013
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts had the first overall pick in the 2012 National Football League draft.
It was a foregone conclusion that the Colts would select former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the selection. While Indianapolis front office and player personnel officials certainly had to do their due diligence in preparing for the draft, the Colts find themselves this year in a bit different situation.
The team will have the 24th overall pick in the first round, which is a double-edged sword. Indianapolis picks lower in the round due to a successful season. But the pool of available can’t-miss talent isn’t quite as plentiful as drafting earlier in the round. -
Former Pro Bowl selection Freeney won't return to Colts
The news coming out of the Indianapolis Colts headquarters Friday afternoon was not totally unexpected. Team officials have confirmed that two veteran players – former Pro Bowl defensive end/outside linebacker Dwight Freeney and wide receiver Austin Collie — will not be returning for the 2013 season.
-
Colts’ new offensive coordinator will offer variety
Quarterback Andrew Luck running the Pistol offense? Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton lining up in the Wildcat?
-
Colts moving on to the off season
Moving on. That’s the immediate plans for the Indianapolis Colts as they head into the off season.
-
Baltimore ends Indy’s playoff run early
The Baltimore Ravens want one long final ride for Ray Lewis. Having disposed of Andrew Luck and the Colts, they now face a more imposing challenge.
Next up, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. -
Switching sides: Colts-Ravens matchup includes old friends on new teams
Just as Baltimore Ravens players and coaches will be seeing some old friends returning to M&T Bank Stadium today, several Indianapolis Colts veterans will also have an opportunity to renew acquaintances with a familiar face.
-
Pagano prepares Colts for tough crowd in Baltimore
As a former resident of Baltimore, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano knows all about the hard feelings that still run strong about the move of the Colts franchise to Indianapolis in 1984.
-
Pagano marvels at Colt’s progress
In the minutes after last Sunday’s win over AFC South champion Houston, Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano marveled at how the 2012 season has progressed for his team.
- More Colts Headlines
-
Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
Raw: Tornado on the Ground in Oklahoma
Raw: Rescue Workers Search Oklahoma School
Raw: Aftermath of Massive Tornado in Oklahoma
Raw: Walking in a Flattened Okla. Neighborhood
Raw: Witness Describes Scene After Okla. Tornado
Raw: House Burns After Massive Oklahoma Tornado
Oklahoma Gov: 'Hearts Are Broken' After Tornado
Raw: Suspects Butt Dial 911, Lead to Arrest
Raw: Rescuers Pull Tornado Survivors to Safety
Huge Tornado Kills Dozens Near Oklahoma City
White House Backs 'Shield Law' for Media
Split-second Choice Ended With NY Student Dead
Raw: Okla. Tornado Aftermath 'Like War Zone'
Raw: Swarm of Tornadoes Slams Plains
RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado
Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest
Commuters Face Delays After Conn. Train Accident
Pug Life on Display at Wisconsin Festival
Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings
Active Search for Utah Missing Mom Ends
RAW: Moore, OK tornado touches down near school
Trailer: 'The Last Stand' Available on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, Digital Download
Okla. tornado survivor finds dog buried alive under rubble
Robert Pattinson Moves Out
RAW: Russian dash cam catches car 20 feet in the air
Oklahoma tornado survivor: "Everything is gone"
Khloe Lashes Out at Kim Kardashian's Critics
Couple Argues As Woman's Lover Crawls Out Window
RAW: Brad Paisley Forgets Lyrics To His Own Song
Justin Bieber Gets Booed
New 'Anchorman 2' Trailer, Drake Joins List of Rumored Cameos
Eva Longoria's Wardrobe Malfunction
Heat Star Dwyane Wade Surprises Coral Gables Teen At Prom
Steak n' Shake waitress scores huge tip
Singer Miguel Accidentally Lands on Fan At Billboard Music Awards
Celebs Celebrate the Rise of the Side Butt
Grizzly bear gets up close and personal with camera
Justin Bieber Gets Booed After Winning at the Billboard Awards
