As we’ve been doing for several years now, we’ll break down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ opponent each week, telling you what to expect from a scheme and individual standpoint. This year, Jonathan Heitritter and I will cover the opposing team’s defense. I will focus on the scheme, Jonathan on the players.
Today, we are scouting the Indianapolis Colts’ defense ahead of the Week 9 game against the Steelers.
Alex’s Scheme Report
Colts’ Run Defense
The Colts use a hybrid 3-4/4-3 front with the versatility and depth to mix things up. The run defense has been good. Indianapolis is eighth in rushing yards per game at 93.1, though the YPC is lower at 4.3 (15th). The Colts have allowed just four rushing touchdowns this season, nearly a top-five figure. For the season, they have allowed 20 runs of 10 or more yards, tied for 13th in the NFL. Keep in mind the Colts haven’t had a bye and have played one more game than about half the league.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has made a big impact and turned things around. Pittsburgh knows him well from his days with the Cincinnati Bengals and has put up points against him in the past. That offers some confidence in the Steelers having an edge in this game to fix an ailing defense.
Safety Nick Cross is the team’s leading tackler with 56. Linebacker Zaire Franklin is second with 44 and rarely leaves the field, logging 91 percent of the defensive snaps. He’s subbed off late in blowouts and logged every single snap of close games this year. Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner is still running strong at 31 years old. His 38 tackles aren’t just third on the team but most of any defensive lineman in the league this season, six more than second place. Eight of them have gone for a loss.
The run game doesn’t show many weaknesses and keeps the linebackers free. The Colts like using run stunts with their defensive tackles to mess with blocking schemes and o-line rules. Like here to create a run stuff.
The Colts defend the perimeter running game well. They also use a bear front on early downs against heavy personnel. And though not as frequently as Cincinnati, Indianapolis will use 5-down/Penny fronts, too.
It was hard to find one consistent run scheme that bested them. In those moments, sticking with your own base scheme of what’s worked is usually the go-to. I would keep the ball between the tackles. Some zone schemes succeeded against the Colts.
Some other defensive stats. The Colts are sixth in points per game at 19.3, never allowing more than 28 in any contest. Yardage is down, 24th at 345.1, but that’s due to late-game stat padding with Indianapolis giving underneath completions to close out contests. The Colts have taken the ball away at a high clip, forcing 12 turnovers this year. That’s tied for third entering the week.
Situational football has been a weakness. Indy is 30th on third down (47.1 percent) and 18th in red zone defense (61.5 percent). Areas to take advantage of. Most striking is the touchdown disparity. The Colts have scored 32 touchdowns this season while allowing only 18.
Colts’ Pass Defense
The pass defense might not look great on paper. A lowly 29th in passing yards at 252.0, but as noted above, teams are throwing late in garbage time. Indianapolis is better with opposing YPA, 6.9, ranking 16th. They have allowed 14 touchdowns and picked off 10 passes this year. The interceptions are tied-second in the NFL. With 23 sacks, the Colts are in the top five.
As a team, the Colts have given up big plays, 28 of 20-plus yards, and the pass defense is certainly worse than the run defense. But the Colts also lead the NFL in pass attempts against with 313, the only team above 300 entering this week.
Buckner leads the way with 13 QB hits and four sacks. But the love gets spread around, six players notching at least a pair. That includes the secondary. Four different DBs have at least one sack. CB Mekhi Blackmon, S Camryn Bynum, and EDGE Laiatu Late each have two picks. Seven different Colts have an interception.
Schematically, there’s a Vikings vibe to this. Cover 0 looks on second down and medium/long, more often than third down, to confuse quarterbacks and stress protections. Often, the Colts will drop out and play zone behind.
On third down, the Colts play a ton of man coverage. Against 3×1, the Colts will “lock” the X-receiver and play man-to-man while playing zone to the trips side. Against 2×2 and some 3×1 with a wider X-receiver split, you get a lot of Cover 1/Robber or, with the “Rat,” the safety, robbing crossers in the hole.
Tons of post-snap rotations. This is one of my favorites I’ve seen from any defense. Watch the Cover 2 rotation here with both defensive backs blitzing from the boundary. The Colts like to send NCB Kenny Moore from the boundary. He’s been one of the league’s better blitzing cornerbacks.
Indianapolis likes to use a similar pass-situation rush as Jim Schwartz in Cleveland. Wide 9 with dual 3-techs.
And some ‘Amoeba’ stuff that you don’t see as often in Cleveland or last year in Cincinnati.
Overall, the Colts take away play-action and defend it well.
Jonathan’s Individual Report
The Pittsburgh Steelers look to stop the bleeding after dropping two straight games against a red-hot Indianapolis Colts squad that is 7-1 coming into Pittsburgh. The Colts’ defense is sixth in the league in total points allowed, but ranks 24th in football in total yards allowed. They currently rank 29th against the pass but are eighth-best in football against the run.
Defensive Line
The defensive line for the Colts is led by Pro Bowl DL No.99 DeForest Buckner, who has been a force this season for Indy. He has racked up 38 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, and four sacks so far this season. Buckner is a big, long interior defender who is stout against the run, but is also a freaky athlete who can overwhelm most guards and centers as a pass rusher.
Beside Buckner on the interior is DL No. 90 Grover Stewart. The 6’4, 315lb Stewart is an immovable object in the middle of the defense. He has the brute strength and base to sit down in gaps and command double teams, allowing linebackers to run to the ball. He effectively pushes the pocket, trapping opposing RBs in the backfield and collapsing as a pass rusher. Stewart doesn’t have a sack on the season, but he is a handful for centers and guards to block.
Behind Stewart are No. 95 Adetomiwa Adebawore, No. 92 Neville Gallimore, and No. 98 Eric Johnson II. Adebawore is slightly undersized but has great athleticism along the defensive line and is getting more playing time in his third NFL season, currently playing 34 percent of the defensive snaps. Gallimore has already set a career-high in sacks this season with two after starting his career with the Cowboys and Rams, rotating in on 34% of the snaps. Johnson is more of a depth run plugger.
EDGE
Leading the charge on the edge for the Colts is No. 51 Kwity Paye. The 6’2, 261lb defender is strong against the run, having good play strength. He plays with great effort in pursuit of the ball. He is more disruptive than productive as a pass rusher, but he’s slowly developing more and more with each passing season, posting back-to-back eight sack seasons, and has three in 2025. He has a non-stop motor and will try to give RT Troy Fautanu fits on Sunday.
No. 97 Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player taken in the draft last year and is now in a full-time starting role across from Paye this season, being a talented pass rusher out of UCLA that showed that he could beat opposing offensive tackles with a combination of speed, power, and finesse. He has 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss on the year, rounding out a physical and aggressive Colts’ defensive front.
No. 52 Samson Ebukam has played more of a rotational role this season for the Colts, being a strong run defender and athletic pass rusher. He missed last week due to a knee injury, and his status is up in the air. No. 94 Tyquan Lewis has been a mainstay on the Colts’ defensive line since getting drafted in 2018. Lewis is a solid run defender who provides good depth and is a guy who can step in and start in case of injury. Lewis has three sacks so far this season. Second-round pick No. 91 JT Tuimoloau also provides depth, but has only 97 defensive snaps under his belt so far in 2025. No. 74 Durell Nchami also provides depth of Indy on the edge.
Linebackers
LB No. 44 Zaire Franklin has seen his impact greatly increase on the defensive side of the football over the last several years. Franklin made his bones as a special teams ace but has become a steady, reliable defender who racks up tackles in droves. The former seventh-round pick posted back-to-back 170+ tackles seasons and has 44 so far in 2025, having a nose to be around the football. He pursues the ball relentlessly and is a capable blitzer and coverage defender, being the guy to key on in the middle of the defense.
Starting opposite of Franklin is No. 53 Germaine Pratt, who came over from the Raiders after Las Vegas decided to part with him early in the season. The long-time Bengal has adjusted well to his new surroundings, starting the last three games, and has 48 total tackles on the year as a big, physical linebacker that can run and hit as a run stopper.
Behind the main starters for the Colts is No. 59 Buddy Johnson, Pittsburgh’s former fourth-round pick. He comes over from Dallas, providing depth and help on special teams. No. 58 Austin Ajiake has played 128 defensive snaps this season and is solid against the run and on special teams units. No. 55 Chad Muma and No. 50 Segun Olubi provide more depth on special teams.
Cornerbacks
The main man in the secondary for the Colts is No. 23 Kenny Moore II, who sees time at both outside corner and nickel. Moore has been one of the best slot defenders in the league the last few years, being a physical defender against the run while also an opportunistic coverage defender. He has recorded 21 INTs in his career and also has racked up 11.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss behind the line of scrimmage. He’s the No. 1 priority Rodgers to watch in the secondary.
No. 40 Jaylon Jones is on Injured reserve but is designated to return from a hamstring injury. In his place, No. 29 Mekhi Blackmon has been starting. He was acquired from the Minnesota Vikings this summer and has started five games. He has five pass deflections and two interceptions on the year. He’s a quick coverage defender who lacks ideal size but competes at the catch point and will come up in run support.
The Colts also have No. 38 Chris Lammons, who is playing a fair amount in sub packages (38 percent defensive snaps) while also being a good special teamer. No. 35 Johnathan Edwards has started three games for Indy on the outside with Jones’ injury and has allowed a 68.8 completion rate against him on the year. The Colts also have No. 43 Cameron Mitchell as depth.
Safeties
Leading the charge at safety is No. 0 Cam Bynum. Bynum also comes over from Minnesota after being a productive safety with eight interceptions, 28 pass deflections, and 378 total tackles in his first four seasons. He has two picks, five pass deflections, and 36 total stops on the year, being an instinctual safety who can come from top down to jump a route or make the tackle in the alley.
No. 20 Nick Cross was a third-round pick out of Maryland in 2022 and is a great athlete, being a good run defender thanks to his play speed and pursuit of the football. He posted a whopping 146 total tackles last year, to go along with three interceptions, and is up to 56 total stops and one pick this season. He is playing closer to the box as a guy who will make some noise at or behind the line of scrimmage.
No. 25 Rodney Thomas used to be a starter for Indy, but now is more of a backup/third safety who also plays a fair number of special teams. Rounding out the safety room for Indy is special teamer No. 41 Trey Washington.
Recommended for you