I swear, the Indianapolis Colts do this to myself on purpose. I spend the entire offseason missing Colts football and am excited when it finally starts again. Training camp, preseason, and the first game of the year build my excitement to a boiling point. It doesn’t take long, however, for that excitement to crumble around me as the Colts keep struggling to get out of the gate. Well, another week, one loss has set us back to the same old. And every day the groundhog greets you and the defense threatens to continue that trend. A unit that struggled on Sunday is decimated by injuries.
IndyStar’s Nate Atkins gave us a look at who is listed as a dropout and who is in danger of missing the competition in the second week.
Indianapolis will miss safety Julian Blackmon on Sunday because of a shoulder injury. Top cornerback JuJu Brents will also be out, having been placed on the injured list this week because of a knee injury.
All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner missed the entire week of practice due to back problems, but coach Shane Steichen said he is optimistic Buckner will play as usual. Buckner is listed as questionable on the official injury report.
Defensive end Kwity Paye practiced for the first time this week after missing Wednesday and Thursday’s practice sessions due to a thigh injury and his participation is also considered questionable.
The guaranteed loss of Brents and Blackmon is already a lot. Add in Buckner and Paye, and the defense could make Malik Willis look like an All-Pro out there with the Packers. Buckner rarely misses a game. It’s so rare that it’s only happened once with the Colts. That’s the good news. The bad news is that when it did happen, the team got beat at home by the Titans. It’s important that Buckner plays in this game. Laiatu Latu didn’t play against the Texans, but with Paye out, his play will likely increase significantly.
The offense could count on Josh Downs back, while Matt Gay is on track to kick in this game. That’s welcome news, but it seems like this team has a habit of trading good for bad. Players cycle in and out of the lineup throughout the year. That’s the result of injuries, and the reason teams have 53 players on their roster. That’s not unique to the Colts, but it feels like it’s happening early and often. The Colts need to win on Sunday if they want this season to be more than a development year for Anthony Richardson. Let’s hope Buckner and Paye are fully there, or the game could change quickly.
