INDIANAPOLIS – When a quarterback breaks out of the pocket, receivers and defensive backs have specific roles to play. On offense, receivers must run toward the quarterback and provide a target for their scramble caller. Defensive players are supposed to stick with the closest receiver, but in reality, scramble plays aren’t always that clear-cut.
On third-and-14 late in the third quarter, the Colts seemed to have Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud exactly where they wanted him. Stroud escaped the pocket to the right and threw the ball back across his body to the left, an absolute no-no for quarterbacks in the NFL. The throw was risky, but receiver Nico Collins slipped perfectly between safety Julian Blackmon and cornerback Jaylon Jones and caught the throw at the 29-yard line for an improbable first down. The Texans capped the drive six plays later with a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Joe Mixon to win 29-27.
“You have to be able to react quickly to figure out who’s the next receiver next to me? Is the D-line about to sack the quarterback? It gets very unclear,” Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II said of defending a scramble drill. “It’s not black and white. You basically have to play chess.”
“It takes the breath away from the defense because it’s such a gray game. You don’t even really know where the gap is. Is it the secondary? Is it the defensive line? We just have to be able to stick together.”
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It was one of two close plays that Jones couldn’t complete, and one of several big plays that the secondary failed to come up with. Moore’s interception was nullified by a holding penalty on Jones. Juju Brents’ interception was nullified after he was ruled to have left the field of play. Late in the game, Jones was the next defender on another difficult catch by Collins that clinched the game.
Coming up close and personal in the secondary can be demoralizing, but the Colts’ young defensive backs are determined to top their game. On Sunday, Brents played his 10th game in the NFL. Jones played his 18th game after playing every game as a seventh-round rookie. Safety Nick Cross, who is in his third year, is taking on a larger role this season. Only Moore and Blackmon are established players in the secondary. Despite the unit’s inexperience, the Colts’ defensive backs know their job is to make plays. They fell just inches short against the Texans, but they have the rest of the season to improve.
“When things happen outside the pocket, you see more explosives and stuff like that,” Brents said. “We have to do a better job of pressuring our guys. Sometimes you have to cover for eight or 10 seconds. It’s not ideal, but that’s the way it is. So we just have to make those plays.”
“We have the most confidence when we play defensive back. Yes, we’re young, but we try to block out the outside noise. Just keep working, keep playing. We had some adversity today, but it’s all about how you respond to it.”
