The Indianapolis Colts' defense is off to an abysmal start to the 2026 season.
Through two games, the Colts are giving up 37.0 points per game and 514.5 yards per contest -- both of which rank last in the NFL.
However, despite the rocky start, head coach Shane Steichen believes that Lou Anarumo can turn things around.
“No doubt about it," Steichen said when asked if he still trusts Anarumo, via The Athletic's James Boyd. "He’s been doing it for a long time in this league. He’s had success in this league, and I have no doubt that this thing will get turned (around) defensively.”
#Colts HC Shane Steichen, asked if he still trusts Lou Anarumo as his DC: “No doubt about it. He’s been doing it for a long time in this league. He’s had success in this league,
and I have no doubt that this thing will get turned (around) defensively.” pic.twitter.com/toyarw9Wjs
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) September 23, 2026
You name it, and it's probably gone wrong for the Colts defensively, but the biggest issues are the lack of a pass rush and the play in the secondary.
The Colts will enter Week 3 ranked 30th in pressure rate on the quarterback and 32nd in yards per pass attempt allowed. With opposing quarterbacks having time in the pocket, they are carving up the Indianapolis secondary.
In addition to that, the linebacker play has struggled, missed tackles have been a problem, and there have been way too many breakdowns.
The defensive issues have, in turn, put a massive burden on the Colts' offense, which has to produce a near-flawless performance to keep up.
“It’s not just the players. It’s not the coaches," said Anarumo, via Boyd. "It’s us together, and I think that we are all taking that collective approach to improve.”
So while the Colts may believe that things can improve on defense, doing so will be a very tall task.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Steichen on state of Colts' defense after two games
