Analyzing the Colts' injury issues - ESPN

[bayone]

Indianapolis' drafting tendencies in the Tampa 2 have led to injury woes

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By Danny Tuccitto

Football Outsiders

Archive

If you had to pick one NFL team that has been most affected by injuries so far this season, theIndianapolis Colts, who face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on this week's "Monday Night Football," probably would be it. For Indianapolis, Peyton Manning's absence has not surprisingly rendered its offense highly ineffective. This week, any hope that the defense could keep the team afloat until Manning returns -- if he returns at all -- took a hit when the Colts placed starting middle linebackerGary Brackett and starting strong safety Melvin Bullitt on injured reserve.

Defensive injuries are nothing new to Indianapolis, as Colts fans can attest. It turns out this is one case where numbers match perception. From 2006 to 2010, Indianapolis lost more starter games because of injury than any other defense in the NFL, and it's not even close.

Of course, missing games is not the only way injuries affect teams. When a player takes the field after having been listed as questionable on the Friday injury report, he's not playing at 100 percent, and that negatively impacts performance

not only has it suffered a ton of injuries, it consistently suffers a ton of injuries season after season: Beginning in 2006, Indianapolis ranked 28th, 32nd, 25th, 30th and 31st in defensive AGL ( adjusted games lost measure )

This begs the obvious question, "Why?"

we assume that injuries are random,

However, what are we to make of Indianapolis, which appear to have some structural defect that makes them prone to injury every season?

Cleveland and Cincinnati are also noted but to a much lesser degree

To read more about the Colts' injury problems -- and whether they can be prevented or are likely to continue -- you must be an ESPN Insider.

http://insider.espn....yESPNToday_Team

[The Fish]

Yeah, there were a few years around 03, 04 where we were counting are blessings, cause we always pretty healthy. Having Bob Sanders on your roster will change things a bit though. I can't believe Bracket is done for the season, though.

[indy_nick]

This article attributes our tampa 2 draft type. That to me means the small, quick guys that we have drafted. We have made an obvious effort to get bigger and stronger this year, and I hope we do so for years to come. That should help us get our of this injury slump.

[GoDeep]

Pat will fill in nicely for Brackett, and Bullitt was no world beater.

[bayone]

This article attributes our tampa 2 draft type. That to me means the small, quick guys that we have drafted. We have made an obvious effort to get bigger and stronger this year, and I hope we do so for years to come. That should help us get our of this injury slump.

Believe u r correct, small DL letting runners through then LB have to tackles way to often while needed in coverage too, makes it difficult, & a guessing game on positioning before play starts, Angerer is good but Brackett called the defense, still better this year for him to learn it and learn pass D as well where he is weak

[Susie Q]

Believe u r correct, small DL letting runners through then LB have to tackles way to often while needed in coverage too, makes it difficult, & a guessing game on positioning before play starts, Angerer is good but Brackett called the defense, still better this year for him to learn it and learn pass D as well where he is weak

Well I can agree with you some what but I think it's too soon to say Angerer's pass D and calling the defense is weak because we are only in to game 4. I think he has shown some very strong leadership for just having 3 games under his belt. I'm sure it took Brackett a long time to adapt his leadership. JNO of course.

[ruksak]

Yeah, there were a few years around 03, 04 where we were counting are blessings, cause we always pretty healthy. Having Bob Sanders on your roster will change things a bit though. I can't believe Bracket is done for the season, though.

Brakett is a heckuva playmaker, and his ability to create the turnover will be sorely missed. That being said, I feel Angerer will contribute far more to the run defense, as well, he is capable in many other areas. He is definitely ready. What bothers me about the Brackett injury the most is that if we suffer much more injury to our LB corp, we're then going to have a serious problem.

[1959Colts]

Believe u r correct, small DL letting runners through then LB have to tackles way to often while needed in coverage too, makes it difficult, & a guessing game on positioning before play starts, Angerer is good but Brackett called the defense, still better this year for him to learn it and learn pass D as well where he is weak

I think Brackett's calling of the defense has been way overrated.

That horse has been beat to death.

Throughout the years of Gary's "calling" the defensive formations, our defense has, year after year, been one of the worst in the league.

I cant name another player, on any another team, who has gotten so much credit as Brackett has, for simply calling out the defensive plays.

[Steagles]

Pat will only get better with time, so I am less sad to see Gary go.

[chrisfarley]

This article attributes our tampa 2 draft type. That to me means the small, quick guys that we have drafted. We have made an obvious effort to get bigger and stronger this year, and I hope we do so for years to come. That should help us get our of this injury slump.

just as many bigger players get injuries too.

[Smitto]

Pat will fill in nicely for Brackett, and Bullitt was no world beater.

Imo the past couple injuries have made this team better, they are much more physical now just for the fact that lefeged and pat can tackle better than the previous players.

[Superman]

Yeah, there were a few years around 03, 04 where we were counting are blessings, cause we always pretty healthy. Having Bob Sanders on your roster will change things a bit though. I can't believe Bracket is done for the season, though.

That's a good point. How many games did Bob Sanders miss between 2006 and 2010? 40? 50? I'm sure that has a drastic effect on the overall ranking. Still, aside from him, we've missed a lot of other players due to injury over the years. Ryan Lilja missed all of 2008, and that contributed to the rapid regression of our offensive line that year. Marvin missed most of 2007, and Freeney missed about half the season.. Addai, Clark and Brackett have all missed a lot of games. Kelvin Hayden and Jerraud Powers missed games. Marlin Jackson was IR'd one year. Mike Hart, Gonzo, etc. We've had a lot of key players in auxiliary roles miss games over that stretch, not just Sanders. But he probably missed more games over that stretch than any two players combined.

[bayone]

Well I can agree with you some what but I think it's too soon to say Angerer's pass D and calling the defense is weak because we are only in to game 4. I think he has shown some very strong leadership for just having 3 games under his belt. I'm sure it took Brackett a long time to adapt his leadership. JNO of course.

I only meant he is not as good as bracket as as far as calling the D and pass coverage, he is a better tackler though, I am glad its this season that he will get all the playing time to improve on areas he needs to a fine tune his skill set, In no way am i sayiong hes permanently has deficiencies and think as a 2nd year player is doing a tremondous job, all that could be asked, 1 of the better draft picks

[bayone]

Brakett is a heckuva playmaker, and his ability to create the turnover will be sorely missed. That being said, I feel Angerer will contribute far more to the run defense, as well, he is capable in many other areas. He is definitely ready. What bothers me about the Brackett injury the most is that if we suffer much more injury to our LB corp, we're then going to have a serious problem.

Yes we are thin with quality backups

[OLD FAN MAN]

This article attributes our tampa 2 draft type. That to me means the small, quick guys that we have drafted. We have made an obvious effort to get bigger and stronger this year, and I hope we do so for years to come. That should help us get our of this injury slump.

i agree tonys tinys have a long history of getting hurt, it is a big mans game

[Balzer40]

Well I can agree with you some what but I think it's too soon to say Angerer's pass D and calling the defense is weak because we are only in to game 4. I think he has shown some very strong leadership for just having 3 games under his belt. I'm sure it took Brackett a long time to adapt his leadership. JNO of course.

I agree Susie. In fact, I really don't get where people are getting that Angerer's pass D isn't that good. I think it's a myth and people just keep repeating it without actually paying attention to it. Brackett never overly impressed me in pass coverage either and his run D leaves a lot to be desired.

[oldunclemark]

again..the Brackett Angerer thing isnt/wasnt an eitherr or....

..we made the playoffs last year with both starting..

Gary Brackett's out for the year....so again...we're playing the hand we're dealt....

Next year may never come.