How Do You Feel About Our Pass Rush?

[lennymoore24]

I felt last year other than Mathis, we had almost no pass rush.  Werner was getting better as the season went on.  An occassional blitz by an inside backer worked.  But we are really missing what makes that hybrid 3-4 work, which is two outside pass rushers.  I know Adongo is a project.  I think we could still use another guy there.  What do you all think?  Amazing how a pass rush makes a secondary look great

[Bluefire4]

Im hoping the Arthur Jones and the development of Hughes on the D line help us get consistent pressure from that group.

[Drew1023]

Just one more of many areas that the Colts are missing.  Thank you for making us aware of it.

[lollygagger8]

Not sure...

[Moncrief]

How would you feel about our pass rush without Mathis.  It'd be pretty nonexistent.  I'd give it one more season before we worry about the pass rush being that Mathis stays relatively healthy and the same beast that he is

[Psyren]

As terrible as I did last year.

Unfortunately, the Colts generate virtually no pass rush. Just the nature of how bad our defense is.

Only difference is maybe this year we'll be able to stuff the run.

Last year we couldn't do either.

[COLTS449]

I think Werner will be a much improved player next year. He showed flashes as the season went on last year. Keep in mind he was new to the 3-4, and was learning two new positions, rush and sam. I expect him to step up next year and give us 6-7 sacks. However, you can never have enough pass rushers so I would love to see Grigs bring in Anthony Spencer. We could probably get him on a cheap one year "prove it" deal. In 2012 he ranked number 1 among 3-4 OLB's per PFF. Mathis, Spencer, Walden, and Werner would be solid. We will also generate some pressure from the D-lineman this year with the addition of Jones. He should be good for 4-5 sacks. In my opinion, even if we don't add Spencer our pass rush will be improved from last year.

[jameszeigler834]

Hopefully they will give Adongo a legit chance to be that guy.

[MikeVander]

If we get out to early leads then the pass rush will improve. Too many comebacks last year.

[Mr. Irrelevant]

 

I'm more concerned about being able to stop run and get a decent O-Line. Maybe even being able to run ourselves a bit. Pass Rush? Let us see if Werner can step it up.

 

Edit: Oh, and Jones could help get some much needed pressure up the middle.

[ProblChld32]

With the addition of Authur Jones it will improve, #JustWaitOnIt 

[Slick_Rick]

I think we need help. I believe our pass rush is just like our receivers. We have potential, but we are mainly relying on one player. If that player goes down, there will be some trouble. If Mathis gets hurt next year, we are in trouble. I am hoping that Bjorn and Walden will have improved in that area. I also hope that adding Arthur on the line will help create more pass rushing lanes.

[Mameluc]

dont know to be honest. I guess Werner should be improved so that will help. my issue is we dont have any inside pressure, so my hope is either Jones is that guy (which i dont know.. i mean i have read the sack numbers but i guess i havent payed that much attention to him to really say yea he can get after teh qb) and RJF. We already know who Redding is, but the jury is still out on RJF. Also on Hughes.

[adamthyst]

I won't know until I see them in action but the additions of Jones and Jackson are solid pieces that we need to enhance our pass rush.

[Balzer40]

Honestly, pass rush is one of the area's I'm the least concerned with. I think there is some real promise on the D-line now and with a better ILBer and hopefully a healthy Toler, our pass rush will be fine.

[Insert Colts Pun Here]

Mathis is still a beast, Werner will be better this year, and Walden was better than I expected. We also just signed Arthur Jones.

 

It's still definitely an area that needs to be assessed in the near future but I think we're fine for now. Obviously we don't have one of the premier pass rushing groups in the league but I don't think we have the worst either. And it's probably not the weakest area on the roster. We do need to line up another youngster to fill Werner's role once he takes over from Mathis though.

[MFT5]

I'm still waiting on Manusky and Pags to get exotic and force teams into mistakes ... We can be so vanilla it's ridiculous ... KC whipped us I don't care that we won that was an embarrassing display

Then the very next week NE simplified the game plan even more and showed the NFL WORLD again that we just suck on D

Don't like tutting my own horn but I was saying all last season our inside pass rush is so none existent we were just relying on the opposing O to slip up

[Bishop]

Bjorn!!!! With his rookie year behind him, it is time to step into the role of the dominant player he was in college.

[Drew1023]

Mathis is still a beast, Werner will be better this year, and Walden was better than I expected. We also just signed Arthur Jones.

 

It's still definitely an area that needs to be assessed in the near future but I think we're fine for now. Obviously we don't have one of the premier pass rushing groups in the league but I don't think we have the worst either. And it's probably not the weakest area on the roster. We do need to line up another youngster to fill Werner's role once he takes over from Mathis though.

 

The fact that as bad as it is it still isn't the weakest spot on our roster is what troubles me. If all other areas were alright I would agree with you that it's fine but that isn't the case.

[tenbears1971]

Werner has yet to prove if he has the toughness and strength to play at this level. If he doesn't hit the weight room in the offseason we have Mathis and whatever push we get from Jones. Obvious concern area.

[BOTT]

Very concerned. Love Mathis, but older guys tend to get banged up and the pass rush is nonexistent without him. Werner was pretty much invisible when he was on the field, but he was a rookie who suffered an injury.....but I'm honestly skeptical of him. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Colts draft a pass rusher early.

[Dustin]

No other player on the team can really be even considered an average pass rusher aside from Mathis who is a beast.

[BProland85]

If we sign Nicks at WR, I really think we need to try and get OLB Marcus Smith with our 2nd, and then with the 3rd get a FS.

[gacker65]

I felt last year other than Mathis, we had almost no pass rush.  Werner was getting better as the season went on.  An occassional blitz by an inside backer worked.  But we are really missing what makes that hybrid 3-4 work, which is two outside pass rushers.  I know Adongo is a project.  I think we could still use another guy there.  What do you all think?  Amazing how a pass rush makes a secondary look great

Unless you are blitzing, you only rush one OLB.  Need to move Robert around and change where rush is coming from (see Ware in Dallas).

[AntonMcG]

We need two situational pass rushers on our roster desperately

[Gavin]

Lots of pass rush talent in the draft, I would be surprised if we didn't get 1

[COLTS449]

We should have never traded Jerry Hughes. He showed signs of development in 2012, then we trade him for nothing. Think about him next to Mathis last year. Hughes finished 2013 with 46 tackles, 10 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 PD's.

[DougDew]

its been forgotten about by fans.

 

Too much talk about C, FS, and WR, not enough about help for Mathis.

 

Now that we have a young DT in Arthur Jones, a major draft need is OLB.

 

 

 

[GoColts8818]

We don't have one besides Mathis but I think the Colts are banking on Werner taking a step forward. 

[DougDew]

If we sign Nicks at WR, I really think we need to try and get OLB Marcus Smith with our 2nd, and then with the 3rd get a FS.

 

Yes.  Even if we don't sign Nicks.

[DougDew]

We don't have one besides Mathis but I think the Colts are banking on Werner taking a step forward. 

 

Honestly, I think a lot of the forum pundits have it wrong.  I think Werner is the eventual replacement for Walden, not Mathis. 

 

Its not like he will be asked to cover a WR,TE or RB down field.  He needs to just have good play recognition and get his tall body and length into zone passing lanes, usually being within 10 yards of the LOS.  I see him as a bigger version of Walden but with better pass rushing skills to get some pressure from that side. 

 

A more athletic pass rushing rookie should spell Mathis and rotate in with down and distance next year, IMO.

[GoColts8818]

Honestly, I think a lot of the forum pundits have it wrong.  I think Werner is the eventual replacement for Walden, not Mathis. 

 

Its not like he will be asked to cover a WR,TE or RB down field.  He needs to just have good play recognition and get his tall body and length into zone passing lanes, usually being within 10 yards of the LOS.  I see him as a bigger version of Walden but with better pass rushing skills to get some pressure from that side. 

 

A more athletic pass rushing rookie should spell Mathis and rotate in with down and distance next year, IMO.

I think he is more of the Walden mold than Mathis. With that said I do think the Colts are hoping to get more pass rush out of that spot than they got last year as a whole.  Walden is pretty much a finished product at this point so I am not hoping he will improve into something he's not.  Werner on the other can get better and I do think the Colts expect him to improve and give them more of a pass rush than they got from Walden/Werner spot last year as a whole. 

[CopenhagenColt]

The pass rush could be better, and it could be worse.

Mathis is still a beast. Jones will help. Werner should show some improvement. Walden is still there.

 

It's clear that we could be better, but things could be worse.

[DougDew]

I think he is more of the Walden mold than Mathis. With that said I do think the Colts are hoping to get more pass rush out of that spot than they got last year as a whole.  Walden is pretty much a finished product at this point so I am not hoping he will improve into something he's not.  Werner on the other can get better and I do think the Colts expect him to improve and give them more of a pass rush than they got from Walden/Werner spot last year as a whole. 

 

Agreed.  I'm not an expert on the x's and o's of a defense, but I know Pagano worked him out to see OLB skills.  I know he was congratulated several times during the game for 'setting the edge' , meaning he was playing Walden's position.  He was told to get "stronger" in the offseason (not quicker like Mathis), and I never saw the #93 guy, the guy with the dreds, running down field covering a speedy playmaker.  What ever Walden has been doing, he's been around the LOS mostly. 

[Warhawk]

I think there's some potential there, but someone has to step up.  Preferably Werner.

[James]

With Nicks added I feel like pass rusher is 3rd on the list of needs right now. Mostly in form of a OLB, although I wouldn't mind another quality DE or NT if someone fell in the draft. Seattle and their rotation on the defensive line with the use of NASCAR package show you can never have too many defensive linemen.

 

1. Center (only Costa and Holmes)

2. Safety (only Howell, Brown and Lynch)

3. OLB (Mathis, Werner, Walden, Hickman.. maybe a little McNary)

4. DE/NT (Chapman Jones, Redding, Moala, Hughes)

[coltsfanatic24]

I wouldn't put it at the top of team needs because the C position, the health of Toler, and depth at safety are still huge concerns. We could still use a OLB because Mathis is the only proven pass rusher on the roster and he's 33. 

 

I do think Werner will improve but Walden isn't a good pass rusher and if Mathis has to miss some games because of injury, will have no one but Werner with any pass rushing ability. So we do need depth at OLB. I wouldn't draft one in the 2nd but there should be some good OLB's available in the 3rd round. Jeremiah Attaochu, Carl Bradford, Demarcus Lawrence, Morgan Breslin, and Chris Smith could all be there in the 3rd round.