It’s clear after three losses the Colts aren’t going to score a lot of points this season. They’ve scored 46 with only three offensive touchdowns.
That puts the onus on the defense and second-year middle linebacker Pat Angerer starting Monday night at Tampa Bay. Angerer is replacing Gary Brackett, who is out for the season.
In filling in for Brackett, who was injured in the season-opening loss at Houston, Angerer has taken over the NFL lead in combined tackles with 42 (24 solo, 18 assists).
“It’s only Week 4, so I don’t think anybody really cares. I don’t,” Angerer said. “We’re 0-3, and that’s all that really matters right now. It doesn’t matter. We need to win.”
Angerer had a game-high 12 solo tackles and nine assists in the 23-20 loss to visiting Pittsburgh last Sunday night.
“Obviously, when you get that many tackles you’re around the ball a lot,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “In particular, (look at) the situations where he wasn’t dragging a whole lot of people down from behind, so he was holding them for minimal gains. He played well, tackled well, adjusted well, and he flew around and made a lot of plays.”
Against the Steelers, the Colts gave up 11 passing plays of 17 yards or more. With safety Melvin Bullitt out for the season with a shoulder injury, and the Colts likely to use second-year player David Caldwell and rookie Joe Lefeged, the Buccaneers will probably target the middle of the Colts’ defense, and Angerer must be ready.
The Colts, 23rd against the rush (114 yards per game), will also be challenged by the LeGarrette Blount-led Buccaneers running attack. Tampa Bay ranks 21st in rushing (90 per game).
And now, Angerer has the added pressure of calling out pre-snap adjustments, something Brackett had done for years.
“You’ve got to make the checks and all that stuff, but you have smart guys like (safety Antoine) Bethea back there that usually (help) make them for you,” Angerer said.
Because Brackett has been the emotional defensive leader for the Colts, it’s tough to imagine more pressure being heaped on Angerer than has been this week.
“Gary has done a great job of leadership and getting all the guys lined up correctly. It’s hard to replace a guy like that, especially in the heat of the battle when you have to make a play and someone has to step up,” defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “You’ve got some guys there with big eyes and not knowing where to go, and Gary would be the guy that helped the young guys. … So it’s going to be real tough, but we’re going to have to find a way to make it happen.”
