Colts-Texans quickie look

If you want to know why this year’s defense is so much better than last year’s, you only have to look at one play. Everybody knows the following:

1. The Colts are blitzing way more often this year

2. Matt Schaub, though a premier QB, suffers under pressure
3. Duane Brown, the Texans’ LT, is not great at pass pro, let alone blitz pickup
4. Dwight Freeney – the Colts’ RDE, best pass-rusher and the guy who should be eating Brown alive – was so injured, he didn’t even make the trip; so the ordinary rush wasn’t enough
5. Clint Session, the Colts’ overaggressive WLB, is soooo much better moving forward than back

6. It’s 2nd-and-10 at the Houston 20 with the Colts up 21-20

Everything – logic, passion, sinew – it all screamed blitz. Hell, I would have called a blitz. And that’s what it looked like. Session crowded the line. He put on his I’m-gonna-get-you-face. Tough, competent Chris Myers snapped the ball. Cerebral, strong-armed Schaub looked around and spotted tight end James Casey, his blitz outlet.

But Session (left) didn’t blitz. He dropped into coverage. And Schaub hadn’t accounted for him. Session leapt in front of the rookie Casey and got his big mitts on the ball. And that was it. Twenty-seven quick yards later, touchdown Colts. Texans’ hopes vanquished. Game effectively over.

That play would not have happened last year. Thank you, Larry Coyer.

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The Joseph Addai fanboys will be going nuts, fighting over one another to point out that he averaged 4.6 yards a carry. I acknowledge this, but I also point out that Donald Brown had 5.4 yards a carry and Chad Simpson had 10.0. Face it, the Texans are easy to run against unless you target Brian Cushing. Mark my words, this kid is going to be as huge a star as Amobi Okoye has been a flop. Okay, Okoye still has a chance to turn it around because he's so young, but he's actually giving up the most vital snaps to Jeff Zgonina. No guff against Zgonina (who I have the utmost respect for), but he's 39 years old, and has been cut 11 times by eight teams, including the could-not-be-more-desperate-for-linemen 1998 Colts. It's turn it around time for the boy wonder Okoye.

Yeah, Simpson came within one man of breaking that kick return for a touchdown, but I think a premier return specialist beats that man. My complaint with Simpson has always been his inability to do just that. He’ll forever be a just-about guy.

Nobody stepped up on specials (which is something you all know I watch intently). Say what you will about Cody Glenn (and I have yet to hear much), I’d still rather have Jordan Senn. If you saw any of the Jets-Panthers game, you may have seen Senn sticking it to kick returner David Clowney – yes, he of the 4.36 speed – on a kick return. In all fairness, Glenn did have a tackle on a kick return too, just 15 yards farther downfield than Senn’s on a slower, less elusive player.

At least for now, forget the Titans and the Jaguars; the Texans are who the Colts should fear in the AFC South. The Titans and Jaguars have awesome halfbacks and little else, while the Texans are a great team in search of a decent halfback. Imagine if Schaub had Chris Johnson or Maurice Jones-Drew at his disposal. Trust me, it would be a whole different ballgame.

Pat McAfee is the bargain of the draft. Kid is a natural. Few players are born for the NFL. He was.

A more complete look at the game later in the week.