The Indianapolis Colts enter Week 6 with the NFL’s worst run defense by EPA (Expected Points Added) per rush allowed, according to Locked On Colts host Zach Hicks. That lack of production has brought scrutiny on defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, whose unit Hicks described as compromised by communication lapses, weak run fits, limited pressure and uneven performance from highly paid veterans.
Hicks said the Colts ranked 27th in total defensive EPA and EPA per play; 26th in defensive success rate; and 22nd in EPA per pass allowed. The run-defense number stood apart: Indianapolis was 32nd in EPA per rush allowed, a problem Hicks said has shown up in explosive gains, short-yardage failures and opponents’ confidence that they can run when they need critical yards.
Colts linebacker Germaine Pratt gives Anarumo a familiar option. Pratt played under Anarumo with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2019 through 2024, and Hicks expects the veteran to offer more physicality and steadiness next to Akeem Davis-Gaither. Hicks, however, questioned whether Pratt can move the needle for a defense with problems at every level.
The host pointed beyond linebacker to nose tackle Grover Stewart’s struggles against the run, an edge group that has not generated enough pressure, and a secondary that has not played up to expectations. Hicks argued that a defense cannot expect a midseason addition at linebacker to erase breakdowns that involve the front, coverage unit and play-calling structure.
Moving on from Anarumo, who is in his second year as Colts DC, is complicated by the lack of an obvious in-house reset. Hicks said a dismissal would require the Colts to promote another assistant from a staff already attached to the communication and game-planning issues. He suggested a change could function more as an organizational statement than an immediate tactical fix, while naming pass-game coordinator and secondary coach Chris Hewitt as a possible internal option.
Hicks’ practical prescription was narrower: Clean up pre-snap communication; tighten run fits; use more reliable tacklers, such as safety Hunter Wohler, on early downs; and consider more pressure packages. The Colts have used a low blitz rate, Hicks said, leaving a thin edge-rush group to create pressure without much help.
Pratt can help stabilize a linebacker rotation that has lacked consistency, but the Colts’ immediate test is whether Anarumo can get 11 defenders aligned and playing with more discipline against the run. If that does not happen, the attention surrounding the coordinator will continue to intensify.
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