Indianapolis finally got a little relief in a week that hasn’t offered much of it. Sauce Gardner’s calf injury isn’t as bad as the one that derailed his first stretch with the Colts, the cornerback told reporters Wednesday, according to IndyStar’s Joel A. Erickson.
Gardner said it’s the same calf, but the MRI showed the problem in a different part of it. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday that it’s a mild strain and that Gardner is week-to-week after he left the 26-20 loss to the Titans and didn’t return.
Why Gardner matters so much against Minnesota
Gardner played 22 snaps before he exited, according to PFF. Cam Taylor-Britt took 24 snaps at cornerback and allowed two catches on two targets, finishing with a 31.1 coverage grade. Charvarius Ward held up on the other side, allowing no catches on two targets with a 75.7 coverage grade.
That drop-off is the problem for a defense that can’t absorb many more. Gardner has started all six games with 17 tackles and four pass breakups. Quarterbacks posted a 107.9 passer rating when targeting him through Week 5, but the gap behind him is bigger. The Colts sent two first-round picks and Adonai Mitchell to the Jets to land him at the 2025 deadline. That trade came up again this week as critics picked apart the worst decisions Chris Ballard made before his firing Monday.
A calf injury limited Gardner to four games with Indianapolis after that trade, so the history matters. So does the opponent. Shane Steichen called Minnesota’s defense the “best in the business” on Wednesday, per FOX59’s Mike Chappell. The Vikings blitz 67% of the time and have forced 10 turnovers in five games, Erickson noted. Daniel Jones threw two interceptions against Tennessee alone, so the Colts’ defense may have to keep things close while the quarterback cleans up the turnovers.
Week-to-week leaves room for anything from a Sunday return to a few more games on the sideline, and Thursday’s practice report is the first real clue. For a fan base that booed at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, getting its best cornerback back would be a start.
