Indy Chronicler

INDIANAPOLIS — Tony Brown stood in entrance of his locker stall Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, simply as Darrell Baker Jr. had seven days earlier.

They have been cornerbacks being requested a primary query — what occurred?

Neither had a suitable reply. And we might argue neither ought to have been in such an uncomfortable state of affairs.

Not Baker after a number of late pivotal performs went in opposition to him within the 39-38 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

And never Brown after quarterback Derek Carr spent Sunday afternoon concentrating on and exploiting him within the New Orleans Saints’ 38-27 win over the Indianapolis Colts Sunday.

Every was the proverbial “subsequent man up” as accidents have decimated a cornerbacks room that entered the season teeming with youth and inexperience. Dallis Flowers suffered a season-ending Achilles harm after beginning the primary 4 video games of the yr. Rookie JuJu Brents missed the Saints recreation after sustaining a quadricep harm in opposition to the Browns.

The Colts have wanted extra on the place to go together with Kenny Moore II and rookie Jaylon Jones — they’ve wanted higher — and that’s on them.

Basic supervisor Chris Ballard and his personnel workers determined to depend on youth going into the season, realizing there could be rising pains.

“We ended up drafting three guys,’’ Ballard mentioned initially of coaching camp. “We acquired some guys internally we like.

“We predict we’ve acquired an excellent core group of gifted corners that simply need to play and get higher.’’

Sunday, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley thought of his choices and turned to Brown somewhat than sticking with Baker as his third nook.

“We felt good about Tony going into the sport,’’ head coach Shane Steichen mentioned. “So, that was the choice that was made.’’

Did the teaching workers contemplate changing Brown when he encountered early struggles?

“We felt good with Tony,’’ Steichen mentioned.

Even earlier than Sunday, it was a wierd determination. Brown has been a strong particular groups contributor throughout his six-year profession, however the begin in opposition to New Orleans was his second since 2018.

His 2023 marketing campaign had consisted of 147 particular groups snaps and one on protection within the opener in opposition to Jacksonville. Oddly, Brown’s one snap in opposition to the Jaguars resulted in his solely profession interception.

As anticipated, the highlight was on Brown from the outset.

Carr seen him, and attacked.

There was his 17-yard completion to wideout Michael Thomas on the Saints’ second offensive play.

And a 58-yard landing on a deep submit to Rashid Shaheed within the second quarter.

And absolutely the killer: a 51-yard hookup with Shaheed on third-and-13 with the Saints wanting so as to add to their precarious 35-27 lead with 2:52 remaining. It was Brown vs. Shaheed down the left facet. A cease by the protection would have given Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew II and his offense one final shot at mounting a comeback.

As an alternative, the Saints sealed the sport with kicker Blake Grupe’s 27-yard discipline purpose with 24 seconds left.

In accordance with ESPN’s NextGen Stats, Brown was in protection for 27 snaps and the closest defender on seven of Carr’s 27 makes an attempt. Carr went 7-for-7 for 187 yards with a TD to Shaheed and a 158.3 passer ranking, the best attainable, with Brown in protection.

Did Brown really feel as if Carr was concentrating on him?

“No, I didn’t really feel like that,’’ he mentioned.

Brown described the third-and-13 completion to Shaheed as “an excellent play by them. Hats off to them. I’ve acquired to be higher.’’

Brown didn’t flinch when addressing the media after Carr handed for 310 yards and two TDs, and Shaheed completed with 153 yards on simply three catches.

“The kind of participant I’m, I at all times look inside first for what I might have accomplished higher,’’ he mentioned. “No matter something — win, lose or draw — I at all times have a look at what I might have accomplished higher.

“After wanting on the movie and simply how I really feel proper now, there have been positively performs I might have accomplished higher, and I’ve acquired to get higher for subsequent recreation.’’

The defensive lapses made snapping the two-game dropping streak inconceivable.

The Colts allowed or matched season-highs in complete yards (511), yards per play (7.7), passing yards (354), yards per move play (11.7) and first downs (24). New Orleans transformed 6-of-12 third down conditions.

They have been unable to take care of Taysom Hill, the Saints’ Swiss Military Knife, who was their main rusher with 63 yards and two TDs on 9 makes an attempt. Working again Alvin Kamara additionally hit the Colts with a speeding TD (16 yards) and a receiving TD (18 yards).

The Colts are the one crew within the league to attain a minimum of 20 factors in each recreation, but additionally one in all two — the Washington Commanders are the opposite — to permit a minimum of 30 factors in three consecutive video games.

It’s the primary time since 2018 and simply the second time in 22 seasons they’ve been gouged for 30-plus factors in three straight video games.

The Colts dropped their third straight, fell to 3-5 and have misplaced 4 of their 5 video games at Lucas Oil Stadium.

An simple perpetrator — the shortage of dependable depth at nook.

Would possibly the Colts flip to a different possibility subsequent week at Carolina?

“Yeah, we’ll consider all the pieces,’’ Steichen mentioned.

Brown’s struggles have been the highest difficulty Sunday.

No. 2? The odd use of Jonathan Taylor.

On the finish of a 7-7 first quarter, he had rushed seven occasions for 82 yards.

“If you get a begin like that, you at all times suppose, ‘Aw, this will likely go at this time,’’ Taylor mentioned. “However you at all times notice behind your thoughts, ‘They’ll make changes. We have to make changes.’

“You positively do get excited while you get going early and also you simply begin occupied with, ‘How can I maintain this? How can we maintain this all through your entire recreation?’’’

The plain reply: They couldn’t. Taylor wasn’t given the chance.

Taylor’s electrical begin was adopted by Pffft! He completed with 95 yards on 12 carries. We’ll prevent the mathematics. Over the ultimate three quarters, Taylor had 13 yards on 5 makes an attempt. That included 1 yard on one try after halftime.

Regardless of his presence and worth to the offense — let’s not neglect the $42 million extension the crew gave him in earlier this month — Taylor went practically 10 minutes between handoffs within the first half.

Steichen pointed to Zack Moss’ presence (11 carries, 66 yards) and the Colts trailing 35-20 early within the fourth quarter, which required extra from Minshew and the move recreation. Indy ran solely six occasions within the second half.

However the Colts trailed simply 28-20 on the finish of the third quarter. An ineffective offense within the third interval resulted in simply 12 performs: six Minshew passes and 6 runs, 5 by Moss that included a 41-yard burst.

“That’s what led to it,’’ Steichen mentioned of Taylor’s ultra-quiet second half.

Taylor didn’t seem upset by the shortage of touches after his quick begin.

“I wasn’t shocked, however there additionally wasn’t a dialogue,’’ he mentioned. “I imply, we put factors on the board. No matter Shane calls, I’m with it. You guys see we have been capable of rating factors.’’

Simply not sufficient.

You’ll be able to observe Mike Chappell on Twitter/X at @mchappell51.