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Colts’ Defense Surging

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Colts’ Defense Surging


The Indianapolis Colts’ fanbase was in near unanimous agreement that Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley had to be fired at the end of the season following the team’s 37-34 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in week five. Amid the Colts’ own offensive turmoil in the month since that game, Bradley has quietly figured out a winning formula with his defense since that disaster.

The Colts’ defense has been on a steady roll these past four games, ranking as the 8th-best defense in terms of EPA/play, the 9th-best defense in drop back EPA, and the 10th-best defense in rush EPA. While it could be easy to attribute this success to games against Will Levis and Tyler Huntley, the Colts also managed to hold the Minnesota Vikings and the Houston Texans below their usual offensive averages in EPA/play (and rank 6th in EPA/play in general as a defense the past two weeks).

There are a lot of contributing factors to the Colts’ defensive rebound over the past month. It helps to have back-to-back get-right games against vulnerable offenses like the Tennessee Titans and the Miami Dolphins to kick off the stretch, and the momentum built up from those games has carried over into big contests against playoff-bound opponents.

Another factor that has contributed to the Colts’ success has been the return of DeForest Buckner to the lineup. Buckner has been back in the lineup for the Colts’ last two outings, logging four hurries, three quarterback hits, and two sacks since returning to the field. His elite presence on the interior has paved the way for the rest of the Colts’ defensive line returning to their early season expectations.

The final massive factor in this defensive growth in none other than Gus Bradley himself. Once the old dog that would never learn a new trick, Bradley has changed this defense up a good bit in recent weeks. A man known for his lack of aggression and for sitting back in cover three all day long has shifted to more of a blitz-heavy cover two defense in recent weeks.

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This shift for the Colts’ defense is eerily similar to the style of play that Matt Eberflus once deployed in his time as the Colts’ defensive coordinator. Sit back in cover two shells, eliminate the vertical passing game, pressure the quarterback, and force turnovers. The Colts have forced seven turnovers in their past four games and they lead the league in fumbles recovered as a defense with nine this season.

The smartest aspect of this adjustment for Bradley is playing to the strengths of his linebacker group. Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed are fine run chasers that can ROBOT back against play-action, but they are at their best playing downhill and attacking what is in front of them. This blitz-heavy, cover-two approach from Bradley has allowed the Colts’ linebacker duo (along with Grant Stuard in base sets) to be in attack mode on passing downs and get after opposing quarterbacks.

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Even when the Colts are getting into some cover three looks, the secondary has shown fantastic growth this season in their zone recognition and assignment integrity. Nick Cross has developed some pretty good instincts this year and Jaylon Jones (despite the rough game on Sunday night) has flashed playmaking ability.

This interception by Cross might be one of the more instinctual plays in zone coverage from a Colts’ player the past few seasons.

There are even more wrinkles that Bradley has thrown in this season to hide the flaws of this defensive group, including mixing in three safety sets on passing downs to get more coverage players on the field. This unit still has some issues to iron out, but Bradley has done a good job adjusting to his personnel and finding an answer in this past month of play.

There is work to be done with this defense overall. Run defense is a bit leaky and some of the middle passing windows are far too uncontested for opposing offenses. That being said, there has at least been steady improvement on that side of the ball from the coaching staff and from the players on the field, something that can’t be said for the Colts’ offense in this past month of play.

Bradley may be the odd man out after the season, but he deserves credit for adjusting the defense after the Jacksonville disaster. His unit has been playing fast, hungry, and forcing turnovers in recent weeks, which has given the Colts’ offense a chance to win games. This is winning-caliber defense from Bradley of late, now it’s on Shane Steichen and the Colts’ offense to return the favor going forward.

Need your fill on daily Colts’ content? Head over to the Locked On Colts’ YouTube channel where Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks hit on all the major topics surrounding this team. Hit that subscribe button while you are there!

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Indianapolis, IN

Heat Advisory and Warning for central Indiana

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Heat Advisory and Warning for central Indiana


INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.

WRTV

A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.

Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.

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Storms fade with dangerous heat building through midweek | June 27, 2026

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Storms fade with dangerous heat building through midweek | June 27, 2026


TODAY

Patchy fog early gives way to a partly sunny, warmer, and much less active day. Highs reach the mid to upper 80s, with a light south breeze around 5 mph. After the unsettled Saturday, this looks like a far more usable day for outdoor plans, with most of central Indiana staying dry from start to finish.  

TONIGHT

Mostly clear early, then becoming partly to mostly cloudy toward daybreak. Lows hold in the low 70s, with a light south southeast breeze around 5 mph. Humidity stays elevated overnight, but quiet weather continues and there are no meaningful travel concerns.  

TOMORROW

Mostly sunny and hot with highs pushing into the low 90s. A south southwest breeze around 5 to 10 mph keeps the air moving, but the bigger story is the heat and humidity building in. Heat index values around or above 100 are possible during the afternoon, so outdoor plans will need extra water and more breaks.  

TOMORROW NIGHT

Mostly clear and warm, with lows around the mid 70s and a light south southwest breeze. There will be very little cooling after sunset, and the muggy feel hangs on through the night. Dry weather remains in place.  

TUESDAY

Sunny and even hotter, with highs in the low to mid 90s and a light southwest breeze around 5 mph. This is another day where heat becomes the main impact, and it will not take long to feel it during the afternoon. Outdoor work and summer activities will need to be paced carefully.  

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TUESDAY NIGHT

Clear and warm again, with lows in the mid 70s and a light southwest wind. The air remains sticky overnight, and there is still no meaningful rain signal for Indianapolis.  

WEDNESDAY

Mostly sunny and hot, with highs in the low to mid 90s. Wind stays light, becoming south southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Heat remains the main concern, and another uncomfortable summer afternoon is expected across central Indiana.  

7 DAY FORECAST

After Saturday’s leftover storm chances fade away, the pattern flips quickly toward heat and humidity. Sunday looks quieter and warmer, then Monday through at least Wednesday trend hot with highs in the 90s and heat index values over 100 possible at times. Rain chances stay very low through midweek, with the next better opportunity for showers and storms showing up later Thursday into Friday. Overall, the bigger concern after tonight becomes summer heat rather than repeated storm chances.



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Turning hot and humid through midweek | June 27, 2026

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Turning hot and humid through midweek | June 27, 2026


TONIGHT

A few showers and thunderstorms may linger through the evening before coverage gradually fades later tonight. Patchy fog may develop after about 2 a.m., and lows settle in the upper 60s with a light east breeze. It will not rain all night everywhere, but the evening still carries enough of a storm threat to keep a weather eye nearby.   

TOMORROW

Patchy fog early gives way to a partly sunny, warmer, and much less active day. Highs climb into the mid 80s, with a light east wind around 5 mph. After the unsettled Saturday, this looks like a far more usable day for outdoor plans, and most of central Indiana should stay dry from start to finish.

TOMORROW NIGHT

Clear early, then becoming partly cloudy toward daybreak, with lows in the low 70s. A light south southeast breeze around 5 mph keeps the air moving just enough, and the humidity stays elevated overnight. Quiet weather continues.  

MONDAY

Mostly sunny and hot with highs pushing into the low 90s. A south southwest breeze around 5 to 10 mph keeps the air moving, but the bigger story is the heat and humidity building in. Heat index values over 100 are possible during the afternoon, so outdoor plans will need extra water and more breaks.

MONDAY NIGHT

Mostly clear and warm, with lows around the mid 70s. A light south southwest breeze continues overnight, and there will be very little cooling after sunset. It stays dry, but the muggy feel hangs on.

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TUESDAY

Sunny and even hotter, with highs in the low to mid 90s and a light southwest breeze around 5 mph. This is another day where the heat becomes the main impact, and it will not take long to feel it during the afternoon. Outdoor work and summer activities will need to be paced carefully.

TUESDAY NIGHT

Clear and warm again, with lows in the mid 70s and a light southwest wind. The air remains sticky overnight, and there is still no meaningful rain signal for Indianapolis.

WEDNESDAY

Mostly sunny and hot, with highs in the low to mid 90s. Wind stays light, becoming south southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon. Heat remains the main concern, and another uncomfortable summer afternoon is expected across central Indiana.

7 DAY FORECAST

After today’s storm chances taper away, the pattern flips quickly toward heat and humidity. Sunday looks quieter and warmer, then Monday through at least Wednesday trend hot with highs in the 90s and heat index values over 100 possible at times. Rain chances stay very low through midweek, with only low-end storm chances returning later Thursday into Friday. Overall, the bigger concern after Saturday becomes summer heat rather than repeated storm chances.  



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