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.

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.

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An emergency medical technician has been named the 2024 American Ambulance Association Stars of Life recipient.

Steve Emery’s contributions are being celebrated on a national level, honoring a legacy of resilience, commitment, and care for his community.

The Stars of Life award is a prestigious honor highlighting EMS professionals who go above and beyond in their service to the community.

“It feels good. It feels really good,” Emery said Monday.

Emery’s journey in EMS began in 1978 when he earned his certification through the Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department. He recently retired this year from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Fire Department. Emery served at Aid Ambulance, Rural Metro, and, since 2014, Seals Ambulance, where he’s described as a pillar of support and mentorship.

“I do some 911 but mostly just transports like hospital-to-hospital transports. I’ve gotten to do a lot of neat things,” he said. “I worked on the track rescue team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so I’ve been in the pit, and I’ve been on the sidelines for NFL games a few times, so that’s neat.

At Seals Ambulance, Emery has fostered a culture of camaraderie. As he sees it, always being willing to assist, being reliable and showing leadership is key. “I’m doing the best I can to help people.”

Although he’s retired, Emery likes to be of service and still volunteers his time. His legacy continues at Seals Ambulance with colleagues describing his commitment to career as having shaped the evolution of EMS in Indiana. For people new to the industry, Emery says, it’s important to be committed to the work.

“Do the best they can with what they got to work with and whatever it takes to help the patient,” Emery said.

Emery will be formally recognized Nov. 11-14 in Washington, D.C. Honorees can attend an awards ceremony and visit with their respective U.S. senators and representatives.

Taylor Swift was “shocked” when Travis Kelce showed up at her Indianapolis Eras Tour concert on Saturday, a source exclusively tells Page Six.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end arrived while Swift was onstage performing during the sold-out show at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Videos circulating on social media captured the Super Bowl champion surprising the “Cruel Summer” singer’s mom, Andrea Swift, 66, and brother, Austin Swift, 32.

“Andrea and Austin didn’t think Travis was going to be able to make it,” the insider tells us.

“They were shocked when he showed up. It was an amazing surprise and they were thrilled he was able to be there for such an important occasion.”

In the clips shared online, the NFL athlete, 35, could be seen walking up to the pair and greeting Austin with a huge bear hug.

Austin, who was dressed in a white shirt, could be seen giving the football player a few huge pats on the back.

Meanwhile, Andrea’s jaw dropped as she appeared just as stunned to see Kelce.

Our source says it was “really important” to the Chiefs star to attend Taylor’s show.

Kelce made it a point to make an appearance since it was the weekend of the Grammy Award winner’s final US shows before wrapping her record-breaking Eras Tour.

“Travis had practice earlier that day and he wasn’t even sure if he was going to be able to make it,” the insider tells Page Six.

“It was a last-minute decision,” the source adds. “Thankfully, he was able to get out of practice on time and show up.”

The Chiefs are scheduled to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. Swift, 34, has hinted she may be there to return the favor and support her beau.

The pop star’s Eras Tour kicked off in Glendale, Ariz., in March 2023 and concludes in Vancouver on Dec. 8.

Taylor and Kelce started dating in summer 2023. They went public with their romance in September of that year, two months after he publicly expressed interest in the songstress.