The Indianapolis Colts (8-4) are in a somewhat vulnerable spot coming out of Sunday's 20-16 home loss to the Houston Texans (7-5), but things could be far worse. Star cornerback Sauce Gardner, who suffered a calf strain during the divisional matchup, has avoided a major injury, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The current expectation is that he “will likely miss a few weeks.”
Losing Gardner for multiple games is obviously a concerning thought for a squad that has drifted out of the forefront and toward the back-half of the AFC playoff picture, but the Colts and their fans are surely grateful that the two-time All-Pro will apparently have a chance to compete again this season. Indy will probably need him if it hopes to mount a deep playoff run.
The Colts' recent offensive struggles are understandably receiving more attention, but the defense has also looked shaky at times over the last couple of weeks. Patrick Mahomes thew for 352 yards in Week 12 and the returning CJ Stroud cleared 270 passing yards for just the second time this season. The secondary recorded two interceptions and allowed no passing touchdowns during that two-game span, but there is obviously room for improvement.
Gardner's absence only adds more adversity. He has eight pass breakups and 26 solo tackles during his time with the New York Jets and Colts this season and is posting an 89.1 passer rating allowed, per Pro Football Focus. Indy traded two first-round draft picks and second-year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for the 25-year-old CB, believing him to be a potential game-changer in both the present and future.
Sauce Gardner is still acclimating himself to Lou Anarumo's defense, a process that will be even harder to perfect amid his injury. Indianapolis will pray to the football gods that the squad can survive a difficult final stretch that includes matchups against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Texans.
