Tony Dungy saw the statistics late in the season, and he saw what happened on the field.
Because of that, he said one thing is clear:
The Colts’ pass rush could use depth.
Dungy, entering his seventh season as the Colts’ head coach, said on Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine that the team could use another pass rusher or two on the defensive line. The need became apparent, he said, late this past season.
With defensive end Dwight Freeney out the last seven games of the season, and with end Robert Mathis hampered with a late-season injury, the Colts had one sack in their last three games.
That included a 28-24 loss in an AFC Divisional Playoff game against San Diego.
The Colts had no sacks in that game.
“We saw what happened when Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis got hurt,” Dungy said Friday at the Combine, which is ongoing this week and weekend at the RCA Dome in downtown Indianapolis.
“Obviously anybody that loses their top two rushers is going to take a little bit of a hit. Our defense is so much predicated on our front four rushing the passer. We don’t blitz a lot. That need to have extra guys there and have that second wave of rushers is important for us.
“Hopefully, we can unearth a couple of more guys who can rush the passer down the line.”
FAREWELL WEEKEND: The Scouting Combine holds a bit of extra feeling for Dungy and Colts personnel this weekend.
It could be the last time many of them will be in the RCA Dome.
The Colts, who have played home games in the RCA Dome since 1984, are scheduled to begin playing in Lucas Oil Stadium – a state-of-the-art, retractable-roof facility – beginning next season.
“This will be kind of bittersweet,” Dungy said. “We’ll shed a tear as we blow the dome up. It’s been a great home for us and it’s been great to see how it transformed as the home of the Colts. When I came here seven years ago, it was a great place to play. I think
it’s become even more of that. I think our fans have really identified. There are a lot more blue and white jerseys at the games. It was a great time.
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