Surprising red zone woes, Tyler Warren shines,…

4. The Colts are seeking solutions to generate more takeaways.

In 2025, the Chicago Bears were 21st in EPA per play and 30th in success rate on defense but generated a league-high 33 takeaways, which greatly contributed to their 11-6 record and NFC North title.

Certainly, the most important thing a defense can do is be consistently difficult to move the ball against on a down-to-down basis. Situational success matters plenty, too.

But sometimes defenses can paper over deficiencies by being opportunistic and forcing opposing offenses into turnovers. That’s what the Bears did last year.

The Colts, in 2026, enter Week 6 26th in EPA per play and 20th in success rate allowed on defense – but they only have two takeaways, tied with the Titans and Cowboys for the fewest in the NFL. That lack of takeaways, coupled with those down-to-down issues, has been behind the 27.6 points allowed per game they’ve averaged (28th).

Head coach Shane Steichen on Monday emphasized the Colts’ lack of takeaways on defense.

“I made a point to that today in our team meeting,” Steichen said. “Obviously, we’re not where we need to be taking the ball away – obviously, and turning the ball over. We didn’t have any turnovers in the game on Sunday, which was good offensively. But we’ve got to do a great job of attacking the football defensively, punching at the ball, being relentless, drilling the heck out of it in practice every single day. You’ve got to be a bulldog going after the ball – try to get these takeaways.”