Colts scouting report: Defensive line is the backbone as the offense struggles

ABOUT THE COLTS

• The Colts (4-8-1) are coming off a bye week after dropping three straight games, the latest a fourth-quarter drubbing in a 54-19 loss to the Cowboys. Turnovers and poor run defense have plagued Indianapolis. The Colts have committed a league-worst 26 turnovers while the Steelers (172 rushing yards) and the Cowboys (220 rushing yards) ran wild on them in back-to-back weeks.

• The Colts offense has recommitted to the run. Running back Jonathan Taylor has taken at least 20 carries in each of the four games since the Colts fired coach Frank Reich and replaced him with Jeff Saturday.

• The Colts defense — ranked third against the pass — has been the backbone, even though All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard is on injured reserve. Former Vikings edge rushers Yannick Ngakoue (8.5 sacks) and Ifeadi Odenigbo (2.5 sacks) bolster a strong defensive front that also includes interior game wrecker DeForest Buckner and promising edge rusher Kwity Paye, the 2021 first-round pick.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT | QB Matt Ryan

• Ryan, the 37-year-old former NFL MVP for the Falcons, will remain the starter after committing four turnovers in the recent loss to Dallas. He has struggled in his first season with Indianapolis, where he was traded last offseason following 14 years in Atlanta.

• The Colts are 4-6-1 with Ryan, who was benched for two games earlier this season under Reich. Since returning, Ryan has still struggled to find scoring connections. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes to a league-high 13 interceptions. No Colts player has more than three touchdown grabs this season.

• Ryan on coming off a December bye week: "This is the latest bye I've ever had. You try to get your body feeling as good as you can. For me, that certainly helps. ... A chance both physically and mentally to take a step away, which I think everybody probably needed."

COACH SPEAK | Jeff Saturday

• Saturday, the former All-Pro center for the Colts, stepped out of the television studio as an ESPN analyst and was hired to replace Reich as interim head coach on Nov. 7. Saturday, 47, has experienced defensive minds in coordinator Gus Bradley, the ex-Jaguars head coach, and senior assistant John Fox, the ex-Bears head coach.

• The Colts offense is being run by first-time play caller Parks Frazier, who was the team's assistant quarterbacks coach. Former offensive coordinator Marcus Brady was fired before the team fired Reich, the ex-Eagles offensive coordinator. Since Saturday and Frazier took over, Indianapolis has averaged 130.5 rushing yards per game.

• Saturday on the Colts offensive coaching staff also losing tight ends coach Klayton Adams, who was hired by Stanford this week: "We've kind of assigned the duties that Klayton had, split those up among the group. Everybody has taken more of a share of that. ... When you've had staff change the way we've had throughout the season, this kind of just lends toward it."