Xavien Howard, a newly signed cornerback for the Indianapolis Colts, faced a challenging matchup during a recent game against the Los Angeles Rams. Howard, who only joined the Colts last month, was immediately put to the challenge with a tall order ahead. His assignment to start was Rams receiver Puka Nacua. That leaves Sunday’s game against the Colts, a 27-20 loss, not looking so good for Howard, whose performance was the subject of much criticism.
Last year, Howard was on the fringes of the NFL. He bounced back in the strongest way possible, largely due to position coach Lou Anarumo—who coached him his first two seasons in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. Anarumo pushed for Howard’s acquisition, believing in his ability to contribute to the Colts’ defense. Specifically, the game against the Rams showed some chinks in Howard’s armor.
Over the course of the game, Howard was picked on 10 times by Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. He was unfortunately the man assigned to cover Nacua for much of the game. He admitted that it was tough, because Nacua kept beating him in every area. This mismatch became evident when a costly mistake by Howard allowed for an 88-yard touchdown pass, which ultimately secured the victory for the Rams with just 1:44 remaining on the clock.
Howard’s struggles did not go unnoticed. Anarumo recognized the uphill battle his defense was climbing and owned up to the errors that were being committed on the football field.
“I know [head coach] Shane [Steichen] had said something, but that’s on me and, as a group, I take full responsibility for that play. It’s unacceptable. It’s unacceptable in high school, nevermind in the NFL. So, that’ll never happen again. I’ll be on top of it and make sure that we’ve got the proper guys in the proper spots so that certainly we don’t — nevermind give up an 88-yard touchdown pass — there’s 11 guys on the field.” – Lou Anarumo
The loss is especially troubling considering Howard’s status as a four-time Pro Bowl selection. At 32 years old, he should bring some definitive leadership and stability to the Colts’ young and sometimes reckless secondary. His incredible showing against Nacua is concerning. It casts doubt on his ability to adjust after a year away from the game at the highest level.
Anarumo made clear that their intention is to play defense against Nacua. It soon became clear that one-on-one, he was impossible to defend.
“Puka is a guy we were trying to match up with,” Anarumo said. “Nobody can match up with him, but we were trying to help over there, too. I think, at the end of the day, that was the reason why we did it… I think [Stafford] just found something and the rhythm of it and it was a lot of underneath throws.” – Lou Anarumo
Colts head coach Shane Steichen on Howard’s situation. He made clear that we need to improve their overall strategy and execution.
“He’s been a really good player in this league for a long time,” Steichen said. “We’ve got to do a better job looking at different things and helping him in certain situations. He is a talented player, but we’ve got to improve in some areas for sure.” – Shane Steichen
The Colts certainly have other options at cornerback currently on the roster in Mekhi Blackmon and UDFA Johnathan Edwards. Jaylon Jones likely was going to be a three-year starter in 2024. He’s now on injured reserve with a hamstring injury and anxious to get back.
If the Colts want to continue improving their performance in games like these in the future, their defensive strategy will have to be reassessed moving forward. He’s learning to improve their aggression as they incorporate Howard into their defense. They’ll have an eye on how they are addressing vulnerabilities in their secondary.
Leave a Reply