Will Sauce Gardner play for the Colts against the Seahawks this week? The latest on his injury and the team's strategy
The Colts' All-Pro cornerback, Sauce Gardner, will miss his second consecutive game due to a calf injury, as confirmed by coach Shane Steichen. This leaves the team without their top two cornerbacks, including the recently injured Charvarius Ward, who is also out with concussion symptoms. The Colts will face the Seattle Seahawks, who boast the NFL's leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Gardner's injury occurred early in the Colts' Week 13 game against the Texans, forcing defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo to adjust his strategy. Charvarius Ward, who was already dealing with his second concussion of the season, took over the role of guarding Houston's top wideout, Nico Collins, who still managed to gain 98 yards on five catches. Ward's performance has been inconsistent, giving up 112 yards in that game and 64 yards in the previous week against the Jaguars.
The Colts' decision not to put Gardner on IR after the Texans game initially sparked hope that he would return within a couple of weeks. However, Steichen confirmed that Gardner would not be back on the field for the Seattle game, and he did not participate in practice, making his return unlikely. This leaves the team with a challenging task: finding a way to limit the league's leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who is on pace to break the single-season receiving yards record.
The Colts will have to rely on a 'cornerback-by-committee' approach, utilizing players like Mekhi Blackmon, Jaylon Jones, Jonathan Edwards, and Cameron Mitchell, alongside slot corner Kenny Moore II and starting safeties Nick Cross and Cam Bynum. The team's strategy will be crucial in containing Smith-Njigba, who has already amassed 1,428 yards through 13 games, and is on track to surpass the record set by Calvin Johnson in 2012.
