INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts had their mandatory off day on Tuesday with the first practice of the week coming later this afternoon. Today's news looks at the Colts striving to "get hot" and the addition of Daniel Adongo to the active roster.
Take a look below at the top pieces fromWednesday, December 4th.**Colts defense has Mathis recalling 2006 unit**By: Stephen Holder, Indy Star
Both Chuck Pagano and Robert Mathis looked back on history earlier the week with the Colts stretch run of the regular season approaching.
"I've been part of defenses that hit the switch on a playoff run, a magical playoff run," he said. "The '06 Super Bowl team (had) mountaintops, valley lows. That same team gave up over 350 yards rushing to one team and then 200 yards the (previous) week. So, I definitely know the peaks and valleys."
The 2006 team of which he speaks was run over in the closing weeks of the regular season. After giving up 219 rushing yards in a loss to the Titans in Week 13, the Colts responded by yielding a whopping 375 rushing yards to the Jaguars a week later. All told, the Colts gave up a season-high 447 yards that day. The defensive performances in the final three games were only slightly improved.
It was enough to make any defense question itself. But the group responded by limiting opponents to 238.5 yards in the team's four postseason games, including that glorious night in Miami when the championship was claimed.
Fast forward to 2013 and the current Colts defense has faced similar questions. Despite this season's significant personnel changes on defense, the results haven't been consistent of late. The Texans' 483 total yards November 3 and the Arizona Cardinals' 410 yards on November 24 immediately come to mind.
But in Sunday's game, the Colts saw indicators of a defense trying to turn to tide. In the fourth quarter, the Colts were particularly stout, never allowing the Titans to threaten. They advanced no further than the Colts' 33-yard line, at which point linebacker Jerrell Freeman made a game-clinching interception.
"They were bound and determined to get that job done and they played lights out for the whole game," coach Chuck Pagano said.
**Daniel Adongo joins Indianapolis Colts’ active roster**By: Dan Hanzus, NFL.com
Most Tuesday roster moves don't send shockwaves around the NFL but the Colts elevating rugby star Daniel Adongo made some headlines.
The Colts made the move Tuesday, adding Adongo and offensive lineman Xavier Nixon from the team's practice squad. Indy made room by placing linebacker Mario Harvey and running back Dan Herron on injured reserve.
Adongo represents a great curiosity -- a 23-year-old graced with tremendous size, speed and strength, but with a complete absence of American football background. The Colts landed Adongo after a rugby agent, based in Hong Kong, reached out to the organization about having interest in one of his clients.
Robert Klemko of TheMMQB.com wrote a compelling feature in September detailing the backstory of Adongo and the Colts.
Don't expect Adongo to be an immediate impact player on Indianapolis' defense. Still, Tuesday counted as more progress in the intriguing linebacker's development.
