How Bjoern Werner and the Colts Defense Took Down Joe Flacco

Going into the matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco had been sacked just three times this season, and not at all since the Ravens' season-opening loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. 

But then he came to Indianapolis and everything fell apart, literally and figuratively. 

The Colts sacked Flacco four times, and kept the previously high-flying Ravens offense from getting off the ground. Flacco was held without a passing touchdown for the first time all season and had his lowest passer rating (65.1) of the season.

So how was it that this Colts team, without All-Pro outside linebacker Robert Mathis, was able to get to Flacco so frequently? After all, it wasn't just the sacks that did Flacco in; the Ravens' quarterback was just 2-of-10 when under pressure without being sacked. 

A few individuals had strong games, but it was also the timing and scheme of Greg Manusky's called blitzes that got the Colts' pass rush humming.

Individual Efforts: Cory Redding and Bjoern Werner 

The game started off poorly for the Ravens, as Steve Smith fumbled on Baltimore's first offensive play. But on the next drive, Cory Redding beat left guard Kelechi Osemele with ease and chased down Joe Flacco, who was rolling right off of the play action. Redding dives and manages to trip up Flacco, who was also worried about Ricky Jean Francois bearing down on him. 

The sack came on 3rd-and-1 and ended the drive.

On the Ravens' next drive, Redding forced a long third down by creating a sack opportunity for second-year outside linebacker Bjoern Werner. 

NFL Game Rewind

The Ravens right tackle, Ricky Wagner, oddly decides to slide left, expecting help from the running back. Redding takes advantage and attacks the running back head-on, getting in Flacco's face and forcing him back in the pocket. With the benefit of an easy angle, Werner smokes Flacco in the back for the sack and a long third down on the next play. 

Redding didn't stand out in pass rush for the rest of the game, but he's been playing like this for the last two years. A better-than-average run defender capable of a few big plays in pass rush every game or two, he's the most consistent producer on the Colts' front seven. 

But it's Werner who has most fans and analysts excited after Sunday's game. Werner finished with a plus-4.7 grade overall from Pro Football Focus, easily his best game of his career. Along with the two sacks, Werner had four additional hurries. 

While his first sack was more Redding than Werner, his second was a great bull rush through undrafted rookie left tackle James Hurst. 

NFL Game Rewind

At initial contact, Werner doesn't have great leverage over the tackle, but he dips inside and keeps his legs churning to turn Hurst and get right into Flacco's face. 

Hurst had an abysmal game, and Werner won't see that kind of competition every week, but a game like that is something that can get a defensive player motivated, hungry for more. If we even see a fraction of that kind of production from Werner every week, Mathis' absence will be much less noticeable. 

Manufacturing Pressure

But even with a good day from Werner, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky is dealing with below-average pass-rushing talent. Against a team like Baltimore, who has the weapons to go deep, Manusky couldn't just let Flacco sit back in the pocket untouched like he did with Nick Foles in Week 2. 

This is where Manusky's blitzes were key. His calls were on-point perfectly on Sunday, timed well and designed beautifully for the situations. 

Take this blitz on 3rd-and-11. The Colts had blitzed linebackers through the interior of the line during big plays all game but switched it up here to create a lane for blitzing safety Sergio Brown. 

NFL Game Rewind

You see Jerrell Freeman lined up over the center at the line of scrimmage here, in a position to potentially blitz. Because he's not worried about tight end Owen Daniels' speed over the top (the defensive back in the picture would have him if he went to the flat), he can line up right on the line here and have time to get back into position in the coverage. 

Freeman's position makes the center hesitate and never give a second thought to the left side.

When Erik Walden shoots inside toward the left guard, a perfect lane opens up for Brown to loop through toward a one-on-one matchup with the running back.

Although the back does a good job, the pressure was enough to force Flacco to throw the ball, resulting in an interception by Vontae Davis. 

Overall, Manusky's blitzes were very effective. Flacco was just 7-of-17 for 101 yards, a pick and was sacked twice when blitzed on Sunday. On those plays, he threw for 5.9 yards per attempt and a passer rating of 36.6.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

But, in the end, everything works as a piece of the puzzle in Indianapolis. Pass rush is directly related to coverage, and coverage is directly related to pass rush. 

For the Colts, the coverage on their first three sacks was impeccable, which meant Flacco had nowhere to go, even as a short outlet pass. Flacco had no choice but to take the sacks.

It's an especially important key in Manusky's defense, which puts the defensive backs in one-on-one coverage frequently and asks them to go "on an island." So far, those corners have been up to the task, especially Vontae Davis, who is allowing a stifling, league-best 12.3 passer rating when thrown at, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

When you have just one star (Davis) on defense, the success will be all about how the individual pieces take care of their small roles. It's easily thwarted if one or two pieces fail, but when it's all running smoothly—as it was on Sunday—it's a beautiful sight to behold.