Colts' Lou Anarumo Responds to Xavien Howard Criticism

Reporters asked why Anarumo didn't put Charvarius Ward on Nacua after Howard wasn't able to get the job done.

“Yeah, well I mean they’ve got two elite receivers," Anarumo said. "They both had the same targets coming into the game. One had 35, one had 31 I think, so very similar. Puka (Nacua) had more catches, but the targets were the same and I think at the end of the day, they were going to attack the way they attack regardless."

"Puka is a guy that we thought we can match up – nobody can match up with him, but we were trying to help over there too. So, I think that at the end of the day, that was the reason why we did it – Mooney (Charvarius Ward Sr.) on Davante. And then there were certain times we were just left and right, and it just played into it – the way the matchups ended up. But the targets were even coming in, and I think Matthew (Stafford) just found something in the rhythm of it."

It's not exactly the clearest of answers, but the main thing that Anarumo emphasized is that even if the Colts chose to put Ward on Nacua, the Rams still had Davante Adams ready to go.

Anarumo noted that it's not just one guy who caused the defeat, but that Howard still could have executed better on a few plays.

“I mean, I think again, it's not just one guy," Anarumo stated. "I think if you put the microscope on one person, they can – everybody can always finish maybe better here or there. I think he had some plays where he did finish well, and there's others that he can do better for sure.”

According to Pro Football Focus, Howard allowed seven receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown on the day. Nacua consistently beat the ninth-year corner on in-breaking routes, which left him in the dust.

Anarumo wasn't the only coach peppered with questions regarding Howard's performance. Colts head coach Shane Steichen responded to the same criticism, saying, "We evaluate everything every week. Like I said, he's been a really good player in this league for a long time. 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.”

The Colts have dealt with numerous issues in the secondary, including cornerbacks Jaylon Jones and Justin Walley. Jones re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, and Walley tore his ACL during training camp.

Originally, it had looked like a battle between the two of them for the starting job. Instead, the Colts ended up bringing in Howard to fill the roster gap after he took the entire 2024 season off.

Howard has struggled through one month of play, and it's unclear if the Colts will keep him out there as the starter. Indy could turn to Jonathan Edwards if they want, but he only played three defensive snaps against the Rams.

This weekend's clash against the Las Vegas Raiders should be a good indication of how Anarumo wants his secondary to look moving forward.