2 days ago
Indianapolis Colts' DE Laiatu Latu on where he wants to improve in Year 2
Indianapolis Colts' DE Laiatu Latu on where he wants to improve in Year 2 On Day 1 of minicamp, Colts' DE Laiatu Latu described where he wants to improve in his second NFL season.
A point of emphasis for Indianapolis Colts' defensive end Laiatu Latu as he heads into his second NFL season is shaving off those "milliseconds" as a pass rusher, which will lead to more pressures and sacks.
"This year, I really want to shave off those milliseconds of where I'm getting to the QB because I felt that," Latu said on Tuesday, via Locked on Colts. "Like a lot of times, my head and my hands I was right there. So really just shaving off those milliseconds and knowing when I can fall back inside, and when they're working off power. So there's a lot of stuff I've been getting better at."
Latu's production as a rookie isn't going to leap off the stat sheet. He posted 38 pressures and four sacks. On the Colts' defense, those 38 pressures were the second-most, but league-wide, he ranked 50th in that category.
However, perhaps a more accurate depiction of what's to come was Latu's ability to win his one-on-one matchups against whoever was blocking him. By PFF's pass rush win rate metric, Latu ranked 27th among all defensive ends.
Oftentimes, where there is consistency in the ability to beat your blocker, the production will eventually follow.
Also providing Latu and the entire Colts' defensive front a boost should be the new defensive scheme under Lou Anarumo. This is going to be a more aggressive system that includes more movement up front to create advantageous matchups.
But in addition to that, this is going to be a disguise-heavy defense on the back end. This can muddy things up for the quarterback, which can lead to hesitation and additional time for the front to get home.
Last season, the Colts' secondary was often picked apart by the quick passing game, which made it difficult for the defensive front to generate regular pressure because the ball was out of the quarterback's hands so quickly.
