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After yesterday's terrible defensive performance by the Colts, the last thing you want is more bad defensive news. But that's what many of you will likely see this as: safety LaRon Landry's four-game suspension is now over.
Landry was suspended for violating the league's performance enhancing substance policy and missed the past four games. In that four-game stretch, the Colts notched wins over the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, and the Cincinnati Bengals (a shutout) before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. For much of the first three games of that suspension the Colts defense looked good - before yesterday happened - and Sergio Brown, Landry's replacement, did a solid job.
We'll talk more this week about whether Landry should regain his starting spot. But it's no sure thing. Sergio Brown hasn't been great or anything special at safety, but he has been solid - something that Landry wasn't. And while you could point to yesterday's Steelers game, keep in mind that pretty much everyone on the defense looked bad and that Landry wouldn't have made a difference. Look at the whole picture. Something else of note regarding the safety position has been that Mike Adams has really emerged as a very good player for the Colts who has helped them a lot this season. That's great to see.
Ultimately, the Colts will have to decide whether they want to go back to Landry, who has been bad this year but who is obviously the better natural talent, or Sergio Brown, who has been solid and a very hard worker. If you ask me, I'd continue to start Brown. But whether or not the Colts will still remains to be seen.
Regardless of what their decision is, the fact of the matter is that LaRon Landry is now eligible to return from his four-game suspension and is able to play in the Colts' Monday night game against the New York Giants. And although you could technically spin it as the Colts getting a "starter" back, I doubt many Colts fans will feel like that - or be happy about it, either.