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Colts: Landry regains starting role

PFF-headlinesSafety LaRon Landry returned to the Colts line-up in Week 11 after a suspension, but wasn't simply handed his starting job back. Instead he's been splitting time with Sergio Brown ever since, playing 209 snaps to Brown’s 228. However, Landry did regain his starting spot for the final two weeks, when he played 79 snaps to Brown’s 30.

Landry’s overall grade in those final seven games (+4.2) suggests it is the right move, although Brown's +2.4 overall grade shows that he has been far from a liability. Landry has the seventh-highest run defense grade (+3.2) among safeties since his return (including six stops). Landry hadn’t been tested much in coverage until the Dallas game, though, where he gave up two first down catches to Jason Witten and was partially responsible for a TD pass; earning him a -1.3 coverage grade.

Since Landry’s return, Brown has only registered two stops in run defense. He has been much more reliable in coverage, allowing zero completions and batting two passes in the past three games for a +1.8 coverage grade in limited snaps. With wide receiver A.J. Green out the Bengals are likely to lean on stud rookie running back Jeremy Hill a lot in this weekend’s Wild Card game, which likely makes this a game more suited to Landry's talents rather than Brown's.

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