INDIANAPOLIS – Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said Tuesday he does not believe cornerback Kenny Moore II crossed a line with critical comments after the Indianapolis Colts’ 30-20 loss Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

In fact, Bradley believes Moore’s words might even help spark needed change as the club attempts to emerge from a three-game losing streak and regain some footing in the race for a postseason berth.

“I think with our players, there are venomous comments, and then there are comments that are uncomfortable,” Bradley said during his weekly video conference call. “Sometimes when there’s discomfort, it can take you to better places. I know Kenny. I’ve been around him for years now and have great trust in him and appreciate him as a teammate. And what you saw (is) Kenny will address players. He holds them accountable.

“He loves his teammates. He loves this organization, but he also knows that to go where you want to go, at times there’s discomfort. When you’re uncomfortable and you have great spirit, there’s a chance for great growth.”

Moore questioned whether everyone on the roster was truly giving 100% effort every day and in every practice to help the team win on game day.

He also said he hasn’t seen the needed growth over the course of the season as a team to make the playoff push a success.

The comments were intended as a wake-up call with the Colts (4-6) still clinging to the fringe of the playoff picture.

Bradley said it’s nothing Moore hasn’t said in person to coaches and teammates, and the pair had a productive meeting this week.

“I said, ‘Kenny, just stand by what you said. You believe it, and it might be enough discomfort that it takes us to a better place, and then we move on,’” Bradley said. “We had good conversations. I said – now, there’s ways to go about doing it, but I don’t think he crossed the line.”

Indianapolis surrendered 415 total yards against the Bills, but the defense forced a pair of turnovers and allowed just 10 points in the second half.

The Colts were within a one-score deficit until the 10:58 mark of the fourth quarter, but an offense that has turned the ball over eight times and scored just four touchdowns during the three-game losing streak couldn’t take advantage.

Bradley’s proud of the improvements the defense has made in recent weeks, but he’s not pointing fingers at the struggling offense.

As Moore’s comments show, the defense can still reach a higher level of its own.

And that is where Bradley’s focus lies.

“I’ve always said that you want to try to play your best football in November,” he said. “That’s very important to us when we work through it. I think we have gotten better in a number of areas. In November, the last two quarterback ratings, to takeaways, to sacks, to tackle for losses, the scoring points in the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter are all much better than they were, but the fourth quarter is not.

“The fourth quarter we’ve given up more points than we have in years past, and that’s the part now that we’ve got to focus on. That’s not to our standard. It’s not good enough. So now it’s just to direct our unit’s attention to that, that we have to be better in the fourth quarter in the number of points that we’re giving up.”

RICHARDSON REPORT

Much has been made of the lack of detail surrounding the benching of 22-year-old quarterback Anthony Richardson.

The organization has been sparse with details about what Richardson must do to regain the starting job from veteran Joe Flacco, with only vague notions of consistency and approach being proffered in public.

Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said it’s a different picture behind the scenes.

“I think it’s more in our interest to be less vague with him and a little more vague with you guys,” Cooter said. “I don’t always love coaching guys through the media. I like to coach them for real. We’re trying to communicate like crazy. We’re teachers, and thus we’re communicators at our core. That’s what we do as coaches.

“If something doesn’t quite happen the way you think it should, a lot of times as a coach, you probably ought to look at how you said it. How did I coach this guy? How did I teach that thing? So we’re making sure that we detail that out. We’re making sure that we have a good plan for that so that we’re – that process is getting more consistent as these weeks go, and Anthony and all our guys have a clear view of what that is and what that maybe can be, to be a little bit better.”

ROSTER MOVE

The Colts signed offensive tackle Mason Brooks to the practice squad Tuesday and released defensive end Derek Rivers from the practice squad.

At 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, Brooks spent time earlier this season on the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad and was on the Washington Commanders’ practice squad for all of 2023 as an undrafted rookie out of Mississippi and Western Kentucky.