INDIANAPOLIS — Gary Brackett can stick his chest out these days and talk trash with other players in the NFL about the exploits of their respective alma maters.
The Colts linebacker has something to brag about now that the Rutgers football program is building a winning tradition.
“They’ve done a great job since I’ve been gone,” said Brackett, who is in his seventh season in the NFL. “I think there are about 20 players in the league from Rutgers. We’ve come a long way since four or five years ago. I still go back there every chance I get and visit with the coaches and try to inspire the players and let them know they can achieve what I’ve achieved.”
Fellow Rutgers alum Eric Foster, a second-year defensive tackle, is also part of a Colts defense that is gearing up to face the Jets and their No. 1-ranked rushing attack in the AFC Championship game Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Brackett, who initially was a walk-on at Rutgers after a standout career at Glassboro High School in South Jersey, might not be the best-known Colt, but he’s a prominent part of the defense. He was second on the team with 115 tackles, including a team-high 81 solo stops.
He has learned to live with the fact the Colts defense is constantly overshadowed by an offense led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning.
“Obviously, because of our offense a lot of our defensive players are under the radar,” Brackett said. “But I don’t think you win 14-15 games in a season without having a good defense. Across the board, our guys have been competitive. We’ve been getting the job done. Looking at statistics, we’re 14th, 15th overall. But I think any time there is a play to be made our defense steps up and makes it.”
Stopping the Jets running tandem of Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene is the No.1 priority. Brackett said the Colts speed will be the neutralizer.
“That’s been our mantra for the last seven years, speaking on the defensive side of the ball,” he said. “We take pride in ourselves. Anytime someone thinks they can come in and run the football, we feel as though it’s our job to get them stopped.”
Bracket isn’t a big linebacker. At 5-foot-11, 235 pounds, he has relied on quickness and cunning to achieve success. He thrived under Tony Dungy and now he is thriving under coach Jim Caldwell.
“Coach Caldwell, one of the things he has preached to us this year is that we are going to be the hunters,” Brackett said. “No matter what someone else has to play for, no matter what attitude, bravado or whatever it is they bring in here, we are going to be the hunters. Defensively, you’ve definitely seen that, with some of the aggressive things we’ve been doing. Being the hunters, being aggressive and wanting to set the tempo of every games.”
That’s something Brackett hopes to do against the Jets. “They’re a team that runs the ball 35 to 40 times a game,” he said. “We definitely want to get those guys off the field as fast as possible.”