The Colts are cheating. No, they’re not actually breaking any rules, but they are violating the rules quarterbacks have been following to get a better read on a defense before the snap.

Offensive coaches have long used tactics like lining a running back outside or sending a receiver in motion — we covered those tactics in this post on Kyle Shanahan orchestrating Nick Mullens’ impressive debut — to force the defense to reveal whether it’s in man or zone coverage, but the Colts aren’t cooperating, which has allowed them to continue to play basic zone coverages without opponents taking advantage.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, a former NFL quarterback, broke down how the Colts were able to fool Deshaun Watson by not following those rules…

You might be wondering: Why don’t all teams do this? Well, for starters, it’s pretty hard to coordinate. The Colts defenders are being forced to switch up their zone assignments on the fly. Doing so requires next-level communication and coordination.

Indianapolis is obviously getting good coaching, which is why defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has been a hot name during this hiring cycle.