This defense
 

This is a nice write up about our defense

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features...nsive-monster/

There's a lot of young talent on this team, but to me, the most important player on the defense, the one who has made such a difference from past years is Buckner. I'll let others weigh in on this, but I'm so pleased to have this guy on our team.

Funny how Eberflus is a coaching candidate now that he has talent. I always think talent is more important than coaching. But yeah, that DT position makes this defense go. We’ve been saying that since the dungy days and their continuous parade of scrubs they would stick at the position. I just don’t like this defenses weakness against scrambling QBs. It is probably what will beat us in the playoffs, unless we can get Turay back to pre injury form. That will help increase our chase down speed.

I was so damn excited when we got Buckner. There was no one in the draft better than him on the D-line and he is still only 26 years old.

Buckner is definitely the key player. Blackmon has been awesome as well. What a pick that kid was.

He's getting double teamed a lot of the time and has still made a big impact. We need offensive help in several areas, but we shouldn't write off the chance to get Buckner some additional help if it's available. Imagine having a Clowney-type player along with Buckner (not the real Clowney as he's too $$$ and injury prone).

Any good DEs in the draft besides Greg Rousseau who likely won't be available when the Colts pick?

We have that player, he’s coming back Sunday

The problem so far with him is that we don't have him on the field much. He is Paris Campbell at this point.

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(vs. PACKERS, 11/22)


13 POSSESSIONS

***********

4 TD's

1 FG

3 Punts

3 Fumble Recoveries

1 INT

1 Turnover on Downs


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Would have been less if they hadn’t had the short field on some of those possessions.

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Prior to Sunday's game, the Packers had turned the ball over just 5 times all season ....... the Colts' defense and special teams forced 4. ) :eek:



SOURCE: ) Jim Ayello and Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star

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Week 11 Power Ranking


8) l Indianapolis Colts )(7-3)


What they're thankful for: ) A legit defense


Mike Wells: ) Top-ranked defense and Indianapolis are words that haven't been in the same sentence too much over the years. But the Colts have a legitimate defense that has spent a significant portion of the season ranked No. 1 in the NFL. The unit, led by linebacker Darius Leonard and lineman DeForest Buckner, has forced 17 turnovers (12 interceptions, 5 fumble recoveries) this season, which is tied for the second most in the league.

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I'm still puzzled by how often they look run of the mill, early-on in almost every game, and then turn into monsters later on.

It is baffling to everyone.

Fun Fact. Julian Blackmon was +10,000 to win Defensive Rookie of the year up until September. Now he's right there in the mix with a few others. Chase Young is the favorite at +175. Blackmon is currently +450

Blackmon and Willis complement each other perfectly I think. Great young duo on the back end.

I was going to post the same thing but you beat me to it.

What I thought was interesting was that 3 of the current top 5 candidates played Safety. The last time a Safety won DROY was in 1990.


Chase Young (+175) - Drafted 2nd overall, 1st DE selected
Patrick Queen (+300) - Drafted 28th overall, 5th LB selected
Antoine Winfield Jr (+325) - Drafted 45th overall, 4th S selected
Julian Blackmon (+450) - Drafted 85th overall, 8th S selected
Jeremy Chinn (+900) - Drafted 64th overall, 5th S selected

Makes you wish you'd put money on it in September.

Its the mythical halftime adjustments!

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(vs. TEXANS, 12/06)


In the 2nd half, the Colts' defense outscored the Texans by a score of 2-0 ...... you can't really ask much more of them than that.

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(vs. STEELERS, 12/27)


The defense played really for the first 40 minutes of the game ...... not so much over the next 12 minutes of the game.

The acme of the game for them was when they made a goal-line stand midway in the 3rd quarter. The Colts had just kicked a field goal on a long-sustained drive to extend their lead to 24-7, and that goal-line stand gave them possession of the ball and a 24-7 lead with only 5 minutes left to play in the 3rd quarter ...... but shortly after that, the Colts were forced to punt from their own end-zone. The Steelers then proceeded to score 3 touchdowns on 3 consecutive possessions to take the lead, overcoming what had been a 17-point deficit.

The defense did have one final proud moment ...... very late in the 4th quarter, the Steelers had a 3rd down and 2 at their own 43-yardline. The Colts were out of timeouts, so the Steelers could have taken 3 knees and ended the game with a 1st-down conversion. 2 Colts players converged on Dionte Johnson to stop him a full yard short of the 1st down, forcing the Steelers to punt and giving the Colts' offense one final chance to win the game.

o

The Steelers pretty much made their average of 20 points the last couple games. If you take that Rivers turnover away. Can't turn the ball over, which is true just about any game.

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(vs. JAGUARS, 1/03)


Even though they only ceded 14 points, the Colts' defense looked shaky overall in the 2nd half against the team with the worst record in the NFL.

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...yet again. Cant do that in the playoffs.


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Only good thing is we’ve played against adversity more than the Bills have all year