When DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Denico Autry, and Justin Houston are coming at you, it’s probably going to be a bad day to be a quarterback.
On top of the key bad snap fumble that decided the game, Deshaun Watson was sacked five times by the Colts in the 26-20 win over the Texans. When he’s at his best, Watson is one of the most dangerous scrambling quarterbacks in the game.
What the Colts defense did down in the Lone Star State is nothing short of impressive.
Buckner and Autry did not miss a beat either. After both linemen were sidelined on the COVID-19 list, they came back and made Houston’s offensive line earn it every snap.
Former Colts center Jeff Saturday dropped by The Fan Morning Show on Monday to chat with Jeff Rickard and Kevin Bowen on just how dominant the pass rush looked. Saturday was dazzled with the entire unit’s performance.
“Good gracious,” Saturday said. “They all use great technique. Buckner does a nice job with his hands by getting them inside and yanking the lineman forward. He’s so long too. Offensive lineman have a hard enough time anyway, but now they have such small leverage.”
Houston picked up three of the five Indianapolis sacks, while Buckner was responsible for the other two. As multiple guests on all 107.5 The Fan shows have said, the Colts defense is built to win in January.
And it starts with the front four.
“Buckner has been such a difference maker for this defense and the team as a whole,” Saturday added. “All the other guys around him are playing at the same level too. It has been a ton of fun for me to watch. Even on the first drive yesterday, I was fired up. And you’ve got to be impressed when you’re getting past guys as cleanly as the Colts defensive line has.”
The defense is holding up their end of the bargain. And even with his toe injury, so is Philip Rivers. In his past seven games, he’s got 14 touchdowns to just four interceptions.
When you talk about going to win playoff games in January, it’s all about playing together and as a unit as Frank Reich says repeatedly. Right now, this is a Colts team that has no excuse to not win.
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