Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders: 3 things to watch in Week 14
By Daniel Davis
Indianapolis Colts at Las Vegas Raiders: 3 things to watch in Week 14
Colts defensive front against Raiders offensive line
The Colts defense has been one of the best in the league this year, particularly in the rushing category. The addition of DeForest Bucker in the offseason made this front-seven one of the best in the NFL, and it continues to impress from week to week.
Two weeks ago against the Tennessee Titans, the Colts were smacked in the mouth by Derrick Henry with nearly 200 yards of offense. This past week, however, they held a Texans team to less than 100 yards, as the return of Buckner and Denico Autry paid huge dividends.
One fact about Buckner is he’s the second-highest receiver of double teams from opposing offensive lines only behind Aaron Donald. Last week on double teams, he had five pressures and a sack with two hits, cementing his dominance against opposing guards and centers. The Colts have 31 sacks as a unit, with Justin Houston having wight, Autry having seven, and Buckner with six.
The Colts are also good at getting the linebackers and secondary involved in the pass rush. Darius Leonard, who I’m convinced is the most underrated player in the NFL right now, has a sack this season, as does safety Khari Willis and cornerback Kenny Moore.
Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is a genius and knows the perfect time to dial-up pass rushes. The most famous is the delayed blitz from the linebacker position with either Anthony Walker or Leonard, and if Bobby Okereke plays, he’s a force too. The entire defensive unit for the Colts is top tier, and they play lights out together.
Luckily for the Raiders, they will likely get Trent Brown this week, so their offensive line is almost back to 100 percent, making this matchup an intriguing one on Sunday.