Colts vs. Redskins: Defensive post-game grades

The Colts got their first win of the season yesterday beating the Redskins 21-9. The defense played fantastic in that victory. Here is how each unit graded out for the game.

The Colts knew that they needed to play solid defense if they wanted to get out of D.C. with a win. They did just that yesterday, holding Washington to only 9 points in the game. All of the units played well, but here is a more in depth look at their play.

Jabaal Sheard was able to get his first sack of the season in this one. Margus Hunt continued to terrorize the offensive line as well. Both men will be important down the stretch. While the injury to Hassan Ridgeway hurts the depth of the defensive line, the rest of the players showed that they are capable of playing well against a good running back.

Darius Leonard was simply outstanding. He recorded 18 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. The rookie showed that he is a star in the making, and is a force to be reckoned with right now. Anthony Walker played well too. But the whole unit did a great job making sure that the Redskins running game couldn’t break free into the second level and gain big chunks of yards.

This is an important unit for the Colts. They have had issues stopping the run for years. If this unit can play as solidly as they did on Sunday, this could be a good defense. Leonard gives the team a huge boost at that middle linebacker spot.

The secondary played phenomenally as well. They were able to shut down the Redskin receivers and not allow any gaps in coverage. After a bad INT by Andrew Luck, they were able to keep Washington out of the end zone. They only allowed Alex Smith to dunk the ball down underneath and not take any deep shots. It was a well executed gameplan.

This defense gives this team hope. They looked bad all preseason and all of last season. But this game shows that they have the capability to play well. And if they do consistently, the Colts are going to win a lot of games.