Colts’ Denico Autry named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
By Ryan Stano
The Colts have had several players get individual accolades this season, and one more player can be added to that list after last week’s performance.
Denico Autry has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week according to the NFL. This is the first time Autry has won the award, and did so after the strong performance he had against the Texans last week.
In that performance, he recorded 4 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks. He was a wrecking ball in the backfield and blew up plenty of plays from the start. This is the second straight game in which he has put on a strong performance.
Autry is part of a new defensive line that has done very well this season. They have done a better job moving the pocket around and getting some pressure on the quarterback. They also have done a better job closing up gaps so running backs can’t come through.
This award goes to show you that what Chris Ballard is doing is working. He wants to build from the inside out, having strong play in the trenches. Autry was a free agent signing who has had his best year this year as a Colt. He is the exact type of player Ballard wants.
If Autry can continue this type of play, the Colts defense will continue to excel. They already have a star in linebacker Darius Leonard. Keeping strong defensive line play will make it almost impossible for a team to run the ball effectively because of how strong Leonard’s play has been.
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The Colts are proud of Autry and his play. But they are proud of everyone on that defense, because they have worked extremely hard to get to where they are now. And the scary part is, they can get even better. And they will.