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Colts: DeForest Buckner crushes Vikings lineman with monster hit

By Jerry Trotta

Gardner Minshew #15 of the Jacksonville Jaguars shakes hands with DeForest Buckner #99 of the Indianapolis Colts after a game at TIAA Bank Field on September 13, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Colts 27-20. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Gardner Minshew #15 of the Jacksonville Jaguars shakes hands with DeForest Buckner #99 of the Indianapolis Colts after a game at TIAA Bank Field on September 13, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars defeated the Colts 27-20. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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Colts DT DeForest Buckner demolished a Minnesota OL in Week 2 on Sunday.

The Indianapolis Colts defense needed a rebound performance against Minnesota on Sunday following their lifeless showing in Week 1, in which they surrendered a whopping 27 points to an average Jacksonville offense.

It’s fair to say the unit answered the call, as they made Kirk Cousins’ life miserable while rolling to a convincing 28-11 victory. For the game, the Vikings quarterback completed 42.3% of his passes for just 113 yards (!) and zero touchdowns compared to three interceptions.

In sum, Cousins had no time to throw all afternoon, and the Colts front seven deserves most of the credit for that. The standout performer of that group was undoubtedly defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who recorded three tackles, 1.5 sacks and four QB hits.

His best play came when he demolished a Vikings offensive lineman before absolutely lighting Cousins up just after he released the football.

That, right there, is why Colts general manager Chris Ballard traded a first-round pick for Buckner leading up to the 2020 Draft. The 26-year-old stud surprisingly wasn’t at his best against Jacksonville to open the season, as Pro Football Focus gave him a 68.3 grade, but he quelled any concerns fans in Indianapolis might have had with his dominant Week 2 performance.

These are the type of plays that make defensive coordinators go crazy on the sidelines for all of the right reasons, and you better believe Matt Eberflus loved every second of this savage sequence from Buckner.

The 2018 Pro Bowler was also pivotal in the Colts’ takedown of Cousins in the end zone, which, of course, resulted in two points on the scoreboard for Indy.

We’re obviously not expecting Buckner to go nuclear every week, but if he can consistently put pressure on opposing quarterbacks in the heat of the moment, well, he will prove to be worth the price of admission in short order.

What a difference a week makes.

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