Playing against the Colts still means a little more for Denico Autry
Denico Autry will play against the Indianapolis Colts with the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and he’ll be carrying an extra edge into the game.
On Sunday, Denico Autry will play the Indianapolis Colts for the fourth time since he left the team. The saying “time heals all wounds” doesn’t apply to Autry, at least not yet, because playing Indianapolis still means a little more to Autry after the way his time ended with the franchise in 2021 free agency. Ahead of the matchup, Autry spoke on the moment Indy let him walk in free agency, saying, “It just made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. It put a chip on my shoulder.”
This comes from a recent ESPN article by Turron Davenport where Davenport details how Autry is “out for revenge against Colts in Week 7.” The chip on Autry’s shoulder has been fueling him to prove that Indy made the wrong decision by letting him leave in free agency and he’s been doing a great job making that case in general, but especially against the Colts.
Denico Autry has not forgotten how the Colts let him leave
In the three games that Autry has already played against Indianapolis in the last two seasons, he has a combined five tackles, one for a loss, five quarterback hits, and two sacks. Both sacks came in the Week 4 matchup this season. In total, since leaving Indianapolis, Autry has racked up 13 sacks in 22 games, including nine sacks last season, a number that would’ve led Indy’s defense in 2021.
For the most part, Indy’s fans agree with Autry, the Colts were wrong to let him walk in free agency. It’s a move that the franchise evidently regretted as they struggled to get after the quarterback in 2021, while the main division rival got better because of Autry’s presence. Now, Indianapolis has to deal with Autry’s wrath for the foreseeable future, including on Sunday.
The Colts travel to Tennessee to play yet another important game against the Titans. Whoever wins this game will have sole possession of first place in the AFC South. Additionally, it’s not just Autry that Indy’s struggling offensive line will have to worry about. In Week 4, the Titans had three total sacks, and All-Pro defensive tackle, Jeffery Simmons didn’t even join in on the party.
The Colts will have to contain Simmons, Autry, and the rest of this defense if they are going to avoid losing a fifth-straight game to the rival Titans. The offensive line remains a work in progress but Sunday is a great day for them to show up again or Denico Autry will certainly be getting even more revenge on the franchise.
