One might wonder how good the Indianapolis Colts' defense would be if it were ever healthy. The team has missed cornerback Sauce Gardner, for instance, for nearly as long as they had him after Indy dealt for the cornerback at the trade deadline.
The Colts have also been without fellow cornerback Charvarius Ward for much of the season as he has suffered three different concussions. He plans to return next year, even though he might think of retiring due to all his head injuries.
Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner should also be back. He is under contract through 2026, which might be his last in Indianapolis. He would be 33 years old in 2027, and the team has other cap questions to ask. Still, he is currently an unquestioned leader of the team, so when he speaks, it matters.
DeForest Buckner says everything that needs to be said about the Indianapolis Colts
And Buckner was brutally honest in his assessment of how his defense performed in a Week 16 meltdown against the San Francisco 49ers. San Fran scored 41 offensive points (48 overall, but one touchdown was an interception return), and allowing that much is very rarely going to translate to a victory.
Buckner told the media after the game, "We couldn't stop a nosebleed today...I feel bad because we let (Philip Rivers) down. He's balling, putting up points, and it's our job to make sure the other team doesn't score, and we didn't show up."
The most disappointing part was that the defense played well in Week 15 against a good Seattle Seahawks offense, and against the 49ers, Indy was even healthier. Buckner was returning from injured reserve, so such a precipitous drop off from Week 15 to Week 16 was not expected.
What also wasn't expected was the Indianapolis Colts beginning the season 7-1, easily in the lead in the AFC South as well as being atop the AFC standings, only to potentially lose every game after the Week 11 bye week. That would be seven straight.
The last part of the season, of course, has been brutal as far as the run of opponents. The final two games, which the Colts have to win, are against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. Both teams are vying for postseason position, too, and certainly in no mood to take it easy on Indianapolis.
The Colts simply have to play better, and that means the defense cannot revert to Week 16 form. Otherwise, Indy will finish 8-9 for the second straight season, and that simply won't be acceptable for many fans.