A few weeks ago, everyone was asking for the Indianapolis Colts pass rush to be more of a factor. For the majority of the first half of the season, Indianapolis was waiting for someone to step up and consistently help DeForest Buckner get after opposing quarterbacks. In recent weeks, the young defensive line has answered the call, and on Sunday, the pass rush won a game for Indianapolis.
In a competitive Week 12 matchup, the Colts defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-20 to move to 6-5. While it was another great day for the offense, led by Jonathan Taylor’s 91 rushing yards and two touchdowns and Michael Pittman Jr.’s 10 catches for 107 yards, it was the pass rush that closed out the game after a strong performance.
Indianapolis sacked Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield six times. The team also had nine quarterback hits and several more hurries. Samson Ebukam, who was signed this offseason, led the way with two sacks, including a game-sealing strip sack on the Buccaneers’ final drive.
Samson rips it out, Dayo scoops it up.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 26, 2023
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/KvQn4N1jVb
Colts pass rush has become a factor
The play by Ebukam capped off an exciting day for Indianapolis and its defense. The unit also had an interception, thanks to Ronnie Harrison Jr. who was added to the active roster this week. However, the defense did struggle some on Sunday allowing 298 total yards— 173 passing yards and 125 rushing yards.
The good news, though, is that Indy’s pass rush was dominant for yet another game. Before the bye week, the defensive line was starting to find its rhythm, recording four sacks in the team’s win against the Carolina Panthers and five sacks in the win against the New England Patriots. The active pass rush has correlated to Indy’s current three-game winning streak. If the defensive line can keep getting after opposing quarterbacks, the Colts should keep winning games.