Jaylon Jones named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

Cornerback Jaylon Jones had an incredible day during the Indianapolis Colts win over the Chicago Bears - and people are noticing. He was just named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, a huge statement considering how poorly the Colts defense had been playing prior to Week 3.

Jones had his first career interception in the second quarter, which led to a touchdown drive putting the Colts in the lead. He followed that up with another interception in the third quarter, this time using the "toe-drag swag" to make sure he stayed in bounds. To make it even more impressive, he was able to grab the ball and hold onto it with just one hand.

The last time a Colts defender had two interceptions in one game, or was named Defensive Player of the Week, was in 2023, with Kenny Moore II taking both honors during Week 9.

In addition to his two interceptions, Jones recorded five tackles, and one tackle for loss. He was an NFL leader on several other measures in Week 3, including taking 90 defensive snaps against Chicago, and allowing just a 31.5 passer rating, the lowest score for any cornerback. Overall, he's had a good season, with 20 tackles, two tackles for loss, and three passes broken up.

This is Jones' second year in the NFL, and the Colts were relying on him to build their defense for 2024. Unfortunately, the defense struggled the first two weeks, particularly at stopping the run, but managed to turn things around in Week 3 against the Bears - with Jones obviously the standout player.

"This is why you do it," Jones said in interviews after the Colts' win over the Bears. "There's not any better game than this one. I'm just glad I could be there for the brotherhood, for the team."