The Indianapolis Colts defense was dealt a serious blow today, as Head Coach Shane Steichen announced that cornerback Kenny Moore II and defensive end Kwity Paye have been ruled out for their Week 4 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steichen made the announcement on Friday, though several other Colts (Tyquan Lewis, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith) have not yet been ruled out.
Paye and Moore were both injured during their Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears, along with Dallis Flowers. All three were injured on the same drive. Paye went down with a quad injury and had to be helped off the field; Moore suffered a hip injury. Neither have practiced this week.
That means there are five starters now out with injuries on the Colts defense. In addition to Paye and Moore, the Colts will be missing DeForest Buckner, Juju Brents, and Samson Ebukam.
Though the Colts were able to up their game in stopping the run in Week 3, their run defense has been a major problem so far this season. And it will likely be an even bigger problem now, with more injured Colts and a formidable foe in the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. So far, the Steelers have been relying heavily on the run, with one of the highest run rates in the league right now and the second-highest time of possession as well. Meanwhile, the Colts have allowed 537 yards on the ground over the past three weeks.
If the Colts want a prayer of winning, the defense will need to be able to stop the Steelers run game, as well as keep Justin Fields contained. It's a job made even tougher now with Paye and Moore out, though the Colts will hopefully see other defenders continue to step up their game. During Week 3, Jaylon Jones, Nick Cross, Laiatu Latu, and EJ Speed all performed well; they will need to do so again if they want to bring home their second win.
Kenny Moore II, Kwity Paye ruled out for Colts vs. Steelers
The injuries are a huge blow for the Colts defense, which has struggled this season.
