For the first two weeks of the season, the Colts defense ranked last in the league in yards and points allowed.
In Sunday's 19-17 win, the Colts allowed just 223 yards to the Houston Texans and paved the way for the first win of the season.
"We knew coming into the week that we had to play better, and it started at practice Wednesday," cornerback Justin Walley said. "We honed it on detail. I think it's our best we practiced the whole year, and we did the small things right."
After allowing 1,209 yards and 74 points in two weeks, the Colts defense knew they had to step up in a big way. Staring down an 0-2 start and facing a Texans team that was also winless heading into Sunday, the need for a defensive turnaround was dire.
"The only thing that gets you more confident is more games and more reps," Walley said. "The more I feel like we're out there, the more comfort we're getting in our positions, the more we can focus on the small things."
In Weeks 1 and 2, the Colts totaled just four sacks. In Week 3, they nearly doubled that total, taking down Texans quarterback CJ Stroud three times. Veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was credited with 1.5 sacks on the day, and one of the most vocal leaders in the locker room noticed the significant improvement.
"Executing a lot of plays, communication and tackling was a little bit better today," Buckner said. "Obviously, we still have room to grow in that area, but overall it was definitely a better effort."
Some of the primary issues Colts players discussed the last two weeks was communication and tackling. Head coach Shane Steichen and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo spoke at length throughout the week about the need to improve in both aspects, and it seems the Colts heard them loud and clear.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Colts only had four missed tackles. They forced four three and outs Sunday, as opposed to the three combined in the first two weeks.
Now that the Colts have tasted a win – the first for them in 321 days – Buckner hopes this is used as a small stepping stone for the rest of the way.
"We just have to continue to stack these wins," Buckner said. "Next week needs to be the same. We need to continue to get better (with) the sense of urgency and attention to detail."
