The next time Keenan Allen catches a pass, DeForest Buckner makes a tackle and Sauce Gardner gets an interception, it'll really count.
But that's not to say the plays each Colts player made in Saturday's preseason finale against the Detroit Lions didn't matter. With head coach Shane Steichen opting to play most of his healthy starters for one series, those moments for Allen, Buckner and Gardner all were important markers with two weeks until the Colts' 2026 regular season kicks off at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens.
The 34-year-old Allen, who signed with the Colts a week and a half ago, lobbied Steichen to get into Saturday's game. On the second play of the game, Allen motioned to the field and worked back into space away from Lions cornerback Roger McCreary toward the boundary, where quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. ripped a strike to connect for a 24-yard gain.
Allen played two more snaps after that and exited the game once the Colts' first drive ended with a Blake Grupe 36-yard field goal.
"It was good," Allen said. "Get out there, get your feet wet, play against some competition other than your defense and just get back in the groove of things."
Because Allen didn't participate in all but one training camp practice, he wanted to play to get re-acclimated to game action – which still was important, even for a guy with 1,055 receptions over 171 regular season games in his career.
"You just want that game feel, the speed of the game and to feel the intensity of it and make sure your body's ready," Allen said.
For Buckner, the four snaps he played were meaningful for the 10-year veteran, who's progressively increased his workload during training camp following neck surgery he underwent last New Year's Eve. Buckner generated a pressure – and hustled downfield after – on his second play of the game; on his third play, he raced from the near hash to the sideline to tackle tight end Jackson Meeks.
"Felt good being able to be back out there with the fellas and everything and being back in live action," Buckner said. "It was a great feeling."
Gardner, too, only played four snaps, but that's because he ended the Lions' first drive with an interception. He jumped in front of a pass form quarterback Luke Altmyer with 10 minutes left in the first quarter and recorded his first interception since the 2024 season – a drought he chalked up to being asked to play almost exclusively man coverage, but a drought nonetheless.
"It's definitely great to make that play right before the season," Gardner said. "I think it was great to end the drought real quick going into the year. Preseason or not, that's still a great play because they don't come that often."
And the Colts certainly expect plays from this critical trio of players to show up come Sept. 13 against the Baltimore Ravens.
