The Colts not only felt their biggest issues on defense to begin the 2026 season were communication and tackling, but they also felt those issues were eminently fixable.
In last weekend's 30-13 win over the Washington Commanders at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, one play in particular was a showcase for the solutions to those issues.
Midway through the second quarter, the Colts were losing, 6-0, and quarterback Daniel Jones had just thrown an interception. Momentum was squarely with the Commanders at this point.
Facing a fourth-and-one near midfield, Washington center Lucas Patrick stood over the ball and then backed off with about 20 seconds left on the play clock. Two wide receivers on the far side of the field jogged off and were replaced by two tight ends, as the Commanders went back into their huddle.
In a matter of seconds, the Commanders went from 11 personnel (three wide receivers, one running back, one tight end) to 13 personnel (one wide receiver, one running back, three tight ends). The Colts were in their usual nickel personnel group, with four defensive linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs.
Upon seeing Washington bring heavier personnel on, MIKE linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither turned toward the Colts' sideline and motioned for a substitution. Cornerback Justin Walley ran off the field, with defensive tackle Jerry Tillery quickly subbing on.
"That's what they want," Davis-Gaither said. "They want to either burn a timeout or just be in a panic."
View the best photos from the Colts' 30-13 win over the Washington Commanders at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
DT DeForest Buckner #99, DT Jerry Tillery #94, LB Jaylon Carlies #57 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
WR Josh Downs #2
WR Ashton Dulin #16 and WR Josh Downs #2
WR Deion Burks #80, WR Laquon Treadwell #13, QB Daniel Jones #17, T Jalen Travis #75, G Matt Goncalves #71, C Tanor Bortolini #60 and G Quenton Nelson #56
RB Seth McGowan #20
RB Seth McGowan #20
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Laquon Treadwell #13
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
T Bernhard Raimann #79, RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and G Quenton Nelson #56
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Quenton Nelson #56 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
C Tanor Bortolini #60, G Quenton Nelson #56 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
TE Drew Ogletree #85 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine #12 and QB Daniel Jones #17
T Bernhard Raimann #79, QB Daniel Jones #17 and TE Tyler Warren #84
WR Josh Downs #2
LB Austin Ajiake #58
LB Tahj Chambers #44, LB Austin Ajiake #58, LB Bryce Boettcher #50 and P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
CB Justin Walley #27
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
G Quenton Nelson #56 and QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Laquon Treadwell #13
WR Laquon Treadwell #13
S Jonathan Owens #38
S Jonathan Owens #38
CB Sauce Gardner #1
Shane Steichen Head Coach
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
CB Justin Walley #27
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95, DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and LB Bryce Boettcher #50
LB Bryce Boettcher #50 and DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
T Bernhard Raimann #79 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Quenton Nelson #56 and T Bernhard Raimann #79
WR Josh Downs #2 and T Jalen Travis #75
WR Ashton Dulin #16
WR Ashton Dulin #16
DE Caden Curry #55, DT Jerry Tillery #94, LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51, DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95 and DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
DE Arden Key #98
S A.J. Haulcy #25 and CB Sauce Gardner #1
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Seth McGowan #20
RB Seth McGowan #20
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Laiatu Latu #97
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and T Jalen Travis #75
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Josh Downs #2, RB Jonathan Taylor #28, T Jalen Travis #75, G Matt Goncalves #71 and C Tanor Bortolini #60
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8 and K Spencer Shrader #3
CB Sauce Gardner #1
S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
WR Ashton Dulin #16
WR Ashton Dulin #16
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8 and K Spencer Shrader #3
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91, CB Justin Walley #27 and DT Grover Stewart #90
LB Jaylon Carlies #57
LB Jaylon Carlies #57
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51, LB Jaylon Carlies #57 and DE Arden Key #98
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51 and LB Jaylon Carlies #57
S Jonathan Owens #38, CB Cam Taylor-Britt #29, LB Jaylon Carlies #57 and LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
DE Caden Curry #55
S Hunter Wohler #30
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and C Tanor Bortolini #60
C Tanor Bortolini #60 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
T Jalen Travis #75, G Matt Goncalves #71, QB Daniel Jones #17 and C Tanor Bortolini #60
TE Tyler Warren #84 and C Tanor Bortolini #60
TE Tyler Warren #84 and G Matt Goncalves #71
QB Daniel Jones #17
WR Deion Burks #80
S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Justin Walley #27
S A.J. Haulcy #25, DE Laiatu Latu #97 and CB Justin Walley #27
WR Laquon Treadwell #13
DT Grover Stewart #90
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
CB Charvarius Ward Sr. #7
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and TE Tyler Warren #84
DE Caden Curry #55
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
CB Sauce Gardner #1
CB Sauce Gardner #1
DE Arden Key #98
DE Caden Curry #55
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
CB Sauce Gardner #1 and CB Sauce Gardner #1
CB Justin Walley #27 and QB Anthony Richardson Sr. #5
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
CB Sauce Gardner #1
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Grover Stewart #90
DT Grover Stewart #90
S Camryn Bynum #0
DT DeForest Buckner #99
G Quenton Nelson #56 and QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
DT Jerry Tillery #94
S Camryn Bynum #0
CB Sauce Gardner #1, S Camryn Bynum #0, DE Arden Key #98 and DT Jerry Tillery #94
DE Arden Key #98, WR Ashton Dulin #16, DE Laiatu Latu #97 and DT Grover Stewart #90
TE Drew Ogletree #85
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Seth McGowan #20
WR Deion Burks #80
RB Seth McGowan #20
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
DT DeForest Buckner #99
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17
K Spencer Shrader #3
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
QB Daniel Jones #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17 and WR Josh Downs #2
QB Daniel Jones #17 and T Jalen Travis #75
Davis-Gaither then gave instructions to defensive tackle Grover Stewart and guided Tillery to where he needed to line up, barking the play call to the Colts' front. At the snap, Tillery was ready, swimming past guard Brandon Coleman and into the backfield to drop running back Craig Reynolds for a loss.
"That was the momentum swinger in the game," head coach Shane Steichen said.
Steichen, himself, was impressed with Washington's late-substitution plan. It's the exact kind of thing he'd try to do on a fourth-and-short to gain an advantage.
Instead, Davis-Gaither, Tillery and the Colts' defense was ready for it.
"It was great by our defense to get lined up, Akeem to get the call wired up to the defensive line and then Jerry Tillery just swim moves the guard over the top and makes a TFL there," Steichen said. "... It was impressive by Washington what they did in that situation. But what we did in that moment to keep our cool, to get that stop, that was a huge momentum swing for us."
Both Davis-Gaither and safety Cam Bynum pointed to the Colts' defense playing more consistently as a cohesive, 11-as-one group over the last few games. The experience of playing with each other for a quarter of a season now has improved the Colts' "communication, urgency" and trust, Davis-Gaither said.
And Tillery, for his part, was so focused on his alignment, assignment and technique that he didn't initially register the caliber of play he had just made.
"My teammates above me were celebrating," Tillery smiled. "So I knew something good happened."
