Colts: 5 early predictions for Indianapolis in 2020

49ers, DeForest Buckner, Colts
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A top-12 pass defense

After 2018, a year in which the team finished in the top 11 in scoring and total defense in defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ first season, the team expected even greater strides last season. While they didn’t fall off a cliff, they certainly took steps in the wrong direction; they slipped to 16th in total defense and 18th in scoring, in large part due to struggles in the defensive backfield.

Early parts of the season showed promise; from Weeks 5 to 12, the team allowed just 17.7 points per game, a number all the more impressive given that that stretch featured Patrick Mahomes once and Deshaun Watson twice. But December’s slate of divisional and NFC South opponents stymied the defensive unit as they struggled to contain even more inconsistent quarterbacks like Gardner Minshew and Jameis Winston.

Losing nickel corner Kenny Moore played a major role in the decline of the pass defense; his absence and the struggles of Malik Hooker displayed other weaknesses at the position. But in 2020, the team will be looking to these younger players to take the leap forward. Two-time All-Pro Darius Leonard will continue to anchor the middle of the field and force turnovers as he has, with seven career interceptions and six forced fumbles.

Now, Leonard will have a much stronger line in front of him as well. After getting little production from the Grover Stewart/Denico Autry/Margus Hunt rotation at defensive tackle, the team opted to trade their first-round pick for former 49er DeForest Buckner, a player who has missed only one of 64 possible starts in his career and has recorded 19.5 sacks in the past two seasons.

With another season of Justin Houston and hopefully improved health from Kemoko Turay on the opposite end, the Colts defense should be looking to return to the top third of the league.

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