The Indianapolis Colts’ defense has been playing some good football as of late, but can they continue that trend against the high-scoring Buffalo offense?
If they’re going to, as is often the case, doing so will include pressuring the quarterback, a task that won’t come easy against Josh Allen and the Bills’ offensive line.
Buffalo will enter Week 10 ranked fourth in ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric and have allowed the second-lowest pressure rate this season, according to Pro Football Reference.
As expected, with time in the pocket, Allen has been very good, completing 73 percent of his throws at 8.2 yards per attempt with 12 touchdowns to two interceptions.
On the flip side, in the rare instances where Allen has been under duress, his completion rate plummets to 40 percent and his yards per attempt down to 6.0–although he does still have five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Getting DeForest Buckner back has provided the Indianapolis pass rush with a massive boost. This was a group that really struggled to pressure the quarterback without Buckner in the middle of that defense.
In Week 8 against Houston, CJ Stroud was pressured at the fifth-highest rate that week, while this past Sunday, Minnesota’s Sam Darnold ranked 13th.
An important part of the equation when it comes to having the opportunity to rush the quarterback is stopping the run. This then puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations, where the defensive front can pin its ears back.
Buffalo will enter this game ranked 19th in yards per carry, while the Colts run defense, like the rest of that unit, has improved in recent weeks, ranking 10th in rush EPA over the last four games.
Against a quarterback of Allen’s caliber, pressure certainly isn’t going to guarantee success, but it’s a much better alternative than not being able to get after him.
