Colts Defense Stands Alone in Pivotal Metric

From safety Cam Bynum's hot start at the beginning of the year to defensive tackle Grover Stewart's big man pick against the Chargers, the Colts have found a way to limit opposing offenses and, in turn, set Jones up well with advantageous field position.

Indianapolis ranks fifth in the league with 1.6 takeaways per game, sitting behind the Chicago Bears (2.7), Jacksonville Jaguars (2), Pittsburgh Steelers (1.7), and Houston Texans (1.7).

It's slightly concerning that two of Indy's AFC South opponents rank above them, but the offenses of those teams have been nowhere as dominant as the Colts have been.

The Colts have the third-most interceptions in the league (9) and are one of nine teams with a pick-six through seven weeks. The defense has forced only two fumbles, which ranks toward the bottom of the league.

Despite injuries taking out multiple starting cornerbacks, the Colts have been able to force poor throws into dangerous coverage, resulting in turnovers. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was Indy's most recent victim, throwing two interceptions in the second quarter.

To complement the constant takeaways, the Colts have given the ball away only four times this year. That's a turnover margin of +1.1 per game, which ranks second in the NFL behind the Bears.

Three of the Colts' interceptions happened while the offense was in the red zone, which says a lot about how the defense has been able to step up under pressure. Even though the starters aren't on the field and some drives nearly reach the end zone, the secondary has come through clutch multiple times.

The Colts will need to keep their turnover streak alive against the Tennessee Titans and first-overall pick Cam Ward.

Ward has thrown five interceptions and has lost a league-high five fumbles in seven starts this season. His turnover issues have hindered the Titans' offense from operating at a high level, which is good news for the Indianapolis defense.

In the Colts' Week 3 matchup against Tennessee, cornerback Kenny Moore II took an interception to the house in the first minute of the game to give the Colts an immediate lead. The Colts went on to win 41-20 in a divisional rout.

If the Colts win, they'll move to 7-1 on the season. Although Indy's offense has looked elite, don't forget about the defense's contributions.