Colts' DeForest Buckner Ready to Face 'Dynamic' Foe

Buckner has been reliable, yet again, in his 10th NFL season. Through six games, Buckner has a sack, 31 tackles (five tackles for loss), seven QB hits, and 21 pressures (fifth out of 192 eligible defensive tackles).

Buckner will be critical to exposing the Chargers' leaky pass protection. Given how Joe Alt has been dealing with an ankle injury and might play banged up, and that Rashawn Slater is out for the year with a torn patellar tendon, Los Angeles' tackles might be a target for Indy's pass-rush.

Buckner concluded by saying this about Herbert, "As rushers we’ve got to do a good job with getting him down and mainly trying to pin down that throwing arm, because he – constantly on the tape, when he's wrapped up or whatever it is, he continues to get the ball out. So yeah, we got to do a good job up front containing him.”

Herbert might have a skill to shuck off sacks, but he's taken an immense amount of pressure. Herbert is tied for second in the NFL with Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward in the number of pressures taken with 92.

This paints a clear picture that Buckner will have a massive role in getting to Herbert and forcing bad decisions or turnovers.

Given how banged up Indy's cornerbacks are, the pass-rush will be critical to helping names like Johnathan Edwards, Chris Lammons, and Mekhi Blackmon, especially if Kenny Moore II (Achilles) and Charvarius Ward (concussion) can't suit up on Sunday.

Herbert is a great quarterback, and has excellent weapons to throw to like Keenan Allen, Ladd McConkey, and Quentin Johnston. But, the offensive line for the Chargers is a glaring weakness that Buckner and the rest of the defensive line will look to take advantage of.

We'll see if the Colts' defense can take control of the trenches and put enough pressure on Herbert to force mistakes and get the win on the road to move to 6-1.