INDIANAPOLIS -- It’s something Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard started while at South Carolina State following a suggestion from his coach.
Leonard, although not the biggest player, possesses the type of hands that would likely send a person staggering when hit during a boxing match. Knowing that, his coach told him he should try to punch the ball out of the ball carrier's hand every chance he gets. It's a routine Leonard's works on in every practice
Leonard did it for the first time in his NFL career during his rookie season in 2018, sealing a victory over the Oakland Raiders when he punched the ball out of running back Doug Martin’s hand.
Leonard did it again Sunday against the Houston Texans.
The Colts were staring at a potential overtime game when Texans receiver Keke Coutee caught a pass inside the 5-yard line and was ready to dive toward the end zone when Leonard darted in from behind, clenched his fist and punched the ball out, sending it into the end zone where fellow linebacker Bobby Okereke was able to fall on it for a touchback and wrap up the victory for Indianapolis.
“I knew that I had a perfect opportunity right there to get a punch-out to win a ballgame, and that’s what I did,” Leonard said. “Thank God that our defense hustled, and you see the plays that we make defensively -- all the fumbles and recoveries. That shows what type of hustling team that we have.”
Opportunistic. That’s one way to describe the 2020 Colts defense. There have been instances when the unit has given up a lot of yards or the opponent has moved into the red zone -- such as the Texans -- before the Colts managed to make a big play to end the drive. The short-handed Texans gained 425 yards Sunday, but the Colts made the necessary stops for the second time in as many games against Houston.
Something similar happened in Week 14 against the Las Vegas Raiders, with the only difference being the game wasn’t on the line. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was picking apart the Colts defense. He threw what looked like another touchdown pass when cornerback Kenny Moore made arguably the snag of the year by leaping and snatching the ball down with one hand for an interception.
The Colts have forced 24 turnovers this season, which is the third most in the NFL.
“That’s the mindset you’ve gotta have as a defense,” Leonard said. “They can move that ball 99 yards. As long as they don’t get in that [end zone], that’s all that matters. As long as you have a blade of grass to defend, that’s all you’ve got to defend.”
The Colts haven’t always been successful with their bend-but-don’t-break mindset on defense. Teams have scored on them. What can’t go discredited, though, is how the Colts don’t back down from the pressure of trying to make that big play.
Leonard said Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen talked about pressure during a Zoom call with the team during the offseason. Allen made one of the biggest shots in NBA history when he nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game during the 2013 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
“He said there was no pressure on that shot because he practiced it over a million times,” Leonard said. “So, when that shot came, he knew that he could make it because of how many times he practiced that shot. So, in crunch time, when I know I have an opportunity to punch at the ball, I’ve done did it so many times in practice that I feel comfortable punching at the ball.”
A key to the Colts' ability to recover so many fumbles -- 9 of 13 -- is because of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ demand that all 11 players hustle to the ball no matter how far away the defender is.
“That’s why I don’t get too high or low, especially when we’re not playing very well,” defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. “I don’t get too low because I have the confidence in the guys that someone is going to make a big play. That’s why I always try to remind the guys, stay calm. Because it’s coming.”