INDIANAPOLIS — Kenny Moore II, Jaylon Jones and Samuel Womack III earned the right to bow.
Yes, the Miami Dolphins entered Sunday’s game depleted in terms of quarterback, with starter Tua Tagovailoa not designated to return from injured reserve until a day later.
And the problems deepened when reserve Tyler Huntley – who came in 1-1 as a starter – also left the game with a shoulder injury.
But the much-maligned Indianapolis Colts secondary — led by the trio of starting cornerbacks — never allowed Miami’s passing game to find a rhythm.
Huntley and backup Tim Boyle combined for just 15 completions and 161 yards.
The Dolphins’ longest gain was a 25-yard swing pass to a back, and speedy receivers Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle combined for two catches and 19 yards.
A Colts defense that ranks 29th out of 32 NFL teams in yards allowed kept Miami in check long enough that a struggling offense could make just enough plays to pull out a 16-10 victory.
“They’re so explosive on the perimeter — their speed — and it’s a tough game,” Indianapolis defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “We just felt like we had to do some things — whether we were in zone or if we were in man — to keep a close eye on (Hill and Waddle).
“So give credit to the DBs and Milo (secondary coach Ron Milus). They did a great job there, but it really was a total team effort because to get there at the back, some guys had to put in the effort up front, and they did.
The Colts (4-3) produced two sacks and five quarterback hits, and the linebackers had a career day on the field.
Grant Stuard – first replacing starter EJ Speed, then further expanding his role when rookie Jaylon Carlies left with an ankle injury – had a career-high 18 tackles, and Zaire Franklin added 16 stops.
That’s the most for two Indianapolis linebackers since at least the 2000 season.
But the challenge for the defense – at all levels – will increase significantly in the weeks to come.
Starting with Sunday’s trip to face the AFC South-leading Houston Texans (14th), four of the next five opponents rank among the top 15 offenses and three among the top six.
Houston won the season opener at Lucas Oil Stadium 29-27 with a balanced attack that produced 213 yards on the ground and 204 yards through the air.
The Texans (5-2) will be without injured star wide receiver Nico Collins — who had six catches for 117 yards in Week 1 — but they still have significant perimeter threats in veteran Stefon Diggs (42 catches, 415 yards, three touchdowns this season). ) and second-year receiver Tank Dell (20 catches, 194 yards, one touchdown).
Running back Joe Mixon also had 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in the opener.
The Indianapolis defense, which has given up a total of 27 points in consecutive victories over the last two weeks, should therefore be put to the test in this rematch.
“(The Texans) do a good job of mixing things up,” Bradley said. “We came in (with) the mindset in the first game that they might be able to pass the ball, but we have to limit the explosive plays and affect the quarterback. In the end, they ran with the ball and covered quite a few yards.
“So they are extremely difficult because of that. You have great respect for their running game, great respect for their passing game and we’re going to have to pick our times. Hopefully we play really good football and place ourselves well, because it really comes down to the fundamentals. When we execute, tackle well and block successfully, we seem to play a little better.
COOL OPERATION
Tyler Goodson felt the weight of the world on his shoulders after failing to pick off a fourth-and-1 pass from Gardner Minshew in last season’s finale against Houston.
He stood at his locker inside Lucas Oil Stadium and took responsibility for the failed conversion that helped drop the Colts to 9-8 and cost them their first division championship since 2014.
But he also vowed to come back better than ever.
Goodson kept that promise.
He’s already set career highs with 27 carries and 128 rushing yards this season, and he’s had 22 carries for 102 yards over the past two weeks — including his first career touchdown to tie the game in the third quarter against Miami (2-4).
With Indianapolis hoping to get Jonathan Taylor back from an ankle injury this week, Goodson has made a case for remaining a part of the offensive attack as a primary backup.
“It’s been a really cool story,” Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “(It’s) really fun to watch him work, really fun to see him attack every day. Whatever his job is for the day, his focal point is the day, his set of reps that he does for the day, Goodie brings it.
