When the Indianapolis Colts host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, they’ll be without one of their top defensive players. The team has placed DL DeForest Buckner on injured reserve due to an ankle sprain suffered in Week 2’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. He’ll miss at least the next four games, including the Steelers’ contest.
Buckner is a three-time Pro Bowler, one of the best interior defenders in football, and a key cog to the Colts’ defensive line. Even through the first two weeks, he had already recorded seven tackles, 2 QB hits, 1.5 sacks, and a tackle for loss. It’s a blow to a Colts’ run defense that has struggled to stop the run early this season. Through two games, they’ve allowed the most rushing yards and rank 28th in yards-per-carry allowed as Green Bay pounded the ball 53 times in Sunday’s victory.
For his career, Buckner has 81 tackles for loss to go along with 62.5 sacks. In 2023, he finished third on the team with eight sacks, and his production has remained consistent throughout his career, with eight sacks in 2022. A durable player since being acquired by the Colts in 2020, he’s only missed one game since then, a 2020 game due to COVID. This means that the Colts aren’t used to playing without him and will have to adjust going forward and handle the Steelers’ physical rushing attack.
In four career games against the Steelers, Buckner has registered 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Colts reporter James Boyd shared a clip of the injury.
Assuming DeForest Buckner won’t play against Pittsburgh two weeks from now, the team will lean on veteran DT Taven Bryan and Raekwon Davis up front. Both should see an increase in playing time until Buckner returns.
Pittsburgh will travel to Indianapolis on Sunday, Sept. 29, for a 1 PM/EST kickoff.
