Colts' E.J. Speed Shines in Win Over Steelers: Film
The Indianapolis Colts made the shocking in-season move of releasing former All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard following the team's Week 11 bye. The move may have seemed questionable to those not connected to the team, but it did pave the way for the Colts to start the much better player in Leonard's place.
Up until that point in the season, fifth-year linebacker E.J. Speed had served in a reserve role, rotating with Leonard on base downs and then coming in on obvious passing situations for opposing offenses. This rotation featured mixed results for the defense, so Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley ultimately ended up handing over the full-time job to Speed following the release of Leonard.
Speed's first couple of starts were a bit of a mixed bag, but he finally found his footing this past week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus, Speed "was everywhere (on Saturday)." Spielberger noted that Speed finished the game with 10 solo tackles to go along with four run stops and two tackles for a loss.
Speed appears to be hitting his stride as the Colts enter the most pivotal three-game stretch of the 2023 season.
Everywhere in Run Defense
Speed's impact on Saturday was massive in run defense. He was filling his gaps with excellent speed and aggression, and he was finishing plays constantly in the opposing offense's backfield.
The tone was set early in this outing with Speed's massive hit on running back Najee Harris on the first play of the game. Speed scraped down through the offensive line traffic masterfully and met the massive runner in the hole one-on-one.
Harris is one of the league's bigger running backs, standing in at roughly 6'4" with 240+ pounds on his frame. That size didn't stop Speed from pile-driving the flailing back into the ground for a loss on the game's opening play. Linebackers are the heart and soul of a defense, so this tone-setting hit to start the game was massive for the Colts' defense.
The Colts' run defense was severely lacking over the past month and a half with Grover Stewart out of the lineup. The linebackers struggled to scrape downhill and the result was massive lanes up the middle of the defense. With Stewart back in the lineup, Speed has had more freedom to get back to what he does best in run defense.
Speed is an aggressive player in the run game who doesn't shy away from contact with blockers in his gap. He can scrape with the league's best at the position, and he showcased that ability to do so in this next clip. He drove back the Steelers' tight end in the hole and made yet another tackle for a short gain on the play.
Speed is more than just a physical scraper in the run game, though. He also has the athletic ability to work around blocks to get into position against the run as well.
This next clip had Speed once again facing off against a run-blocking tight end, but this time he elected to work around the block. Speed quickly side-stepped the would-be blocker and made a play on the ball carrier for another run stop.
Speed put all of his best traits together on this final run stop of the afternoon.
He started backside of the toss play but quickly exploded downhill to get into position. He effortlessly scraped through the block out in space and fought through his gap for the tackle for a loss on the play. This was rare explosion and speed on display for a backside linebacker to track the ball carrier down from his starting position.
The biggest element that the Colts have been missing from their linebackers this season has been playmaking. The group is doing their job in the run game, but the big-time turnovers simply haven't been there. Speed did change that trend on Saturday however, forcing a massive fumble early in the second half.
Speed caught Harris from behind in the open field and ripped the ball away as the massive back was tumbling to the ground. This fumble proved to be one of the biggest plays of the game, as the Colts would go on to score on the very next play to extend their lead to eight early in the second half.
Big-time players make big plays, and Speed left his mark on this game with this forced fumble.
The Bottom Line
The Colts put their faith in Speed with the release of former All-Pro Shaq Leonard after the week 11 bye. Speed rewarded that faith this past Saturday, putting together one of his best overall games as a pro in a must-win outing for the team.
Going forward, the Colts are going to need more performances like this from their fifth-year linebacker to make the playoffs. Every game is a must-win from here on out, so it would be massive for the Colts' playoff hopes to have a linebacker playing at this level down the stretch.
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