Robert Mathis on Dwight Lowery: "MVP of the game"

Think back to March, when the safety position was a major, major concern for the Indianapolis Colts.  Mike Adams was coming off of a Pro Bowl year in his first season with the Colts, but he was a free agent.  LaRon Landry was released.  Sergio Brown was a free agent, as was Colt Anderson.  The Colts would re-sign Adams and Anderson, but that only gave them one starter back and a key special teams player and backup.  What about the other starting spot?

Many thought the Colts would have to address it in the draft, but instead they signed veteran Dwight Lowery in free agency.  And after the Colts waited until the fourth round to add a safety in the draft (Clayton Geathers), it became clear that the plan was to go with Lowery as the starting safety alongside Adams.

On Sunday, in Lowery's third game with the Colts, he was one of the biggest factors in getting the first win of the season - a win that quite possibly saved the season for Indianapolis.

The first signature play came in the second quarter, with the Colts leading 7-0.  Marcus Mariota's pass was completed, but a hit by newly-signed cornerback Josh Thomas popped it loose (it was officially ruled an interception, but it looked like a catch and fumble to me).  The ball floated up in the air and Lowery was right there to grab it for the pick.  He then made a great runback to return it 69-yards for the score.

And then the Colts fell behind.  The Titans scored 27 unanswered points and took a 27-14 lead into the fourth quarter.  That's when Andrew Luck led the offense 98 yards down the field for a touchdown to make it a one-score game.  That was the same thing that happened last week against the Jets, if you remember.  Only in that game, immediately after the Colts scored to make it a one-possession ball game, the defense allowed the Jets to march right down the field on a 7-play, 80-yard drive that ended in a touchdown and made it a two-score game once again - essentially sealing the loss.  This week?  The Colts scored to draw it within one-possession, and then on the second play of the Titans ensuing drive, Lowery made a great jump on a Marcus Mariota pass.  Picked off.  Again.

On the very next play, Andrew Luck would hit Donte Moncrief for the go-ahead 11-yard touchdown, but it was all set up by the interception by Dwight Lowery.  And it wouldn't even have been the go-ahead score had it not been for another interception by Lowery earlier in the game that he returned for a touchdown.  He was a crucial part of the win, and his teammates noticed it.

"Awesome," outside linebacker Robert Mathis said after the game.  "Clutch.  MVP of the game.  He got us through it."

Andrew Luck was fantastic in the fourth quarter.  Several other players stepped up as well.  But without the two crucial interceptions by Dwight Lowery, the Colts might be starting at 0-3 right now instead of 1-2.  It's only one win, but it may have made all the difference.  And a player who went under the radar as a free agent signing this offseason was a huge part of it.