Colts DE Justin Houston Wins AFC Defensive Player of the Week

The Colts needed great performances from their whole team to go into Arrowhead and beat a great Chiefs team. That’s exactly what they got, and perhaps none played a more important role than did former Chief Justin Houston. For his troubles, he has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for week 5.

His stat line wasn’t wild – 4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hurries. But the magnitude of his impact jumped off the tape. When the Colts needed plays he was making them, as he has consistently done all season. His stop on 4th and 1 late in the game allowed the Colts to chew the clock and put a field goal on the board to keep the game out of reach for the Chiefs.

For a fan base that has been unsure just what they were getting from their free agent defensive end, this is validation that Houston’s impact has been greater than the line on the stat sheet. He brought pressure, and as importantly, motivation and leadership into a game where this team needed every ounce of both.

Hopefully this is the norm for Houston and we continue to see him play with high intensity and success over the remainder of the season. Without Kemoko Turay and with Tyquan Lewis struggling with injury, the Colts need him to be at his best to keep finding success on defense. There is no doubt, however, that Houston has still got what it takes to play at a high level, because we’ve seen it.