The Indianapolis Colts just won their sixth game out of

their last seven with a 24-21 victory at the Houston Texans. The game was highlighted by a strong defensive effort by the Colts as they sacked quarterback Deshaun Watson five times in the win. There were many defensive standouts— Denico Autry www.coltsfanshop.com/Denzelle-Good-Jersey , Kenny Moore, and Pierre Desir to name a few— but the most notable standout had to be Clayton Geathers.Geathers has not had the best season up to this point in my opinion, as he has struggled with run angles and open field tackling all year. Geathers hasn’t necessarily played poorly, he just hasn’t done enough to show me that he is the future of the strong safety position for this team. Obviously he took my harsh analysis to heart as he came out on Sunday with his strongest performance of the season. So what did Geathers do on Sunday that was so much better than the rest of his season? Lets jump into the film and find out. Film RoomThe Colts used Geathers in the box a lot on Sunday, moreso than I’ve seen in any other game this season. They also utilized him a lot with blitz plays, moving him all over the field on these types of plays and disguising their coverages. Here Geathers is blitzing up the middle and gets blocked by the running back. Geathers doesn’t really do anything flashy as he gets stonewalled by the back but by taking the protecting back away from the play, Kenny Moore is able to get the sack. Geathers does his assignment well here on a well designed blitz by Matt Eberflus and the Colts.The area where Geathers really impressed me the most on Sunday was in man coverage in the slot. He never had to line up against the Texans’ starter in the slot Keke Coutee so that does help. However, Geathers did perform admirably all day against DeAndre Carter and Joe Webb in slot man coverage. Here, Moore is sent on yet another blitz and Geathers comes down to play man on Carter. Geathers gets around the pick play pretty well and Malik Hooker does a good job of reading the route. As a result, Geathers gets what should be his first interception of the year. Hooker is called for unnecessary hitting too hard on the play though which negated an all around nice play for the defense.Here the Colts yet again send Moore on a blitz from the slot at the top of the screen. Geathers yet again comes down to cover his man in man to man coverage, this time the receiver is Joe Webb. Geathers and linebacker Anthony Walker do a nice job of taking away the initial read on the quick hitch and Webb is forced to break off the route inside. Geathers follows closely behind, giving Watson a very tight window to force the throw. Watson forces the pass while off balance and it almost leads to an interception for Geathers.Aside from playing well in the slot in man coverage, Geathers seemed toperform better in run defense too as his run angles and run fits all seemed to be much improved on Sunday. This rep, however, is his worst rep of the day for Geathers in run defense. The Texans are running a read option play here. Watson keeps it all the way while Geathers (top left of the screen) is drawn too far inside, leaving Watson the outside angle to pick up extra yards. Geathers does recover nicely and is able to chase down Watson in space but ideally the safety shouldn’t commit so far inside on this type of play. This is a much better rep from Geathers against the read option here. He comes down into the box on the left side of the screen to start the play. Instead of being sucked inside like on the previous rep, Geathers diagnoses the play and engages the tight end in front of the play. He is able to shed the block of the tight end rather quickly and make the tackle on Watson for no gain. This is the type of play that your starting strong safety needs to make right here.This next rep features Geathers making a nice open field tackle on third down. Geathers appears to be dropping into a mid-zone on this play as the Colts go into their typical third down defense. Geathers recognizes that Watson is going to dump the ball down and breaks on the play quicker than anyone else on the defense. He targets Lamar Miller’s waist on this tackle and as he makes first contact Clayton Geathers Jersey , he is able to wrap up around the legs and make the play. Geathers made a nice play here and in other games I would expect him to miss this tackle in the same opportunity. Nice of him to capitalize on this third down play.Now from a slot corner/ linebacker spot, Geathers makes another nice play in run defense. Geathers is lined up over tight end Ryan Griffin here, presumably in man coverage. Geathers does a nice job of keeping his eyes in the backfield however and notices the quick shovel pass to Miller. Geathers is able to step around a poor blocking attempt form Griffin after accelerating off of his back foot and makes the tackle in open space. Again, I really like his target area here as it allows him to still wrap up the runners’ legs when he slides down from the waist area. Very good play here from Geathers in the box.Although this next play looked much more impressive live than on film, it is still an impressive play nonetheless. The Colts yet again send the slot guy on a blitz— this time its Matthew Adams— and Geathers comes down hill from his safety position to play man. So, the reason Geathers is coming down so fast is partly due to the schemed blitz. However, Geathers does a great job of diagnosing the screen and continues to fly down hill, beating the blocker and blowing up the play. If he even hesitates at all, he gets blocked and the screen goes for a big gain. So, nice play by Geathers to read and react on the fly, and well schemed play again by Matt Eberflus.Geathers here is playing deep safety— a rarity in this game— and he comes down to make the tackle on Miller. Part of playing safety is being the last line of defense and Geathers does that well on this play. He knows not to over-commit and risk the big play. He calmly sits back and allows the play to come to him as he makes the nice, form tackle.Probably Geathers’ most impressive tackle of the day, as he prevents the punt from being blocked in a pivotal point of the game. Geathers makes a poor read here as the up man and drifts way too far inside. By doing this, he allows a free rusher to fly through the blocks en route to a game altering punt block. Luckily though, he notices the rusher at the last second and is able to grab him before he can block the punt. Obviously not a highlight but good situational awareness to recognize that a holding is better than a blocked punt.Last clip of the day, but it’s a bit of a bad rep for Geathers, at least to some degree. The Texans are in the red zone trying to bring this game back to a one score game with less than five minutes left. The Colts drop into their go to cover two zone with Hooker (on the left) and Geathers (on the right) on the back end. The coverage is initially good but Watson is able to buy time and get out of the pocket. The coverage does break down a bit here now as Hooker drifts too far forward and Geathers gets cement feet looking into the backfield. He needs to drift more with Watson wants he rolls out and locate the nearest receiver. He fails to do that and Watson finds an open Hopkins for the touchdown. AnalysisGeathers had perhaps his best game of the season on Sunday and should have come away with two interceptions to go with his impressive nine tackle performance. His biggest improvements that I saw from prior games was his angles in run support and his targets on ball carriers. As a result Nate Hairston Color Rush Jersey , he missed less tackles and the stat sheet looked nice and filled at the end of the day.I do still have my concerns with Geathers though in two deep coverage. I think he does lack the instincts and natural feel back there to really strike fear into opposing quarterbacks. Matt Eberflus did an excellent job of maneuvering him all around the defense, resulting in Geathers playing more slot corner and nickel linebacker. I think those positions are more areas of comfort for him than in that two deep role on passing downs. Overall, I still think that the Colts need to address the other safety position this offseason if they can but this past Sunday did open my eyes to how Geathers could be used going forward. If he cleans up his run angles and target areas like he did against the Texans, the Colts can use him as a base strong safety and a nickel linebacker type on passing downs. In summary however, this was a big game for Geathers and bodes well for the future with his free agency looming. The Indianapolis Colts just crushed the Tennessee Titans 38-10 to move to 5-5 on the season. This was an overall dominating performance on both sides of the ball for the team as the offense was clicking on all cylinders and the defense imposed it’s will on Marcus Mariota and the Titans’ offense. One of the most impressive performances of the afternoon though had to be T.Y Hilton toasting the vaunted Titan’s secondary for 9 catches for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns.Hilton is sort of having a down season despite putting up some of the better numbers of his career. In just 8 games played, Hilton has 38 catches for 585 yards and 6 touchdowns. Over the course of an entire season, that would be over 1,000 yards and double digit touchdowns— a touchdown mark that Hilton has never reached in his career. Even though Hilton hasn’t been the big play threat that he has been in years past, he still averages 15.4 yards per catch which is just 0.4 yards less than his career average.So despite the perception that this is a down year for Hilton, he has actually been producing when he’s been on the field. The one thing missing seemed to be the monster games that we came to expect from him early in his career. The Titans seemed content to leave young cornerback Adoree’ Jackson on an island with Hilton all day. This was— to say the least— a poor decision on their part. The numbers were excellent for Hilton on Sunday but let’s look at his catches and see why he was finally able to break out against one of the league’s better young corners.Film RoomFirst play of the game for the offense and Head Coach Frank Reich decides to go to a quick screen to his playmaker on the outside. The Titans are in ten yards off man coverage, a perfect defense to run a quick screen on. Hilton is able to take the quick pass from Andrew Luck and turn up field for a nine yard gain. Hilton’s quickness and suddenness when cutting upfield helps to turn this into a near first down. Not many receivers are as gifted as him in these two areas (as you’ll see in almost every other clip as well).The next catch by Hilton is a comeback route against Jackson at the top of the screen. Jackson lines up in press man coverage against the speedy receiver. Jackson fails to properly jam Hilton at the line and begins getting his hands on Hilton more down the field— this is likely illegal contact by Jackson but it goes uncalled. Hilton engages in some good hand fighting before quickly breaking to the sideline and gaining separation. Luck is able to hit him on the numbers and Hilton toe taps for the catch. This next catch by Hilton (top of the screen) is just a veteran move by a receiver who has chemistry with his quarterback. The Titans are in zone defense here and Hilton is running a deep in route. Hilton comes out of his break and hits the breaks to sit down in the zone and find the open spot. If he continues with his route, he runs right into another defender’s zone and takes himself out of the play. By slowing down and sitting in the empty space, he makes himself available for his scrambling quarterback. Great communication by the two to know what the other one is doing as well.Hilton’s fourth catch of the day is the big one, as he toasts Jackson for a 68 yard touchdown. Let me preface this clip by saying this; there is almost no corner in the NFL who can line up five yards off the ball from Hilton in zero coverage and not get a hand on him and expect to not get toasted. Hilton is winning that route ten times out of ten. Jackson is an elite athlete— 4.42 40 yard dash at the combine— but he’s no match for the speed and quickness of Hilton. Excellent adjustment to the ball in the air as well by Hilton as it was a tad underthrown by Luck. Just a huge play by one of the best deep threats in football since 2013. This next catch is actually a very good play by Jackson, but Hilton just makes a great adjustment to come up with the catch. Hilton is tasked with running a quick slant with Jackson in deep off coverage. A call that generally works against this type of defense. Jackson does a great job of sitting inside the route and then breaks on the pass when it is thrown. His biggest mistake though was not properly locating the ball and making sure he broke up the pass. He does tip the ball but Hilton is able to locate the ball in the air and catch the pass. A little bit lucky here, but great play by Hilton to come up with the catch.This next route shows great chemistry between Luck and Hilton. I’m going to make the assumption here that this was an option route based on what Hilton and Luck read as the coverage on the play. During his pre-snap reads, Luck notices that it is likely man coverage and that Jackson is playing way off of Hilton. Hilton realizes this too and Hilton stops his route for the quick hook route. It may have just been a simple hook route call but from my—albeit rather limited— knowledge of offenses similar to the Colts www.coltsfanshop.com/Braden-Smith-Jersey , this is an option route. Regardless though, Luck’s trust in Hilton to throw the ball before Hilton even turns is just evident of how much chemistry these two have.Hilton’s seventh catch of the day is probably his best of the entire afternoon, perhaps his best of the season. Hilton is running a quick slant on the backside of the play where he is not the primary option. Luck goes through his progressions then bails from the pocket. As Luck begins to bail from the pocket, Hilton breaks upfield towards the goal line. Luck— with complete trust in Hilton— throws a perfect back shoulder dime that Hilton is able to adjust to and make the catch. Hilton then shows off amazing balance and ballerina like toe tapping on the sideline to get into the endzone. Excellent play by these two stars to make a touchdown out of nothing.This next catch by Hilton (bottom of the screen) is so smooth. Again running a hitch route— mainly because Jackson was bailing hard on all of Hilton’s routes at this point— Hilton is able to create quick separation and make the reception. Look at his footwork on this route though. Hilton is an elite athlete with excellent long speed and suddenness. When you throw in that he can use his quick feet to stop on a dime and run precise routes like this too then you have a player that is virtually impossible to cover one on one.Hilton’s final catch of the day is a beautifully run “C” route at the top of the screen. Like I’ve mentioned many times throughout this piece, Hilton is one of the most sudden and quick receivers in football. His routes aren’t always crisp but he is typically able to create separation regardless due to his quickness in and out of his breaks. Here though is an example of when his route is crisp and you combine that with his suddenness. You get a wide open route with a corner looking silly. Hilton finishes off the route with a beautiful toe tap on the sidelines for the catch.AnalysisHilton had a field day against the Titans and put up his best performance of the season. He looked like his old self of years past on Sunday, as he was toasting man coverage all over the field. Even though Hilton is still having a great season, it was really nice to see him look how he did in the earlier Andrew Luck years. Hilton is one of the best receivers in the NFL and this film room definitely shows it. He possesses elite quickness and suddenness which allows him to get constant separation from defensive backs. When the play opens up though for the big play, Hilton also has elite long speed to beat even the best athletes down the field. When his routes are crisp and the ball is on time, he makes defenders look silly. He also displayed some crazy body control on the sidelines all game long as well.Overall, I really don’t think Adoree’ Jackson had a poor game on Sunday. I think he was put in a poor situation from the start and performed to the best of his ability against a top tier receiver in this league. No cornerback in this league can be expected to line up in off man coverage against T.Y Hilton and expect to find success, especially a young player like Jackson. In summary, the Titans learned something that Colts fans have known for years; you never put a corner on an island against Hilton. If you are crazy enough to try it, Luck and Hilton will make you pay.