Colts' E.J. Speed: Another double-digit tackle game
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Speed finished with 11 tackles (six solo) in Sunday's 24-6 loss to the Lions.
Speed has now recorded double-digit stops in seven of the 11 games he's played in this season. He has also played on more than 90 percent of the defensive snaps in all 11 contests. In total, the linebacker has 108 tackles (72 solo) and three pass breakups, including an interception, in 2024.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Questionable for Sunday
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Speed (knee) is questionable for Sunday's contest against the Jets.
Speed was limited Wednesday and Thursday and practiced in full Friday, but he was still given a questionable tag. Speed has started all nine games he's appeared in this season, racking up 88 tackles (62 solo), including six TFLs, and three pass breakups, including one interception.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: First career pick
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Speed recorded six tackles (four solo) and an interception in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Bills.
Speed recorded fewer than 10 tackles for just the third time this season, but he managed to record his first career interception in the second quarter. The 2019 fifth-round pick is on the final year of his second NFL contract, and he ranks second in the league with 62 solo tackles through nine games, just two shy of Budda Baker, who has played 10 games.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Ten tackles in return
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Speed had 10 total tackles, including a tackle for a loss, and a pass defensed in Sunday's loss at Houston.
Speed missed the Week 7 win over Miami due to a knee injury but was back to full speed. He played on all 71 of the defense's snaps.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Picks up seven tackles in loss
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Speed recorded seven tackles (six solo), including one tackle for loss, in the Colts' loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.
Coming off a career-best 12 solo tackles in Week 4 against the Steelers, Speed's seven tackles versus Jacksonville marked a new season low. On the year, Speed has logged 54 tackles (40 solo) and one QB hit across five starts.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Career-high 12 solo tackles Sunday
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Speed finished Sunday's 27-24 win over the Steelers with 13 tackles (12 solo).
Speed once again led the Colts in tackling Sunday and was one of five Indianapolis defenders to play all 70 snaps on defense. Speed's 12 solo tackles is a career high, and his 13 combined tackles tied a career best he set in Week 18 against the Texans in 2023. Speed's 34 solo tackles leads the NFL through the first four games of the regular season, and his 47 total tackles is tied with teammate Nick Cross.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Secures 11 tackles in loss
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Speed recorded 11 total tackles (eight solo) in Sunday's 16-10 loss to the Packers.
Speed was able to compile double-digit stops for the second consecutive week to open the 2024 season. Through two weeks, the linebacker has produced 21 total tackles (16 solo) while operating as the Colts' primary weak-side linebacker.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Career-high tackle total Saturday
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Speed recorded 13 tackles (10 solo) in Saturday's 23-19 loss versus the Texans.
Over 16 games this season, Speed recorded 102 tackles (78 solo) including a sack and three forced fumbles. It was a career-best year for him in essentially every category. He has one more season on his current contract and currently figures to play a significant role at linebacker for the Colts again in 2024.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Records 13 tackles
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Speed finished with 13 tackles (10 solo), including a tackle for a loss, and two passes defensed in the Colts' 29-10 loss to the Falcons on Sunday.
Speed now has 23 tackles in two games since returning from a knee injury. The fifth-year pro has set a career high in tackles this season with 78. The linebacker also has four pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Goes through walkthrough
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Speed (knee) was a full participant in Tuesday's walk-through.
Per Nate, head coach Shane Steichen noted Tuesday that Speed is "feeling good" about his knee. His status for Saturday's contest against the Steelers will become clearer once his participation in practices is known. Speed has 55 tackles (41 solo), including one sack, and two forced fumbles in 12 games this season.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Compiles eight tackles in win
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Speed recorded eight tackles (six solo) in Sunday's 31-28 overtime win against Tennessee.
Speed was able to compile a season-high eight stops in the victory and he's now registered 14 tackles over the last two games combined, his most in a two-game stretch this year. The linebacker has stepped into a larger role since the team waived Shaquille Leonard in late November.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Taking over as starter
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Speed is expected to take over as the Colts' starting weakside linebacker after the team waived Shaquille Leonard on Tuesday, Stephen Holder of ESPN.com reports.
Indianapolis cut Leonard in a somewhat surprising move Tuesday, leaving a large gap in their front seven for the remainder of the season. Speed was already on track for a career-best campaign in the tackle department with 41 total so far, and his projected uptick in playing time could put him on the IDP radar for the rest of 2023.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Back at practice
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Speed (ankle) returned to practice earlier this week, Mike Chappell of Fox59.com reports.
Speed missed practice time last week, but he was back on the field Sunday, intercepting a pass from Gardner Minshew during a two-minute drill. The 28-year-old's ability to recover quickly is good news for the defense, as Speed is expected to serve in a much larger role in the team's linebacker corps this season.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Seven stops in MNF
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Speed recorded seven tackles (three solo) during Monday's 24-17 loss to the Steelers.
Speed tied cornerback Stephon Gilmore for the Colts' third-most tackles against Pittsburgh. While he only played 18 of his 39 snaps on defense Week 12, the linebacker still notched six defensive stops, including five on just one drive in the second quarter. Speed has now set a new career high for tackles (43) while primarily playing on special teams over 12 games. However, he should continue playing as a primary reserve behind starting linebackers Bobby Okereke and Zaire Franklin against Dallas this coming Sunday.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Gets start in season opener
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Speed started at weak-side linebacker and had a sack and seven total tackles in Sunday's overtime tie at Houston.
Speed moved into a starting role with Shaquille Leonard out after back surgery and had a strong game, making several big plays. He played on 38 of the defense's 70 snaps, as he came off in nickel and dime packages. It's not clear when Leonard may return, so Speed could continue to get a larger workload next week at Jacksonville.
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Colts' E.J. Speed: Practicing again
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Speed (knee) returned to practice Monday, George Bremer of The Anderson Herald Bulletin reports.
The third-year linebacker appears to be healthy after hyper-extending his knee in practice Aug. 13. Speed made a speedy recovery and should be in the mix for a depth position with the Colts linebacking corps.
