Colts Notebook: Simon quickly makes plays in new scheme
Indianapolis Colts defensive end John Simon stands on the field Thursday's game against the Seattle Seahawks at Century Link Field in Seattle.
Stephen Brashear | The Associated Press
SEATTLE — There were plenty of questions about how John Simon would fit into the Colts' new defensive scheme.
The veteran insisted throughout the offseason he'd be fine.
In Thursday's preseason opener — a 19-17 victory at Seattle — he was true to his word.
“I think I always felt pretty good in it,” Simon said. “I said it in the offseason, football players are football players. And we’ve got a lot of those guys on this team, who know how to find their way to the ball and just have that instinct for football. So I think we did some positives tonight, a lot more positives than negatives, but there’s definitely some things that we need to watch the tape and shore up.”
Simon was at the forefront of the positives.
He finished with three tackles, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits.
It was the kind of performance befitting a gritty player who always seems to play his best when the lights come on.
“He’s been doing that for a long time,” Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich said. “He did a really nice job tonight. Just defensively, I just liked the speed in which we played with. Even when they were moving the ball, you could see guys pursuing. Obviously came up with the big plays. (Cornerback) Nate (Hairston) came up with that huge play. So there were some really good signs on defense.”
The Colts surrendered a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to Russell Wilson and the first-team offense to start the game but didn't allow the Seahawks to get back on the scoreboard until the third quarter.
Hairston intercepted a pass in the end zone from backup quarterback Austin Davis to end the only serious scoring threat during that period.
But much of that defensive success — including two second-half sacks by defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway — came with Seattle's reserves in the game.
Simon — who didn't start but played extensively in the first half — got some of his work done against the starters.
It was a big night for him after finishing last season on injured reserve.
“It felt great,” Simon said. “I felt really good, really healthy out there, had a lot of fun. You really miss being out there with the guys. So to be able to go out there, communicate with them, it’s something that I was looking forward to. And I was very happy with how my body felt tonight.”
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