JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Denico Autry’s first season in Indianapolis has gone in fits and starts, flashes of brilliance interrupted by bouts with injury.
The first free agent Chris Ballard signed last March, Autry is a key piece of this Colts defense, the lineman Ballard touted as the one to watch up front before Indianapolis opened training camp at the end of July.
Autry has proved Ballard right before. There were nine tackles and two sacks against Houston, a powerful bull rush for a sack against the Titans two weeks ago.
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But Autry wanted more, wanted to take over a game from start to finish, to dominate an offensive line the way he overpowered Jacksonville’s blockers in a 6-0 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.