Whether we like to admit it or not, there was a time in our lives when we would create a player in a video game and the first thing we did was put the attributes all the way up to 99.
It’s fun dominating at an unrealistic rate even if it is against a computer. There are few players that even sniff what it would be like to dominate the game of football like a Create-A-Player would.
But Colts linebacker Darius Leonard feels the defense has one of those players in defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
“That boy’s a Create-A-Player,” Leonard said after Sunday’s win. “He is different. There is nobody in this NFL that can block him. One-on-one, double team him, whatever, DeForest is a complete monster.”
Buckner dominated the Texans offensive line for the second time this season en route to a career-high 3.0 sacks. While that’s impressive in its own right, it becomes even more so when considering he did it on a bum ankle that limited him to a season-low 51% snap rate on Sunday.
Buckner’s presence on the defensive line has been incredible, and he’s the biggest reason the entire unit has taken the step forward into the elite category.
“I thank Chris Ballard almost every time I see him for bringing him in. He is great. I mean he is a great player, but he is an even better leader and that’s what makes him so great,” Leonard said. “When he went down with the ankle in practice, his main thing was doing everything he can to play. That shows his toughness there. I give him a lot of credit. Then he comes out and I think he had, what, three sacks? That just shows what type of player he is, and he is a dog and I love playing behind him.”
Buckner is tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks and while that number doesn’t jump off the page, he’s also added 24 quarterback hits and 47 total pressures.
Buckner has been impressive beyond words this season, and Leonard hit it right on the head comparing to a superpowered created player in a video game.
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