And it has become Indianapolis's huge benefit.

And we welcome the defensive stud inside Keyshawn J.

Will and Zubin here on ESPN radio this morning, Darius.

Good morning.

You've started the season five and two.

Like I said, a little bit of a hiccup out of the gate.

Tell me what this team is thinking about here as we approach the second half of the season.

Um, first of all, Good morning.

Um, you know, just a long time we focus, Always trying to trying to get better.

Um, you know, you can You can lose game and get better.

You can win games to get worse.

And, you know, you just gotta maintain, you know, focus and continue to get better, get better day in and day out.

Just trying out to you right away.

You've got to create our own one.

Last, uh, the past two games, you scored 31 points against the Bengals.

41 against the lines, including a a pick six from quarterback anymore.

What have you seen from the offense over the last couple weeks that make you feel confident with a dominant defense that this is the offense to lead you forward, you know, just, you know, they they hold the ball a lot, you know, They keeping us off the field.

Um, you know, they're They're running the ball.

Well, they're throwing the ball.

Well, you know, Philip is, you know, throwing the ball to, you know, everybody on the roster.

So, you know, never know who is he throwing to?

You know, you got JT in the backfield, and then you got 19 times, you know, uh, easy mismatch with a linebacker, Um, guarded him out of the backfield.

Soldiers just kind of, you know, putting our guys in the position to make plays the maniac.

It's good to talk to you, man.

My my wife's family is a huge fan of the Colts.

I gotta ask you first and foremost.

Why did they call you the maniac?

Um, well, I honestly got it in 2000 and 17.

I thought played Clemson.

I ain't it with, like, 19 tackles.

And I came back on campus.

Somebody said, you play like a straight maniac, and, you know, I kinda stuck with me and then it kind of, you know, it's not in my persona, You know, when I stepped on the field, I'm a I'm a wild guy, you know?

I love and have fun.

I'm talking trash.

I'm energetic, you know, China be how the enthusiasm more than anyone.

And then, you know, when I once I get out to feel, you know, just that polite, you know?

Well spoken, um, that genuine love guys.

So, you know, just to different to different people.

Um, no maniac comes out of between the lines.

And then, you know, Darius comes out.

When?

When I'm not.

I love it.

Man, you guys.

I had a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Philip Rivers to your locker room this past off season.

What has it been like, bringing him into the mix?

It's amazing.

Um, just like you said, a future Hall of Famer.

And you know him in at least 17 years for a young guy like me, you know, playing defense defense.

Um, just learning from them and making his defense better, you know?

Believe it or not, Um, that could be the reason why I defense is playing so well, you know, uh, camp, you know, we're doing so much he telling us, you know what he's seen as a, uh, as a opponent and kind of made us better.

And then, you know, you know, coming in, you know, playing playing offense.

You know, he he knows the game.

You could tell, um, that he knows what he's doing and is, you know, it is great to have a 17 year vet as as your leader in his locker room.

Darius Leonard coached inside linebacker, two time All Pro, joining us here on Keyshawn J Will And Zubin almost said, Elsie.

Hey.

Hey.

Let me ask you this, Darius, You obviously getting ready to take on Lamar Jackson?

The reigning M V.

P is coming to town this week.

What do you need to do to slow him down?

Not necessarily in the passing game, because we kind of know his struggles there, but him pulling it down and running the ball.

Um, you know, um, honestly, you know it It's going to take all 11.

Um, you know, the first.

You know, the first four.

You know, we're always talking about keeping well, keeping a quarterback in the well and then, you know, nine times out of 10, you know, coach going definitely.

You know, put somebody on them.

Hopefully it's me, you know, because, you know, I'm definitely, you know, I want to take that challenge, You know, that I wanna put it on my back, you know, to stop their best player.

That's something that as a leader on the defense, that's something that you gotta take pride, and you gotta wanna be able to step up to a challenge.

And Lamar is definitely the best, you know, pulling it down and running, making guys missed.

And that's it.

That's something that, you know, I always wanted to dio, you know, just looking at just looking at it and seeing how explosive he is and wanting to be the guy you know who make that play seeing people on, you know, it s being top 10.

You know of him making a play, and you wanna be the guy to stop that place.

So hopefully you know, Dallas, Um, you know great things to keep him in a Well, you know, Mike Tomlin in the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Ravens on Sunday and Coach Tomlin told the media that, you know, for all intents and purposes, we respect Lamar.

But we don't fear Lamar Jackson.

What did you make of?

Not that you would ever say that, but what did you make of those comments?

I'm that.

I mean, that's a true statement.

Um, I mean, me, you know, I was very little film because, you know, I feel like sometimes in the film session, you know, if you look at the film, you could say all this team is really not that good.

You could get overly confident, and then you could see Oh, this guy right here, he's, you know, he's killing everyone.

Then, you know, you get that little that little feeling like now you got to do more.

And instead of just being used so me, you know, I nameless opponent, you know, But you got to respect your opponent.

That's that's the main thing.

You know, you don't gotta be scared of anyone, but you gotta respect.

I mean, he's a great player, but you don't understand that.

It's 11 versus one he got.

That's only one football out there.

And that's 11 guys trying to get that one ball, so we all just gotta work together and, you know, just just stopped their offense.

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