While the offense got a lot of the headlines this season with the remaking of the offensive line and the return of Andrew Luck Authentic Malik Hooker Jersey , it was actually the defense that offered the most encouraging improvements on the Colts roster. Today we’re going to dig in to the winners and losers from the 2018 season on defense.WinnersDarius LeonardWho else could kick off our list? From one of the “worst picks in the draft” to First-Team All-Pro and a very likely Defensive Rookie of the Year award, this guy did it all. He set a new record for the franchise in tackles, he changed the mentality on the Colts defense, and he just kept making game-altering plays. Even in a truly ugly divisional round game he was there, forcing a fumble and giving his team a shot to get back in it. This Colts team hasn’t had a player like Darius Leonard on it in a long time, and Chris Ballard said today that he has the potential to be the same kind of player as Brian Urlacher. High praise from a guy who has worked with him. Leonard did that in just his first season in the league and in a new defense. Imagine what he can do with another year under his belt?Kenny MoorePhoto by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesNo one deserves to be right up here as much as Kenny Moore. Moore went from a waiver claim to the best corner on a tough defense and did it largely over the course of this season. He has a real knack for getting to the quarterback on blitzes, and has repeatedly come up big on critical 3rd down plays to break up passes. You could really see his confidence and swagger coming on later in the season as he got more comfortable in Eberflus’ system. The best part is, he is just 23 years old. His jump from year one to year two was big, but another step forward could make him an unpleasant man to deal with.Denico AutryThere were quite a few people scratching their heads when Denico Autry was signed by the Colts this offseason. Most of us knew precious little about the rotational defensive lineman from the Raiders, and he came on at a time where the Colts were getting killed in the media for not spending in free agency. Hardly the big splash everyone was looking for. All Autry did was put up 9 sacks, 37 tackles, and 11 QB hits in his 12 games played this season. If not for injuries that kept him out of four games, he would have likely had a 10-sack season. Quite a steal for a guy no one knew about. If the Colts can get a similar season out of him next year, and if he can stay healthy, he can be a major contributor on the defense.Quincy WilsonPhoto by Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesThe verdict had just about come down on Quincy Wilson as a bust through the first quarter of this season. He had failed to make a mark in his rookie season, too immature to work hard in practice and butting heads with the coaching staff. The same issues seemed to plague him early on. Then, the signing of Mike Mitchell happened. Mitchell took it upon himself to mentor and guide Wilson, and that proved to be essential. Over the back half of the season, Wilson began to find himself getting more snaps and making plays. He looked like a guy who was waking up to what was needed from him. The question with Wilson has never been whether he was talented Authentic T.Y. Hilton Jersey , but what he would do with that talent. If he continues to develop and work hard, he might end up a solid player after all.Anthony WalkerAfter a frustrating rookie season where he spent most of the year in the training room, Anthony Walker had a great comeback year. Working as a de facto rookie, he paired with Leonard to help turn the linebacker room from team weakness to a source of strength. He and Leonard attacked the football effectively, helping make this defense one of the best against the run. While there is certainly room for him to improve, the fact that he came on so well despite having very little time on the field last season bodes well for his future.Clayton GeathersPhoto by Bob Levey/Getty ImagesClayton Geathers was a huge part of the heart of the defensive secondary. He hits hard, tackles soundly, and plays up in the box with the kind of presence and tone setting that this defense needed. It wasn’t long ago that we were uncertain whether he would be able to continue to play given his neck issues. He seems to have overcome these and had a solid year to finish out his time under contract. Chris Ballard talked today about loving Clayton and the work ethic and mentality that he brings to the Colts. Geathers shared a similar sentiment, saying that he wants to be a Colt. While the Colts will undoubtedly look at every option in the offseason, there is no doubt that this defense had something special, and Geathers was a part of that, and of remaking his career after a serious injury. Pierre DesirDown the stretch, Pierre Desir had a truly impressive run. He limited DeAndre Hopkins twice and Amari Cooper once, on his way to making himself a surprising headache for number one wide receivers. Desir played solid coverage, and improved as the season went on, which was fortunate for him, because his deal with the Colts only extended through this season. Whether it is the Colts or someone else, Desir has likely made himself some money with his play this year.Jabaal SheardPhoto by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesIn a locker room filled with young guys, Jabaal Sheard Authentic Chester Rogers Jersey , as the 29-year-old veteran, became a leader and voice of experience this season. The stat sheet isn’t wild with Sheard. He had just 5.5 sacks on the season, but unselfishly took on the jobs that go unrecognized. His work largely allowed others to be effective, and his 13 QB hits said that despite a relatively low number of sacks, he was getting to the quarterback and having an impact all the same. Matt EberflusThe Colts defensive coordinator did such a great job molding this young group of men that he was already getting calls to be a head coach. Thankfully, he was not hired anywhere, and so will have another year to grow this group of players and continue developing them into a stronger unit. He grew as a play caller and a leader throughout the season, with a notable change in his approach over the last several games of the season, where he developed a great feel for how to dial up blitzes and how to keep the opposing offense on their toes. The Colts are very fortunate to get another year with him.LosersNate HairstonLast season Nate Hairston took nearly every snap at the nickel corner position. He looked primed and ready to be a solid starter or better if he took a step in his sophomore season. Instead, by the end of the year he was relegated almost exclusively to special teams. Much emphasis has been put on how guys practice by this coaching staff, and that is likely what differentiated Hairston. Whatever he is or isn’t doing, he’ll need to see improvement in the coming year if he wants to be on this roster for long.Hassan RidgewayPhoto by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesOn a team with a crowded defensive line group and up against a draft class loaded with defensive line talent, Hassan Ridgeway needed a strong year. What he got was, well鈥?not a whole lot. Ridgeway has been disappointing since his selection in 2016 in the 4th round. He may already have missed his chance to be a part of this roster long term.Malik HookerThis one can be debated, and I’m sure will be in the comments. However, this year was clearly a bit off for Hooker, who seems to still be struggling to make his way back from his season ending ACL and MCL tear of his rookie year. In addition, Hooker seemed to struggle all season long with an unknown hip injury that cost him a few games and left him playing injured for others. When he was able to play, there was no doubt that he made an impact. He simply wasn’t able to look quite like himself a lot of the season. Some of this was due to the scheme Authentic Braden Smith Jersey , and a lot can likely be attributed to him both recovering from injury and learning a new defensive system. Hooker is still remarkably new to the safety position and will need to continue to grow. Ultimately, it will be important to see Hooker back to his usual self with an offseason of rest. That alone is likely to push him back into winning form. Ka'imi Fairbairn took advantage of his final chance Sunday.The third-year kicker missed a 59-yarder to win the game at the end of regulation, then a 37-yarder near the end of overtime. But the Indianapolis Colts had called timeout just before that one, and Fairbairn finally made the decisive kick as time expired to help Houston snap the league's longest losing streak with a 37-34 victory at Indianapolis."It was a rollercoaster. I was just trying to steady," Fairbairn said. "That's exactly what we needed."Nothing went according to the script.Just moments earlier, Adam Vinatieri, the NFL's new career field goals leader, thought he might get to it.But after Andrew Luck bounced a short pass to Chester Rogers on fourth-and-4 from his own 43-yard line, Deshaun Watson got the ball back with 24 seconds left and no timeouts and found DeAndre Hopkins for a 24-yard completion to get Fairbairn into position.His first try sailed wide as the crowd roared. But coach Frank Reich called timeout in an effort to ice Fairbairn, who made the second one .The bigger question, though, was about Reich's decision to go for it rather than punt and settle for a tie."We're not playing to tie," Reich said. "We're going for that 10 times out of 10. That (play) has just got to work."When it didn't, the Texans' nine-game losing streak was over with their first win since Nov. 19.The most promising news for Houston (1-3), though, was that Watson & Co. appeared to be in sync.Watson finished 29 of 42 with 375 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while running six times for 41 yards and another score. He connected with Hopkins 10 times for 169 yards and a score, and Keke Coutee 11 times for 109 yards. And Watson made enough plays late in regulation and overtime to give Fairbairn a chance.The Texans' defense harassed Luck all day, sacking him four times http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/matthias-farley-jersey , limited Indy's ground game to just 41 yards on 17 carries and converted two turnovers into 14 points."It was very unconventional, but we'll take it," J.J. Watt said after recording two more sacks and becoming the second-fastest in league history to 80.It's the third time in four weeks Indy (1-3) has fallen short in the closing minutes, this one spoiling Vinatieri's milestone day.The 45-year-old kicker became the league's career leader in field goals when he made a 42-yarder with 2 seconds left in the first half. He extended the mark to 567 with a 44-yarder that gave Indy a 34-31 lead with 6 minutes left in overtime.Vinatieri moved past Hall of Famer Morten Andersen, who had 565 career field goals.But Fairbairn tied the score with a 29-yard kick and won it with the 37-yarder.Luck was 40 of 62 for a career-high 464 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions but lamented his last throw."I did not get the ball to Chester to make the play and I'm sick about it," he said.Still, Luck gave Indy a chance after trailing 28-7 midway through the third quarter.He threw a 14-yard TD pass to Nyheim Hines, a 5-yard TD pass to Eric Ebron and a 9-yard TD pass to Hines before tying the score at 31 with a 2-point conversion pass to Rogers with 45 seconds to go in regulation.Vinatieri's overtime field goal gave Indy a 34-31 lead but the defense couldn't close it out."Any time you win a game, no matter how you win it, it's great," Hopkins said. "We knew what we were up against. We had to go out and finish it."RECORD WATCHVinatieri also tied Gary Anderson for the second-most field-goal attempts in league history with 672, but he wasn't the only record-breaker.Luck broke the Colts' single-game franchise record for attempts, tied the franchise mark for completions, wound up second in franchise history for single-game yards and came within a whisker of tying the franchise's largest regular-season comeback (21).Watt recorded two sacks in his second straight game, extending his own record to seven. And Coutee broke Andre Johnson's franchise record for most receptions (six) in an NFL debut.INJURY REPORTTexans: Hopkins started despite dealing with thumb, ankle and hamstring injuries all week. Will Fuller V left with a hamstring injury late in the first half and linebacker Brian Peters did not return after injuring his ankle.Colts: Hilton suffered a chest injury in the first half and cornerback Kenny Moore II left with a concussion. Hilton returned but left later after hurting his hamstring.UP NEXTTexans: Host cross-state rival Dallas next Sunday night.Colts: Head to New England on Thursday night.