6. The changing of Dan Muir. When the Colts surprisingly released DT Ed Johnson in October, there was a collective teeth-gnashing — in this space, too — over the impact the move would have on the defense. It was widely believed that Johnson was a major reason for the improvement of the Colts’ interior defense early in the season. So much for collective reasoning. What that view didn’t take into account — indeed, what almost no one outside the Colts realized at the time — was how far Muir had developed in a little more than a year since joining the Colts shortly before the 2008 season. He changed his body type — got leaner and stronger — and drastically changed his style of play to adapt to the Colts’ one-gap style along the defensive front. It took time and Muir struggled with it at times last season, but this season, he has developed into a solid starter and is a huge reason the Colts’ are far less vulberable against the run than they were last season.
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