INDIANAPOLIS – Kwity Paye fell for the trap a week ago against the Buffalo Bills.

Quite literally.

When the Indianapolis Colts defensive end threw his stab, the Bills’ offensive linemen trapped his arm, knocked him off balance and sent him tumbling to the ground.

But the fourth-year pass rusher is a quick study.

When New York Jets offensive tackle Morgan Moses tried the same tactic with time running out Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Paye “grabbed cloth on the inside pad,” kept his leverage, pushed off the block and cut off quarterback Aaron Rodgers as he sought refuge in the “B” gap.

The result was a game-clinching sack in a 28-27 victory that ended a three-game losing streak and kept the Colts in the hunt for their first playoff berth in four years.

“It was an amazing feeling,” Paye said of the walk-off win. “Kind like of what I noticed, too, on those plays is d-linemen, they usually just try to keep the quarterback in the pocket. I feel like the o-linemen kind of feel like the same way.

“So, then I was just like, ‘No, I’m going to just like go all out on this last play,’ just kept pushing. He was escaping through the ‘B’ gap all game. So I was like ‘I know I’m going to be able to retrace back to the ‘B’ gap and steal one.’”

Paye’s enjoying an ultra productive season after focusing on improving his flexibility and explosion during the offseason.

Indianapolis (5-6) picked up the fifth-year option on Paye’s rookie contract in March, likely keeping him in the Circle City through at least the 2025 season.

The 26-year-old immediately vowed to repay the vote of confidence on the field.

So far, so good.

He’s appeared in nine games this season and leads the team with 5.5 sacks – on pace to match his career high (8.5) for the second straight year.

With seven tackles for loss and nine quarterback hits, Paye also is on pace to match or exceed his career high in both categories (10 in each).

It’s a testament not just to the talent that made him the 21st overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but also a work ethic that’s been evident on and off the field.

“He’s such a valuable member of our unit just because, if anything, he’s going to play with really – I mean he’s strong. He’s tough, but he plays with great effort,” Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “And … some of his sacks have come from that way (on second effort), but that’s not shocking to us because that’s how he is in practice.”

The degree of difficulty rises significantly for the Indianapolis defense this week.

The Detroit Lions (9-1) have the NFL’s No. 1-ranked scoring offense (33.6 points per game), and Bradley said the offensive line is among the best he’s ever game planned against.

That’s evident in Detroit’s third-ranked rushing offense (948 yards) and in the fact quarterback Jared Goff leads the league with an average of 9.2 yards per passing attempt.

The Lions are extremely explosive in every aspect of their attack, and when Goff has time in the pocket, he is a lethal weapon.

But he has been sacked 18 times this year, and the Colts’ defense is at its best when the front four lead the way.

Over the past five weeks – a period which roughly coincides with defensive tackle DeForest Buckner’s return from injury – Indianapolis has 13 sacks.

Getting pressure on Goff is critical to any hope the Colts have of pulling off an upset, and the arrow seems to pointing in the right direction for the pass rush at an opportune time.

“When you get Buck back, you see sometimes protection changes, and it leaves guys where they get more one-on-ones because of it,” Bradley said. “So I think, whenever you have a really good player come back and play, that always helps. But I do think that group is just – you’re watching them. We’re asking them to do different things.

“Each week there’s no glitch. There’s no hesitation, whatever is needed to do that week. But, at the same time, I think when we get that lead and they can pin their ears back, I think that you’re seeing their technique from Day 1 to where it is now. It’s improving. I think they’re refining their pass-rush skills. They’ve always been a group that’s played with pretty good effort, and I think that helps as well.”

ROSTER MOVE

The Colts re-signed defensive end Derek Rivers to the practice squad Tuesday.

A third-round pick out of Youngstown State by the New England Patriots in 2017, Rivers has 24 career appearances for the Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and Colts.

He spent training camp with Indianapolis this summer and was previously signed to the practice squad in Week 4.