Kenny Moore II scanned the Miami Dolphins' personnel across the line of scrimmage and immediately knew where the ball was going – and how it would get there.

The eight-year veteran went over to Jaylon Jones as seconds ticked off the play clock and told him what would happen. Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle would run a quick slant, and quarterback Tim Boyle would throw the ball his way. Be ready for it, Moore told Jones.

As Waddle – one of the NFL's shiftiest and most explosive pass-catchers – bent his route inside, Jones jumped in front of him, raised his hand and swatted Boyle's pass to the ground. Jones threw his hands in the air to celebrate while Moore pointed at him: See, I told you so.

"We'll be on the field and literally he would tell me something's gonna happen, and it happens. And I'm just like," Jones said, pausing to shake his head, "it explains everything. Just having a guy like that on the field with you, man, it make the game 10 times easier."

Over the six games in which Moore has started, the Colts are allowing 6.7 yards per pass attempt, which on its own would be tied for eighth in the NFL this season. In two games without Moore – Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars – the Colts allowed 10.0 yards per pass attempt.

For reference, no team has allowed over eight passing yards per play since the 2020 season. And those two games without Moore bumped the Colts' season-long yards per pass allowed to 7.6 – nearly a full yard more than when he's on the field and 24th in the NFL.

"Kenny coming back settles all that down," linebacker Zaire Franklin said after the Colts beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 6, Moore's first game back after his injury.

Individually, Moore enters Week 9 with the fourth-highest Pro Football Focus coverage grade (79.3) among cornerbacks with at least 175 coverage snaps. He's allowing a reception on a career-low 64.5 percent of his targets, and those receptions have gained on average 7.2 yards, which also would be a career low.

And while Moore has continued to thrive in the slot, he's been asked to play outside corner at a higher rate than in recent years as defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has deployed more base personnel (four defensive linemen, three linebackers, four defensive backs) based on the matchups the Colts have had:

When lined up outside, Moore has held opposing quarterbacks to a 64.6 passer rating when targeted in coverage.

The Colts' secondary will be further tested in the coming weeks by both Pro Bowl quarterbacks (like the Bills' Josh Allen, the Jets' Aaron Rodgers and the Lions' Jared Goff) and wide receivers (like the Vikings' Justin Jefferson, the Jets' Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson and the Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown). But with Moore back there, the Colts feel confident in their ability to handle these looming challenges.

"I don't think there's nobody that understands football more than him," Jones said. "I don't think people know that. Like, I think he's a nerd when it comes to football."

Thursday's practice report: