Given their present standing in the postseason race, the Indianapolis Colts made the unexpected decision to ban two players for the balance of the regular season. Due to actions that are harmful to the organization, the team has announced that wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie and cornerback Tony Brown will miss the last three games.
At this point, the precise motives for the disciplinary action are yet unknown. The choice was made in response to both players’ surprising absence from the starting lineup during the Colts’ most recent Saturday 30-13 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With three games remaining in the regular season, the Colts improved their record to 8-6 despite the ban, locking up the seventh and final postseason spot in the AFC.
McKenzie’s suspension is particularly noteworthy, especially in light of the doubts regarding Michael Pittman Jr.’s availability as a prominent receiver in Week 16. Damontae Kazee, a defensive back for the Steelers, hit Pittman hard enough to have him ejected and suspended for the whole season.
After having a good season with the Buffalo Bills in 2022, McKenzie, who is currently in his eighth NFL season, has gotten little playing time since joining the Colts this season. His suspension casts doubt on the depth of Indianapolis’ receiving group since he has only 11 catches for 82 yards in 13 games (two starts). McKenzie, on the other hand, had a season prior when he caught 42 passes for 423 yards, four touchdowns, and a running touchdown.
This season, Brown has mostly had an impact as a special teams player, appearing in such scenarios 71% of the time. Only 7% of snaps have been taken by him defensively, and he has only made one start in 12 games.
Looking forward to Week 16, the Colts will travel to battle the playoff-hungry Atlanta Falcons. The squad may face difficulties as they try to maintain their playoff place in a competitive AFC landscape without McKenzie and Brown.
