It felt like 2021 all over again.
Two weeks ago, the Indianapolis Colts played a must-win game against the worst team in the NFL to keep their playoff hopes alive. But instead of handling the situation, the Colts continued to show why they have been one of the most criticized teams in the NFL for the last decade.
The New York Giants dominated the Colts, winning 45-33 and eliminating Indianapolis from playoff contention. The 45 points scored by the Giants were the most they had all season. When it mattered most, the Colts folded and delivered their worst game of the season again.
“It’s hard to explain,” Shane Steichen said after the game. “Obviously, we’ve got to play a complete game. We haven’t done it all year. We’ve all got to be on the same page. Weekly, everything we do has got to be raised because to go out there like that is not good enough.”
“It’s embarrassing. It’s disappointing,” Zaire Franklin admitted. “We got just flat out beat. Performance we put out defensively (was) just beyond unacceptable and you can’t play like that when you (are) planning on being a playoff team. So, we ain’t a playoff team.”
This type of performance has become the norm for the Colts over the years. They are known for playing down to their competition, and when they need to win, they usually end up losing with an unexplainable performance.
This has been going on for too long for this team. As more reports come out about preparation and attention to detail not being up to standard, players being late to or missing treatment, and players being late to meetings, it raises questions about everything happening inside W 56th Street.
Simply put, the current culture of the Colts is not a winning one. Accountability is not being maintained at the level of a successful franchise. Front office members, coaches, and players are not meeting expectations regularly.
After a 26-23 overtime win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in a meaningless Week 18 matchup, the Colts ended the season with a disappointing 8-9 record and will be watching the postseason from home. If the Colts want to become a successful and winning team again, major changes are needed this offseason.
“When you have a season and it doesn’t turn out how you want it, there could be more changes than usual,” Jonathan Taylor stated. “That’s unfortunately the reality of this business.”
“Changes are going to need to be made,” DeForest Buckner remarked. “I understand that and we all understand that in the building. … Sometimes those changes are going to be uncomfortable for people. There’s going to be uncomfortable conversations and we’re going to have to make those changes for the better.”
These changes must be made inside the Colts to turn the team around.
Chris Ballard’s Philosophy
Chris Ballard has been the general manager of the Colts for eight years now. During his time, the team has a record of 62-69-1, with no division titles, two playoff appearances, and only one playoff win.
2024 will mark the fourth straight year the Colts have missed the playoffs, which is their longest streak since 1988-94. Every team in the AFC South has won the division at least twice during Ballard’s eight years as general manager, except for the Colts.
Ballard has had enough time to make the Colts a competitive team. The excuse of Andrew Luck’s retirement has not been valid for several years now. Every player on the team, except for Ryan Kelly, has been selected by Ballard, and the team has often fallen short.
Ballard has faced a lot of criticism for how he handles free agency, failing to bring in the best players to fill the team’s needs. While building a team through free agency doesn’t always work, not using it as a tool puts the team at a big disadvantage.
Ballard’s refusal to change his approach to free agency, along with Jim Irsay’s inability to match the high guarantees needed to bring in top talent, has cost the Colts a lot.
Ballard has also been too confident in the players the Colts already have. The Colts have often taken risks on players with potential rather than proven performers, and this has led to weaknesses in the roster. Choosing “good enough” instead of aiming for “great” is why the Colts are stuck in the same place every season.
But the biggest problem is the culture that Ballard has allowed to grow. Ballard has always said that having a good culture and locker room is key to success.
However, we’ve seen his culture fall apart, with accountability often being questioned, while established players are rarely challenged and instead rewarded for average performances. This is why collapses, like the one against the Giants, have happened more than once during Ballard’s time as general manager.
Before Sunday night, this section was titled “Fire Chris Ballard.” However, after the win against the Jaguars, Irsay decided not to make that change and sent out a letter to Colts fans saying that both Ballard and Steichen would be staying for the 2025 season.
“I’ve been evaluating our entire operation, and I believe in Chris Ballard and Shane Steichen and our collective ability to make the improvements needed to take us to the next level in 2025,” Irsay said.
With Ballard still in charge, it will be very hard for the Colts to turn things around unless he makes big changes to how he runs the team. The Colts need a general manager who is focused on building a team for 2025, not one that looks back to 2005. Ballard needs to start using all the tools available for building the team, including being more active and aggressive in free agency, and being honest about the talent on the current roster.
Ballard also needs to fix the cultural problems within the organization. A culture of accountability and constant competition must be created, where everyone is working to be their best, and settling for “good enough” is not allowed. The goal should be to compete for Super Bowls, not just aim for a .500 record.
The Colts have often chosen to “run it back” with many of the same players Ballard has put together each year. If they do that again, it is hard to see Ballard staying as the Colts’ general manager after 2025.
Indianapolis Colts coach Gus Bradley during the game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Indianapolis Colts coach Gus Bradley during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Do Not Bring Back Gus Bradley
Gus Bradley was hired by the Colts before the 2022 season and was part of the Frank Reich staff. Even though Steichen has a long history with Bradley and has always defended him, the defensive coordinator has had a terrible time in Indianapolis.
Bradley’s defenses have either been ranked in the bottom third or have gotten worse in multiple areas each year he has been with the Colts. The table below shows where the Colts have ranked in several key defensive categories during Bradley’s time as defensive coordinator.
The only defensive area where the Colts have shown significant improvement is their ranking in turnovers forced. However, the chart shows that the Colts haven’t forced many more turnovers than in previous years; rather, other teams have been forcing fewer turnovers than they did before.
Bradley’s defenses have consistently struggled with execution since he came to Indianapolis. Missed tackles have been a constant problem and have not gotten better over time.
The Colts also seem to have at least one miscommunication in the secondary every game, allowing a receiver to be wide open for an easy gain or touchdown. These issues have been present since Bradley was hired and have not been fixed.
The Colts also tend to play down to their competition under Bradley. This year, for example, they allowed 45 points to the Giants (who were averaging 14.3 points per game before the game), 37 points to the Jaguars (averaging 15.0 points per game before), and 30 points to the Tennessee Titans (averaging 18.1 points per game before).
These are teams the Colts should be able to handle defensively, but instead, they allowed players from these teams to have career days.
Indianapolis has also struggled to get off the field on third down under Bradley. The Colts often rank near the bottom of the NFL in third-down stop percentage, no matter the distance. It has become a joke among fans that when the opposing team faces a third-and-long situation, they can expect to convert it against Bradley’s defense.
Bradley has shown that he is unwilling to change his defensive scheme and approach to challenge offenses in today’s game. The defense has been the same for three years now, and things are not getting better; they are getting worse, and players are not reaching their full potential.
With Bradley’s contract ending after the 2024 season, the Colts need a new defensive coordinator and staff to set a new course and start building a stronger defense.
An Influx of Talent
Simply hoping that Ballard can change and fix the culture while getting rid of Bradley and the defensive staff will not be enough to fix all of the Colts’ problems. 16 of the 22 starters from the 2022 team, which only won four games, are still on the roster. The Colts need more talent in many areas if they want to be a team that makes the playoffs every year.
The Colts’ offense is not lacking in talent. Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr. (when healthy), and Josh Downs are all real playmakers. Alec Pierce has shown a lot of improvement in his third year and is one of the more dangerous deep threats in the league.
But the Colts need to strengthen the depth behind these players, especially at running back, to continue improving the skill positions.
The tight end position has been a big disappointment. There is not a single standout player in the group, and the production from this position has been one of the worst in the NFL. The Colts need a true threat at tight end (Tyler Warren, anyone?) this offseason.
The offensive line has looked great at times but also not so great at other times. Bernhard Raimann and Quenton Nelson are set on the left side, but it might be time to move on from Ryan Kelly and Braden Smith (depending on his personal situation) and give rookies Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves, who have looked good when filling in, a chance.
Will Fries should return if his medicals check out after his serious leg injury. The team will also need more depth on the offensive line.
The defense is where the Colts need the most changes. The defensive line has gotten worse, with a lack of depth being a major problem this season. The defensive tackle position behind Buckner and Grover Stewart needs a major upgrade.
The linebacker position has struggled. There have been too many missed tackles, and the coverage from this group has been mostly poor. It is time to move on from E.J. Speed and bring in some serious competition for Franklin and Jaylon Carlies.
While the secondary has been better than expected, there is still a clear lack of talent and playmakers. The Colts still do not have a true top cornerback, and Kenny Moore II will be 30 next year. The safety position could also use an upgrade over Julian Blackmon and some real competition for Nick Cross.
When looking at the roster as a whole, improvements could be made at backup running back, tight end, offensive line depth, defensive line depth, linebacker, cornerback, and safety. We haven’t even talked about quarterback yet – more on that later. It is unrealistic to think all these areas can be fixed in one offseason, but several of them can be improved this spring.
The lack of competition on the Colts’ roster has been a problem for a few years now. When there is not strong competition and players are rewarded for average play, complacency naturally sets in. The Colts can no longer settle for just good enough and must aim for greatness at every position.
What Happens with Steichen and Richardson?
The final big question this offseason will be what happens with the head coach and quarterback.
Steichen impressed during his first year as head coach, handling the challenges thrown at his team, like losing Anthony Richardson five games into the season while still staying close to the playoffs.
But in Year 2, Steichen’s performance dropped with some questionable play calls, handling situations poorly in the media, and the team being unprepared at times.
Richardson’s first two seasons in the NFL have shown flashes of his great talent, but there has still been a lot of inconsistency. He’s had a season-ending injury, ongoing injury concerns, a benching, questions about his preparation, and impressive fourth-quarter comebacks.
But without a major improvement in Year 2, there are still questions about whether he can be the Colts’ franchise quarterback.
Steichen and Richardson have not made enough progress this year to convince the public or the team that they are the right answers for the two most important roles. However, it was understood that their success would take time. The best choice for the Colts would be to give them one more year together to try to figure it out.
The Colts have already decided to go this route, as shown by Irsay’s statement last night. Steichen will stay as head coach for 2025, and the team plans to start next season with Richardson as the quarterback.
But both must go back to the drawing board. Steichen needs to review everything from this season, be honest about where he didn’t do well, figure out why it happened, and have a plan to improve for next season. Since this is only his second year as a head coach, the hope is that he can learn and grow a lot this offseason.
Richardson also has a lot to improve on if he wants to be the future of the franchise. His focus should be on making his mechanics more consistent, which will improve his accuracy in games.
He also needs to reevaluate his preparation and attention to detail, as many people have questioned his commitment to doing what it takes to be a top quarterback.
Becoming a better quarterback means improving in these areas and understanding better what opposing defenses are trying to do. Richardson needs to make sure there are no doubts about whether he’s doing everything he can to be his best. If those doubts remain in 2025, he may not stay the starter.
The Colts should also bring in competition for Richardson at quarterback. While Richardson is expected to start next season, having another quarterback in the room to challenge him, help him, and support his growth will be crucial.
2025 must be the year Steichen and Richardson show significant progress. If they succeed, the Colts will have their head coach and quarterback for the future. If they don’t, the new general manager should clean the slate and make his own choices for the two most important spots on the team.
Bottom Line: Change Is Needed
Irsay is the biggest Colts fan and it really hurts him to see his team not make the playoffs and compete for Super Bowls. This is why the Colts cannot keep doing the same things they’ve been doing for years, which have kept the franchise stuck in mediocrity.
The general manager needs to change his approach if he wants to keep his job after this season. The defensive staff needs to be completely overhauled. Evaluating the roster’s talent should be a top priority this offseason. And the head coach and quarterback must do more if they want to stay in their positions.
Change is necessary for the Indianapolis Colts. Tough decisions and conversations need to take place for the Colts to get back on track and become a winning team again. Only one person can make those changes happen.
The season is over and Black Monday is coming soon. Will the Colts make the necessary changes to escape mediocrity? Or will we be talking about the same issues a year from now?
The future of the franchise depends on Irsay, Ballard, Steichen, and Richardson.
