Shane Steichen Sticking With Joe Flacco Against Jets
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – Fielding locker room and starting quarterback questions on Monday afternoon, Shane Steichen struggled to provide many definitive answers.
Joe Flacco will start for a third straight week was one of the few declarative statements Steichen did have in his weekly Monday Zoom presser.
“Joe is a veteran guy, like I said,” Steichen explained on Monday. “He’s had two games that he wants back. But, again, he goes out there, throws some good passes. Obviously, the interceptions, there’s 3 of those (from Sunday). There’s 2 he would want back. Again, you stick with it. You grind through the process of this whole thing. It really is a process. We are going through that process right now Joe is still our guy.
“I still think we are in the thick of it right now with our record (4-6). It’s not over yet. Obviously, we have a great opportunity this week against the Jets and we have to have a great week of preparation and we go from there.”
Since naming Flacco the starter “going forward” two weeks ago, the Colts have seen the veteran quarterback commit 6 turnovers in 21 offensive drives, with the offense scoring just 2 touchdowns. Flacco and the Colts are 7-of-23 on third down in consecutive losses.
When pressed further on why the Colts have taken this 180 in benching Anthony Richardson, Steichen continued to be vague in offering specific details.
“I think it’s just consistent with the process. That’s what it is,” the head coach said. “You have to go through the process every single day and that’s where it is at. He’s a great person, phenomenal human being. Like I said, not ever losing faith or trust in him, we are going through a process right now and that’s where it is at.
“We are going through a process, that’s it.”
No Richardson under center has also meant the Colts are keeping the unique athlete off the field in short-yardage situations.
In the last two weeks, the Colts have faced 9 different situations with 2 yards or less to convert on 3rd or 4th down. They have converted just 4 of them. While the Colts have been 4-of-9 in those situations, with Richardson on the bench, their opponents have been 8-of-10.
“I won’t get into the scheme stuff of it, but yeah he would obviously help there,” Steichen said on Monday when asked about not using Richardson in these situations.
The Colts are in one of their worst offensive ruts in recent franchise history, having scored 20 points or fewer in 5 straight games (just the 4th time they’ve done that since 1998).
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Along with the seemingly weekly quarterback questions, Steichen also had to answer questions about his locker room on Monday.
Following the loss to the Bills, captain Kenny Moore II expressed frustration with fellow teammates and their lack of preparation.
Steichen reacted to those comments on Monday.
“Anytime you lose, it’s frustrating, especially 3 in a row, games that you could have won,” Steichen said. “I think the biggest thing is you learn from that. You are going through adversity every football season. Some more than others. We are going through some right now, but we get to decide how things end. We choose it, as players and coaches, going through the process, grinding through it, and getting ready for the Jets. That’s what we can control, getting better every single day and getting ready for the Jets.”
Specifically, preparation is one of Steichen’s 4 core beliefs.
Hearing that from Moore II appeared to be bother the head coach.
“Yeah, you want to prepare like crazy,” the head coach added. “Heck yeah. I think that’s one of the biggest things in this league—the separation is in the preparation. Putting in the work….everyone around the league is going to prepare. Everyone goes to meetings. Everyone goes to practice. But it’s also on your free time, doing what you need to be ready to play, because there’s the game within the game that you have to go play. Obviously, it’s the ultimate team game, but you have to win your 1-on-1 matchups. The preparation piece is huge.”
Fellow captain Quenton Nelson also met the media on Monday and shared his thoughts on Moore II’s comments.
“I think what Kenny said was real and on his heart,” Nelson shared. “I think we just need to come together as a team and put our next foot forward and move on. It’s a new week. Everyone just give everything you got.”
When Nelson was asked more directly about the “preparation” issue for the team/offense, he acknowledged he’s not seeing it with those bigger groups.
“Now, individual preparation is another thing,” the All-Pro guard said. “And guys need to prepare their hardest, watch the film, study their opponent.”
In 2023, a 3-game losing streak for the Colts sent them to 3-5, which is something Steichen referenced on Monday as a reason for optimism.
However, that 3-game losing streak didn’t include an abrupt change of plans at quarterback and/or teammates questioning the preparation of others.
Nonetheless, Steichen said he’s not worried about any culture issue.
“I don’t because we have a lot of good guys,” the second-year head coach said. “Like I said, when you are going through adversity, it’s how are you going to respond to it. Last year we went through adversity. We were sitting at 3-5, kind of in the same boat that we are now and found a way to get out of it, and we kept battling through it. If you keep the faith and keep believing and you keep grinding through the process and you have the right mindset about it, it’ll turn.”
