This Colts Season Could Be Worse Than 2022

For so many years, the Indianapolis Colts were a bastion of stability, an example on how to run an organization well. 

With Bill Polian, Tony Dungy and of course Peyton Manning leading the way, the team was accountable and more than competent. The ownership didn’t meddle, and players, coaches, and everyone in between did their jobs, and for the most part, success followed. They always seemed to have a plan, and they always seemed to have answers when there was adversity. 

That hasn’t been the case for the Colts for some time now. Certainly not since that AFC Championship beatdown at the hands of the Patriots at the end of the 2014 season, and potentially even since they parted ways with Manning and Polian in 2011. The Pagano-Grigson era was rife with infighting, and even after both were gone the dysfunction stuck around. Things seemingly came to a head in 2022, when Pagano’s successor Frank Reich was fired and replaced by former Colts center Jeff Saturday. Many, including myself, thought there was no way things could get any worse than that year. 

Well, 10 games into the 2024 season, things may in fact be worse. 

Love Sports? Get more! Join the 93.5 / 107.5 The Fan Newsletter

Subscribe

We care about your data. See our privacy policy.

Sure, the Colts might end up winning more than the 4 games they won in ‘22, considering they’ve already matched that total. But things feel just as, if not more directionless than they did back then. At least at the end of the 2022 season, there was the promise of a new coach, a new quarterback, a new era of Colts football.  

In less than 2 seasons, that promise has faded entirely, and this time there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.  

Just think about where the Colts are right now. They’ve benched their 22-year-old quarterback for a 39-year-old in Joe Flacco whose best days are clearly behind him. They made that move in the name of “winning now”, only to see the offense take a nosedive. Under Flacco, the team is 1-3, yet they will continue to start him, insisting that his veteran presence gives the Colts the best chance to win despite all the evidence to the contrary.  

Their head coach Shane Steichen, who was so good in his first year at the helm, has been equally as bad in his second. His play calling has been questionable at times, especially when Richardson was under center, and it hasn’t gotten any better with Flacco. Now, it appears he could be losing the locker room entirely, as veteran players and respected locker room leaders like Kenny Moore II and Zaire Franklin are publicly calling out the team’s effort and preparation.  

When players start openly voicing their frustrations to the media like that, it’s never a good sign. While it’s easy to understand where they’re coming from, this will only fuel the perception that the Colts are a ship without a rudder. Colts’ fans already seem to believe that narrative, if the boo’s that rained down on Flacco and company in the loss to the Bills are any indication. 

This season was supposed to be a step forward for the Colts and their young franchise quarterback. Instead, it’s been a gigantic faceplant, one that could have ramifications on the team for years to come. If they truly haven’t given up on Anthony Richardson, as they keep insisting, then their decision to keep him on the bench is baffling and will put the Colts right back in the same spot next year. If they have given up on Richardson, and their refusal to play him is because they know he’s a bust, then everyone is going to be fired anyway.  

No matter which way you look at it, the Colts are a mess. They may only be 4-6, but it feels worse than that, and unlike in 2022, there doesn’t seem to be much hope on the horizon. 

During the Monday edition of The Ride With JMV, Stephen Holder of ESPN joined and spoke about the Colts debacle. Listen to that down below and tune into The Ride With JMV weekdays from 3-6pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan!