Indianapolis Colts
Record: 8-9-0 (2nd in AFC South)
Head Coach: Shane Steichen (2nd Year)
Preseason Expectations:
After going 9-8-0 in 2023 with Gardner Minshew as the starting quarterback for the final 14 games of the season, the Colts looked to build off a surprising season with 2023 in which they had the 10th highest scoring offense in the NFL. A major component of that build up was going to be 2023 first round quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Combine a healthy quarterback with one of the best offensive lines in the league, running back Jonathan Taylor, and an underrated wide receiver core of Michael Pittman Jr, Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs, the Colts were a team with sky high potential entering the 2024 season.
Entering the Season:
The season started off on a rough note for Richardson and the Colts, as a costly interception at Houston’s 8-yard line toward the end of the first half stopped Indianapolis from getting at least a field goal, as the Colts lost to the Texans 29-27. Richardson struggled over the next two weeks, with 5 interceptions to just 1 touchdown over weeks 2 and 3. Despite AR-5’s struggles, Colts running back Jonathan Taylor picked up the pace, recording 270 all-purpose yards in weeks 2 and 3 as the Colts got off to a 1-2 record.
When Richardson was injured in Indianapolis’s week 4 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, journeyman quarterback Joe Flacco took over under center. Flacco continued his trend of being a serviceable quarterback in the short term, as he threw for 359 yards in the Colts week 5 loss to the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars. In the three week span where Flacco was the starter, the Colts went 2-1, improving to 3-3.
One of the biggest factors in the Colts 3-3 record was their stout defense. Up to this point in the season, the defense had held opponents under 20 points on three occasions and only allowed 30+ in the loss to Jacksonville.
Through weeks 2-6 of the season, the Colts defense had recorded at least one takeaway (forced fumble or interception) in every game. Their 9 takeaways by week 6 played a major factor in keeping Indianapolis competitive in early season games. The defense continued playing strong with their greatest stand of the season. The Colts forced two fumbles on the day, one of which led to a returning Anthony Richardson bring Indianapolis on a crucial touchdown drive that would make the difference in a 16-10 win.
Richardson didn’t play great. However, there was hope that when the rust was shaken off, Richardson and the Colts would make the run to the playoffs, and that run was set to start against the Texans.
Culture Issues Emerge
In the week 8 matchup against Houston, Anthony Richardson exited the game after being sacked by Will Anderson Jr. Colts fans were rightfully fearful that Richardson would be injured again. However, the film told another story. Richardson tapped out of the game. While Richardson was out for only one play, there seemed to be no reason for Richardson to exit the game. So why did he come out? “I was tired…I ain’t gonna lie. That was a lot of running right there. I didn’t think I was going to be able to go that next play” (Holder, ESPN).
Many pundits, fans, and former players all said that this was not something they had seen before. Richardson would be benched for the next two weeks. However, the damage was already done. The Colts culture was toxic.
After falling to Buffalo in Week 10, the second of two weeks that Richardson was benched, cornerback Kenny Moore II grilled the team for their effort on the field. In a postgame presser, Moore said, “I don’t think everybody’s going as hard as possible and, obviously, it’s showing…”I’m not the type to sugarcoat it. Honestly, I don’t think the urgency is there” (Holder, ESPN).
Perhaps Kenny Moore was talking about the Colts defense, as Indianapolis allowed the fourth most yards per game (361.2 ypg) and the ninth most points per game (25.5 ppg). Over the course of the season, the Colts allowed 400 yards on six separate occasions. In many instances, they were outmatched by their opponents. Including the game that ended their season.
A shocking 45-33 loss to the New York Giants ended their playoff hopes. With changes needed, Colts owner Jim Irsay made the decision that both General Manager Chris Ballard and Head Coach Shane Steichen would remain with the Colts in 2025 (Gordon, NFL.com). The decision to keep the two people most blamed for the Colts toxic culture was heavily scrutinized, especially with the GM and head coach candidates available in this hiring cycle. Regardless, the Colts are running it back in 2025 with the same leaders. So, what needs to change in 2025 for the Colts to return to the playoffs.
2025 in Indy.
How can a team change their culture in one offseason without making major changes to the front office? This is the question that Indianapolis needs to find the answer to in 2025. The Colts are already off to a bad start, with their center Ryan Kelly being the biggest name entering Free Agency. Although Kelly missed five games, he is one of the best centers in the league when healthy.
Will he return to a Colts team lacking culture? Time will tell, but Kelly would be a major loss for Indianapolis in 2025. Overall, the Colts need football players. They need players who love the game. Unfortunately, Indianapolis is not a free agent destination at this point. Sure, they have a talented roster, but the culture is so poor that no one who wants to win would go there.
The Colts will likely need to turn to the NFL Draft in order to right the ship. Fortunately, the draft is filled with talent on both sides of the ball. On top of talent, the Colts need a workhorse (pun intended) on defense.
If a guy like Jalon Walker were to fall to the Colts, they’d be getting an absolute stud. Similarly to Colts edge rusher Laiatu Latu, Walker has a relentless motor that makes him a major threat at the next level. Putting him on a Colts defensive line that only recorded 36 sacks in 2024 would be a major improvement. If Tennessee’s James Pearce is available, he’d do the same job that Walker and Latu could do.
Should the Colts look in the secondary, Shavon Revel is a small-school cornerback that could make waves similarly to Quinyon Mitchell. The East Carolina cornerback has been a star, allowing a 58.0 quarterback rating across two seasons for the Pirates. While Revel only played three games in the 2024 season, he still projects highly based off a 2023 season that saw him allow just 19 completions in 13 games.
Regardless of which way the Colts decide to draft in 2025, both Ballard and Steichen are on the hot seat for 2025, and they need to get it right.
