INDIANAPOLIS — That’s it.
For now.
With their fragile playoff life on the line against the worst team in the NFL Sunday at MetLife Stadium, the Indianapolis Colts came out flat and defenseless against the 2-13 New York Giants and paid the price.
In the short term, the 45-33 loss extinguished the Colts’ playoff hopes. They’ll take a 7-9 record into next Sunday’s season wrap-up against Jacksonville in what might be a sparsely-populated Lucas Oil Stadium.
The long-term view? That’s up to owner Jim Irsay.
His franchise will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season after losing to a team that had lost a franchise-record 10 straight, was 0-8 at home and held the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. The last time the Colts have endured a longer postseason drought: 1988-94.
Hard questions must be asked, and the direction of the team hangs on how Irsay addresses them.
*Will general manager Chris Ballard return for a ninth season? The Colts are 61-69-1 under his leadership with two playoff appearances and one postseason win. They last captured the forever-mediocre AFC South in 2014. With Andrew Luck.
*How about Shane Steichen, who’s 16-17 in his first two seasons as head coach? It might be harsh to judge him considering Anthony Richardson’s development has been stunted by injuries — he missed Sunday with back spasms —but he and the rest of the decision-makers were in lockstep on Richardson being the guy in the 2023 draft.
“I control what I can control,’’ Steichen said.
*Will Gus Bradley’s third season as defensive coordinator be his last? The Giants’ 45 points were the most allowed by the Colts since the fourth-quarter collapse at Dallas in week 13 of 2022 (54-19), and the fifth-most since 2016. Seven points were on special teams for yielding Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s 100-yard kickoff return to open the second half, but there were no silver linings on a dark day.
The Giants ranked last in the NFL in scoring (14.3) and had generated more than 22 points only once. The 45-spot was their most since 2015. Backup quarterback Drew Lock passed for 309 yards, four touchdowns and 155.3 rating. Rookie wideout Malik Nabers had seven catches for a career-best 171 yards and two TDs.
“Like I’ve always said, I love Gus,’’ Steichen said. “Obviously today, we’d all love to be better.’’
*And then there’s the Richardson dilemma. The No. 4 overall pick in ’23 and presumed quarterback of the future missed a start because of injury for the fourth time in two years. Joe Flacco made his fifth start of the season and passed for 330 yards and two TDs, but was under pressure much of the day and suffered three turnovers. That’s seven Flacco turnovers in his last two starts.
Richardson has shown flashes during his two seasons but has started just 15 games and has completed what would be a franchise record-low 47.7% of his passes in year 2. He’s missed 16 games because of injuries and another two after being benched for a lack of commitment to his position.
If Richardson isn’t part of the future, then what?
Irsay’s options are 1) making some coaching/personnel adjustments despite the glaring deficiencies to his franchise and bring Ballard, Steichen and Richardson back for 2025 – they seem to be tied to each other – or 2) tear it down to the studs.
Just check out your favorite social media site to gauge which option an angry fan base favors.
Irsay did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Taylor: There will be changes
Jonathan Taylor understands the reality of the situation the Colts have created. There will be changes, big or small.
“Oh, for sure,’’ he said. “Every year, every team is different. Next week, that’ll be the last time that all 53 guys are in that locker room that are here, and that’s the reality of the business.
“When you have a season and it doesn’t turn out how you want it, there could be more changes than usual.’’
The Colts’ performance spoke volumes on failing yet again to capitalize on a late-season playoff push.
Sunday’s loss with so much on the line conjured up memories of the final game of 2021 at Jacksonville. The Colts entered the game 9-7 and with a 97% chance of earning a playoff berth against the 2-14 Jaguars. They were embarrassed 26-11.
Linebacker Zaire Franklin was part of both faceplants, and pulled no punches Sunday.
“Um, it’s embarrassing. It’s disappointing,’’ he said told media in the locker room. “We just got flat-out beat. The performance we put out defensively (was) beyond unacceptable, and you can’t play like that when you’re planning on being a playoff team.
“So, we ain’t a playoff team.’’
There was no argument from Flacco.
“I think it kind of speaks for itself,’’ he said. “We had something to play for today and didn’t get it done.’’
Or from Steichen.
“That’s as disappointing as it gets,’’ he said. “And as the leader of this football team, shoot, I always said I’ve gotta be better. We all gotta be better. It’s a group effort.
“Everybody’s gotta chip in and do their part so stuff like that doesn’t happen.’’
The offense finished with glittering, insignificant numbers.
Along with Flacco’s 330 yards, Taylor rushed for 125 yards and two TDs on 32 carries. Two wideouts cracked the 100-yard barrier: Michael Pittman Jr. (109 yards and one TD on nine catches) and Alec Pierce (122 and one on six).
Not that it mattered, but the Colts had a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers for the first time since week 9 of 2005 (Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne at New England).
Too many lapses in too many areas
But there were too many lapses, and a few could have been attributed to Flacco getting backup reps for more than a month before Richardson’s back issue this week.
Once, he and Taylor failed to mesh on a handoff, leaving Flacco to scramble for a 1-yard gain. On first-and-10 at the Giants 12-yard line midway through the second quarter, Flacco’s pass to the left hit Taylor in the shoulder before he had time to turn around. The drive stalled and the Colts had to settle for Matt Gay’s 29-yard field goal that left them trailing 14-6.
Trailing 28-20 late in the third quarter, Indy faced third- and fourth-and 1 at the Giants 23-yard line. Taylor was denied each time.
The Flacco-led offense finished with 446 yards, 25 first downs and scored TDs on 3-of-5 red zone trips. Gay had to clean up the two missed opportunities — 32- and 29-yarders — but also pushed a 54-yard attempt wide right.
After Flacco’s 13-yard TD to Pierce pulled the Colts to within 28-26 midway through the fourth quarter, the 2-point conversion failed. Miserably. Flacco tossed to the left to Pittman who lateraled to a trailing Taylor who fumbled it.
The defense? Where to start.
As Franklin said, embarrassing.
At halftime, the Giants led 21-13 and Lock was statistically perfect: 7-of-8, 153 yards, three TDs and a 158.3 passer rating. They averaged 10.5 yards on 21 snaps and for the first time in their 100-year history had three receivers with a TD catch in the first half — rookie Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson.
Missed tackles littered the field
“Yeah, it’s got to be better,’’ Steichen said.
Nabers ran through safety Julian Blackmon’s tackle attempt on his 31-yarder in the first quarter while Robinson stepped out of an open-field tackle attempt by safety Nick Cross on his 32-yard TD in the second period. On Nabers’ 59-yard TD in the fourth quarter that gave the Giants a 35-26 lead, he slipped between cornerbacks Kenny Moore II and Samuel Womack III at the catch-point and ran away from a pursuing Franklin.
The Giants had six plays that chewed up at least 31 yards. That included a 40-yard run by Purdue and Decatur Central High School product Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Again, what’s next?
“I know it’s a tough situation, obviously, when you’re out of the playoff hunt,’’ Steichen said. “But again, I told them we’ve got to be professional about it.
“That’s the biggest thing. We’ve got to show up and do our job still with one week left.’’
Then, what’s next?
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.
