The Indianapolis Colts lost a heartbreaking do-or-die Week 18 matchup with the Houston Texans to end their 2023 season. Down 23-17 and driving, the Cots faced a 4th-and-1 at the Texans’ 15-yard line with 1:06 to go in the game. With their season on the line, Shane Steichen opted to call a Grander Minshew pass to Tyler Goodson instead of putting it in the belly of his All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor. After the game, the coach explained this season-ending decision.
“We saw the front they were in, and we liked the look for that play in that situation,” Steichen said, per ESPN, about calling the pass to Goodson after seeing the Texans’ defensive alignment and calling a timeout.
When asked about whether he thought about giving the ball to Taylor, the 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Steichen said, “One-hundred-percent. There’s a lot of thoughts going through in that situation on the timeout.”
In the first season with Shane Steichen as head coach, the Colts far exceeded expectations, coming up just 45 feet short of a playoff berth against the Texans.
However, the choice to throw the ball with a backup quarterback to the little-used Tyler Goodson (six catches for 34 yards, 13 carries for 87 yards this season) could come back to haunt him, especially after Jonathan Taylor helped carry the Colts in the game (30 carries for 188 yards) and on that potential game-winning drive (nine carries, 23 yards).
And if you don’t think a decision in a big spot like this can follow a coach throughout his career, just ask Pete Carroll and Marshawn Lynch.
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