Signs of Struggles for the Indianapolis Colts

There are a few key factors playing into the Indianapolis Colts’ struggles. The offense isn’t playing up to its capability, which is the team’s strongest unit. Their defense cannot seem to catch a break in the injury department. Perhaps the biggest issue right now is the coaching adjustments. Either way, many people who follow the NFL will say they have seen these types of things coming for the Colts. The word “fluke” was tossed around many times when describing this team and its hot start.

Offensively

One of the reasons for the Indianapolis Colts’ struggles is that the offense has gone stagnant. The offense of the Colts has been labeled as the best in the league, leading up to their bye week in Week 11. Now, that title of best in the league is slipping away. It is worth noting that Daniel Jones has been dealing with a lower leg injury. Jones says that he feels “good enough” to play, but it is noticeable that his mobility is limited. With his health limiting his play style, it’s leading to a struggling offense.

The Jones injury isn’t the only offensive struggle. Their running back, Jonathan Taylor, also has cooled down. In his last two games, Taylor has had only 37 rushing attempts for 143 yards and no touchdowns. When Taylor is not scoring, it’s bad news for the Colts. Indy is only 1-4 when Taylor doesn’t score. It’s not a secret that Taylor is the most important weapon on the Colts’ offense. So, when he’s not scoring, it means the offense isn’t producing the way it should be. When the Colts are successfully running the ball, the offense is staying on schedule and playing ahead of the chains. It also keeps their offense on the field and defense on the sideline.

The rushing struggles are a direct effect of recent offensive line struggles. The Colts’ offensive line hasn’t been the same dominant group it has been to start the year either. Now, they may not be giving up sacks, but it is very noticeable in the running game. They are giving up more losses in the running game each week, it seems. So with the o-line struggling, that makes it difficult for Taylor and the Colts to get any momentum going on the ground.

Defensively

It’s not surprising that the Colts’ struggles on defense are caused mainly by injuries. In the Week 13 matchup against the Texans, the Colts lost their newest trade acquisition. Cornerback Sauce Gardner went down in the first quarter of Sunday’s matchup with a calf injury. It’s concerning mainly because Indy traded their next two first-round picks for Gardner. When he is not on the field, it opens up a hole in the secondary. Especially when it seems that Charvarius Ward still is knocking the rust off, coming back from his second concussion.

The defensive line is also suspect for Indy right now. The struggle to rush the passer has been a constant issue for Indy, even before the injury to DeForest Buckner. He also fills the hole the Colts need in stopping the run. When the trade deadline came, many believed that the Colts should have reinforced the defensive line before anything else. The Colts do rank 5th in the league when it comes to sacks with 35. However, with Buckner missing, the pass rush seems to be slow developing, or even non-existent.

Coaching Adjustments

Perhaps the biggest struggle for the Colts over the last month has been the lack of coaching adjustments. Head coach Shane Steichen is coming under fire for his decision-making over the last couple of weeks. Which is very odd, considering he was being held at the top for Coach of the Year just a few weeks ago.

Steichen preached at the beginning of the season their plan was to pass to get the lead and then run to win the game. The Colts have been passing the ball and getting the lead, but the running game has been nonexistent for the Colts. Especially in the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Colts led that game 20-9 going into the fourth quarter, but the Colts only ran the ball one singular time. It can be argued that Kansas City was selling out for the run, but when the football is kept on the ground, the clock continues to run. Indy only ran 52 seconds off the clock in that fourth quarter, ultimately leading to a loss.

Steichen is the man in charge of the offense. He is the play designer and caller. So why would you not want to use your MVP-caliber running back to help you win games? That’s the biggest question posed to Steichen right now. He has been very good with accountability this season, and will be the first to say that the effort “starts with him”. However, if these struggles continue and the Colts fall further behind in the AFC playoff picture, what does his possible future look like?

Ups and Downs

It has been said many times, and will continue to be said, that the NFL season is full of ups and downs. Every team will have a stretch where they will look like the best team in football or the worst team. Unfortunately, the Colts are at risk right now of falling into that downhill slide part of the season. If the issues are not addressed, then the Indianapolis Colts’ struggles will continue with a disappointing end to the season. They have the capability of being a great team, but they are going to have to make some changes to prove that they belong.