INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The firing of Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard hit coach Shane Steichen hard.
asserted
firing → hit → Steichen
For 2 1/2 seasons, they worked virtually arm in arm to get the franchise righted and back to the playoffs.
asserted
franchise → work → playoffs
They seemed to be in sync when quarterback Anthony Richardson was drafted No. 4 overall in 2023 and again when they signed and re-signed quarterback Daniel Jones.
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they → seem → Jones
In January, they also were given a second chance by team co-owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon.
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they → give → Gordon
But now, with a 2-4 record, Steichen, must navigate this long road back into the postseason picture without the man who has been in his corner since the day he was hired in 2023.
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he → navigate → 2023
“Disappointed,” Steichen said when asked to describe his initial reaction to the move.
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Steichen → say → move
“Obviously, I’ve got a relationship with Chris.
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I → get → Chris
He’s a phenomenal human being.
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He → ’ → ?
I’m grateful every day I’m in this building, and I don’t take that for granted.
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I → ’m → that
And I’ve got to get these guys ready for the Vikings.”
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guys → get → Vikings
Steichen’s fate seems OK — for now.
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fate → seem → ?
But if this season continues to unravel, he could be the next one out.
uncertain
he → continue → ?
Irsay-Gordon made her expectations clear in January when she kept Steichen and Ballard around for one more year — she wanted this team in the postseason, competing for a Super Bowl.
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she → make → Bowl
So far, though, it looks as if it’s more of the same.
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it → look → same
Turnovers, missed tackles and now special teams miscues have led to another slow start.
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Turnovers → miss → start
They’ve struggled to run the ball, too, and Sunday’s 26-20 loss to previously winless Tennessee drew the ire of Colts fans inside Lucas Oil Stadium as they lost for the 11th time in 13 games.
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they → struggle → games
“That one hurts, it stings.
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it → hurt → ?
You don’t want to lose division games at home,” running back Jonathan Taylor said Sunday.
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Taylor → want → home
“No one’s coming to save us, but you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror and figure what type of kind of team you want to be.
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you → come → team
If you want to be a really good team, you just can’t lose division games at home.
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you → want → home
If the miscues aren’t fixed fast, things could get worse.
uncertain
things → fix → ?
Indy visits Minnesota (5-0) this week and defending AFC South champ and current division leader Jacksonville (4-2) next week before returning home against Dallas on Nov. 8 as they try to deal with a major distraction.
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they → visit → distraction
So even though Steichen hated to see his friend go, his message to the team remains simple — play to Ballard’s standard by staying focused, digging deep and turning things around.
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message → hat → things
“I said ‘Look, here’s the reality of the situation.
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reality → say → situation
We’re 2-4.
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We → ’re → ?
We dug ourselves a hole,” Steichen said.
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Steichen → dig → hole
“We dug ourselves a hole together, and we’ve got to dig ourselves out together.
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we → dig → ourselves
That was the message — a ton of football ahead of us, but we’ve got to put our heads down and work.
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we → get → heads
What’s working
Keenan Allen.
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working → work → ?
Despite his slow start, injury and the uncertainty over his pending legal case, the six-time Pro Bowler appears to be rounding into form.
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Bowler → pende → form
He had eight catches for 82 yards.
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He → have → yards
What needs help
Turnovers.
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What → need → Turnovers
Entering Monday night, only five teams have more giveaways than Indy (11), and no team has fewer takeaways than the Colts (three).
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team → enter → Colts
So in the one stat that correlates best to winning and losing in the NFL, Indy ranks last in the league with a minus-8 turnover margin.
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Indy → correlate → margin
The rookie who played at Purdue and Oklahoma is gaining playing time and making an impact.
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who → play → impact
Against the Titans, he had two receptions for 41 yards, one carry for 7 yards and averaged 20.6 yards on four kickoff returns.
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he → have → returns
With return specialist Anthony Gould (concussion) injured, Burks could get even more playing time.
uncertain
Burks → injure → time
He’s completing 59.6% of his throws, has four TDs and six interceptions, no 300-yard games and has been sacked 15 times.
asserted
He → complete → TDs
He’s also had three straight games with passer ratings under 80 in addition to all those turnovers.
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He → have → turnovers
Besides Gould, All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner left with a calf injury.
asserted
Gardner → leave → injury
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
