Colts face an uphill battle to save their season as problems mount and Chris Ballard is fired

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The firing of Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard hit coach Shane Steichen hard.

For 2 1/2 seasons, they worked virtually arm in arm to get the franchise righted and back to the 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. In January, they also were given a second chance by team co-owner Carlie Irsay-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.

“Disappointed,” Steichen said when asked to describe his initial reaction to the move. “Obviously, I've got a relationship with Chris. He's a phenomenal human being. Just one of the best people I've ever been around. I'm grateful every day I'm in this building, and I don't take that for granted. And I've got to get these guys ready for the Vikings.”

Steichen's fate seems OK — for now.

But if this season continues to unravel, he could be the next one out. 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.

So far, though, it looks as if it's more of the same. Turnovers, missed tackles and now special teams miscues have led to another slow 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.

“That one hurts, it stings. You don’t want to lose division games at home,” running back Jonathan Taylor said Sunday. “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. If you want to be a really good team, you just can’t lose division games at home.”

If the miscues aren't fixed fast, things could get worse. 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.

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.

“I said ‘Look, here’s the reality of the situation. We're 2-4. We dug ourselves a hole," Steichen said. "We dug ourselves a hole together, and we've got to dig ourselves out together. That was the message — a ton of football ahead of us, but we've got to put our heads down and work.”

Keenan Allen. Despite his slow start, injury and the uncertainty over his pending legal case, the six-time Pro Bowler appears to be rounding into form. He had eight catches for 82 yards.

Turnovers. Entering Monday night, only five teams have more giveaways than Indy (11), and no team has fewer takeaways than the Colts (three). 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.

WR Deion Burks. The rookie who played at Purdue and Oklahoma is gaining playing time and making an 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. With return specialist Anthony Gould (concussion) injured, Burks could get even more playing time.

Jones. It's been a rough start for the quarterback. He's completing 59.6% of his throws, has four TDs and six interceptions, no 300-yard games and has been sacked 15 times. He's also had three straight games with passer ratings under 80 in addition to all those turnovers.

Besides Gould, All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner left with a calf injury. Steichen called Gardner week to week Monday. TE Tyler Warren was inactive Sunday because of a groin injury he suffered in Friday's practice. No. 1 receiver Alec Pierce (heel) is now eligible to return from injured reserve. But Steichen said he's still rehabbing and won't practice this week.

Five — The Colts allowed Tennessee to score on all five of its second-half possessions after a first-half shutout.

The Colts are facing major obstacles as they begin this two-game road trip against two potential playoff teams.

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