On the latest episode of Locked On Colts, hosts Zach Hicks and Jake Arthur discuss Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen's lack of success in big games, the initial injury report for Week 14, and kicker news.
On the latest episode of the Locked On Colts podcast on the Locked On Podcast Network, hosts Zach Hicks and Jake Arthur discuss Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen's lack of success in big games, the Colts' initial injury report for Week 14, and the Colts' kicker news.
On the heels of a division loss last week in a critical game, now in their third year under Steichen, the Colts have often failed to succeed in significant matchups. That includes a 2-7 record against AFC South opponents, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans. Despite sweeping the lowly Tennessee Titans early in the season, the Colts fell at home to the Texans last week. It lost the Colts' control of the division lead, putting them, Houston, and Jacksonville all within a game of each other.
Other recent examples of the Colts not following through in big matchups include close losses to the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs, both of which the Colts led in the fourth quarter.
The Colts' initial Wednesday injury report introduced some new injuries. Not participating were cornerback Sauce Gardner (calf), who was already known, but wide receiver Josh Downs (hip/knee), defensive end Tyquan Lewis (groin), and cornerback Kenny Moore II (illness/ankle) did not as well. Quarterback Daniel Jones (fibula) and linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ankle) were full participants. This is the final week for the Colts to either activate Carlies off of Injured Reserve or keep him on it for the remainder of the year.
This week, the Colts made the decision to waive kicker Michael Badgley, who on Sunday missed his third extra point attempt in his seven games with the team. To replace him, the Colts signed former New Orleans Saints kicker Blake Grupe to the practice squad. Grupe is a career 79.8% on field goal attempts (including eight misses this season with the Saints), but has only missed two extra points in his three-year career.
Next, the Colts visit the Jaguars at 1:00 p.m. E.T. on Sunday at EverBank Stadium. The game can be viewed on CBS. The Colts have not beaten the Jaguars on the road since 2014.
You can find the audio version of this episode by clicking here, or following below on YouTube:
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Why Have Shane Steichen's Teams UNDERWHELMED in Big Games?
Indianapolis Colts HC Shane Steichen's teams have come up short in several critical games during his tenure. Why is that, and what can be fixed?The Week 14 i...
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.