Joe Flacco’s first play from scrimmage would be a sign of things to come. Looking for Josh Downs, Flacco significantly underthrew his receiver and had the pass intercepted by Taron Johnson, who scampered into the end zone for a touchdown.
“This was a humbling game,” Flacco said in his postgame press conference. He was the recipient of several boos from the fans in Lucas Oil Stadium. “This league is tough. You’re going to have to deal with things like that from time to time. … I can only look at myself in terms of why that’s happening.”
The pick six was the first of four turnovers by the 39-year-old quarterback, who’s done nothing to convince anyone into believing he’s the guy to lead Indy on a playoff run. In his two games since being promoted to the permanent starter, Flacco has totaled six turnovers and led only two touchdown drives.
“It’s hard to win when you lose the turnover battle,” head coach Shane Steichen said after the game. “We gotta get that cleaned up.”
The Colts defense, for a second week running, kept Indy in the game for as long as possible. Up until 10:58 left to play, it was just a one-score game. They’d also snag two interceptions off Josh Allen, both times handing Flacco solid field position to capitalize on.
The results? A field goal and a turnover on downs. The offense completely failed the defense, and CB Kenny Moore II is tired of it.
“I don’t think everyone is working as hard as possible and it’s obviously showing,” he said from his locker after the game. “I don’t see everything correlating from meetings to practice to the games and it shows. … Year to year, it’s the same thing.”
Strong words from a defensive captain. When a leader speaks with brutal honesty, it’s a reflection of the rest of the locker room. Evidently, the players are running out of patience.
While the players and fans are running out of patience, Steichen stubbornly stands by his quarterback.
“Until I say otherwise, Joe is the starter,” he said after the game. He added he never once considered turning to Anthony Richardson at any point.
But, why?
“[Flacco] is a veteran guy,’ Steichen said. “Obviously, he had two games he’d like to have back, but we’ll keep battling through it and see where it goes.”
So far, the Flacco experiment has gone nowhere but downhill. Indy is 1-3 in games where he’s been at quarterback. But, Steichen thinks turning the season around requires more than just an improvement from the quarterback.
“You gotta keep believing,” he said post-game. “It’s never about one guy. It’s the ultimate team game. …You gotta come in every single day with the right mindset to get better.”
If there’s any silver lining to losing three straight, the Colts still sit on the cusp of a playoff spot, currently holding the eighth position in the AFC. While chances at the postseason seem to be slowly slipping out of reach, they have a chance to keep their heads above water for the time being when they travel to take on the 3-7 Jets.
But before then, change seems imminent in Indianapolis. How it takes shape remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the Colts can not continue with the model that has seen them fall two to 4-6.
HN's NFL Power Rankings: Week 16
