The Indianapolis Colts still have three weeks before the regular season begins, but the questions around this team are already loud.
After Saturday’s 34-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, head coach Shane Steichen didn’t try to dress it up.
“That wasn’t us. That wasn’t up to our standard,” Steichen said. “We got to be better on every phase of the game.”
The Colts have talent, but they also have issues that need answers fast. The biggest one is the backup quarterback job.
Anthony Richardson didn’t exactly light it up in his start against the New England Patriots, and Riley Leonard didn’t separate himself against Atlanta either. The role is there for the taking, but neither quarterback has grabbed it yet.
Leonard finished 7-for-14 for 62 yards, and he said the next step is finding more in practice.
“It didn’t happen today, but i know I can play at a high level,” Leonard said after going 7-for-14 for 62 yards. “I just got to find that in practice.”
On the other side of the ball, the linebackers remain a real concern. The Falcons piled up 461 yards of offense, and while they weren’t the only reason for that number, the unit is still looking like one of the Colts’ soft spots. It’s young, it’s unproven, and that can get exposed quickly.
C.J. Allen didn’t hide from that reality.
“You can do one of two things,” said C.J. Allen after Saturday’s loss. “You can let it beat you, or you can just do something about it.”
Then there’s the injury picture, which isn’t helping anything. Alec Pierce is still out with an ankle issue, and cornerback Charvarius “Mooney” Ward has been sidelined by a back injury.
“We got to be a lot better in a lot of situations,” said Steichen
The encouraging part for Indianapolis is simple: there’s still time. The Colts are back at work this week as they get ready for their final preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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