Shane Steichen’s biggest problem in Week 2 wasn’t the opening script. It was what happened after it worked.
The Indianapolis Colts coach has built a reputation for strong first-drive planning, and that showed up again in the 33-30 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But once the game settled in, Steichen’s choices became the story - especially in overtime, where the Colts had a chance to finish the job and didn’t take it.
It started after Kansas City opened overtime with a field goal. Steichen answered with a deep shot to wide receiver Laquon Treadwell, and while the play got messy, Indianapolis kept the ball and moved into Chiefs territory. From there, the drive bogged down.
Kansas City crowded the line, and Steichen still handed the ball to Jonathan Taylor. Taylor got just a yard.
That part is easy to defend in a vacuum - Taylor is the Colts’ best player - but the next call was the one that drew the real heat. On 2nd-and-9, with a touchdown enough to win the game, Steichen went back to Taylor again even though the Chiefs were clearly ready for it.
Taylor was dropped for a two-yard loss, and that turned the possession into a long-yardage passing situation. Daniel Jones then had to scramble for three yards on third down with no receiver open.
After the game, Steichen’s explanation only added to the frustration. He said, "I was trying to finish the game with JT, put the ball in his hands."
That left plenty of room for interpretation. If he meant trying to score, the play-calling didn’t reflect it.
If he meant trying to drain the clock, there was still too much time left for that to be a realistic plan, with several minutes remaining, plus the Chiefs’ two timeouts and the 2-minute warning. Once Taylor was stopped on first down, Steichen needed to adjust.
Some fans and media members also questioned the decision to let Kansas City get the first possession in overtime after the Colts won the coin toss. That choice mattered less than what happened on the drive itself. Had Steichen been more aggressive after the Treadwell completion, the Colts might have ended the game right there.
Indianapolis put up 30 points, enough to win most games. Instead, the defense let the Colts down again. Steichen doesn’t call the defense, but he is still responsible for the whole operation, and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is now in his second season as a failure in Indianapolis.
The bottom line is that Steichen is accountable for a team that has now lost nine straight games. Next up is Houston, and that matchup now carries real weight for the Colts coach.
In Other News...
Colts Fans Had Every Reason To Hate NBCs SNF Intro
NBCs Sunday Night Football buildup ahead of the Chiefs-Colts matchup had little to do with what Indianapolis had done to earn the spotlight and a lot to do with the leagues biggest pop-culture crossover. Comedian Nikki Glaser fronted a promotional video that leaned into Travis Kelces marriage to Taylor Swift and the noise surrounding Kansas Citys recent run, turning the pregame tease into something closer to a national talking point than a simple game preview.
For Colts fans, the reaction was easy to understand. Instead of a showcase for two teams preparing to meet in prime time, the promo seemed to brush past Indianapolis entirely, and the backlash quickly followed. It was the kind of attention-grabbing NBC clip that got people talking, but not necessarily for the reasons a Colts audience would have wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Just Lost The One Receiver Their Passing Game Needs Most
Alec Pierces availability has been a major part of the Colts passing-game puzzle, and Sunday brought another setback when the wideout was carted off with an apparent left heel injury against the Chiefs. Pierce had already been working through heel discomfort tied to offseason ankle surgery, so the latest injury only adds to the concern around a player whose speed and vertical routes help stretch defenses and open up the rest of the offense.
For Indianapolis, the timing is especially tough because Pierce has become the teams primary deep threat. When he is on the field, the Colts can threaten more than just the short and intermediate game, which makes his status worth tracking closely going forward. What happens next with the injury is now the bigger story for a passing attack that can least afford to lose its field-stretching option. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce Brings Unexpected Off-Field Drama Into Chiefs Colts Spotlight
Taylor Swifts appearance at a Kansas City Chiefs game, where she was seen celebrating Travis Kelces touchdown, only added to the attention surrounding a matchup that already draws plenty of eyes from Colts fans. But off the field, the Chiefs star found himself connected to a far different kind of spotlight when his name surfaced in a federal Ponzi scheme case tied to Siddharth Jawahar, who was recently sentenced to 11 years in prison.
According to the case, investor funds were misused for personal expenses and fraudulent payments, and Kelce was identified as one of the victims whose money was caught up in the scheme. For Indianapolis, it is another reminder that the Chiefs-Cults storyline often stretches well beyond the field, with major names and unexpected off-field developments following Kansas City wherever it goes. [Read more 🡒]