Finally! Indianapolis Colts‘ disastrous season comes to an end. They find a way to lose again on their season finale as even the Houston Texans managed to steal the game at Lucas Oil Stadium, 32-31.
It was a nail-biter that seemed to have their first win since early November in their grasp. Their seven-point lead had them close to the finish line but unfortunately, they were unable to prevent Davis Mills and the Houston team from pushing forward.
What ensued was an astonishing sequence of events culminating in two outrageous fourth-down conversions for their opponents; notably, a fourth-and-12 play and an improbable 28-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-20 with only 58 seconds remaining in the game. Though it came as a surprise, the Colts could not deny that it was executed with precision.
Colts finished lost all of their last seven games and ended up with a worse record compared to last year. They failed to cover the spread on most of the sportsbooks after opening as 2.5 favorites while the total has gone over due to a surprisingly high-scoring match.
What’s Next for the Colts?
The Colts had higher expectations for the 2022-23 NFL season and these expectations have most certainly not been met. This is an organizational crisis and it’s time for this storied franchise to get to work repairing the damage done by a truly dismal season.
The Colts need an overhaul of leadership and culture to resume its place among the NFL elites. It will take firm guidance from the top down, along with dedication and tenacity from players, staff, and fans alike to revive this great team’s fortunes.
While getting back to competing for championships will require long-term solutions, it’s time for this team to get to work on setting that course: hiring staff and coaches, making wise investments in player personnel—all of it will take time before these moves produce tangible results.
Above all else, the focus must be given to replenishing the winning culture that has gone missing over the last few years. It’s mercifully over now; with the right leadership and planning in place, hopefully, brighter days are ahead.
Texans Fired Coach Smith
The Houston Texans’ had immediate changes in their coaching staff after the Week 18 win over the Colts.
After the team finished last season with a 4-13 record under the tutelage of David Culley, who was fired at the end of the year, they were hoping to make progress this season. However, didn’t even match last season’s 4 wins and settled with a 3-13-1 record in 2022, it was not considered a sufficient improvement, resulting in Lovie Smith’s dismissal as head coach despite his expectations of being back in 2023.
This search for progress illustrates that managing a team is an intensive process that demands both commitment and improvement by all involved.
