INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Less than 24 hours after Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen told reporters he would “evaluate everything” in the wake of Sunday’s embarrassing loss at Jacksonville, a deep study session convinced him no personnel changes were needed.
asserted
changes → tell → him
Daniel Jones will remain the starting quarterback.
asserted
Jones → remain → ?
Coordinator Lou Anarumo will continue to make the defensive calls.
asserted
Anarumo → continue → calls
Running back Jonathan Taylor and receiver Josh Downs will continue playing key roles on offense, and Steichen will continue to focus on football.
asserted
Steichen → continue → football
Yes, after two tumultuous weeks of changes, Steichen opted to stand pat with his coaching staff and lineups while expecting different results.
asserted
Steichen → opt → results
“Obviously, yesterday was not even close to where we want to be, but you’ve got to respond the right way and you’ve got to show up every day to work and be a pro, improve on the things you need to improve on,” he said Monday.
asserted
he → want → things
“We had a lot of pre-snap penalties yesterday that we need to improve on and that starts with the details in the walkthrough and practice.”
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that → have → walkthrough
The question is how much will the results change if Indy (2-6) stands pat?
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Indy → change → ?
Indy has lost four straight overall, 13 of 15 since the second half of last season and Sunday’s 42-7 debacle included mistakes at seemingly every turn.
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debacle → lose → turn
Jones continues to struggle with turnovers and finishing drives with touchdowns and the defense gave up one big play after another though Steichen continues to insist Jones gives Indy the best chance to win.
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Jones → continue → chance
Taylor, a team captain and Pro Bowler who could be on the trading market, had only eight carries for 23 yards just days after passionately saying Colts players needed to give fans hope this season is not lost.
uncertain
season → have → hope
Sunday’s lackluster performance certainly didn’t help send such a message, and Monday’s decision to continue to play and coach with the same guys likely won’t either.
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decision → help → guys
Steichen pulled Jones after he threw his second interception against the Jaguars (5-2), who pulled most of their starters for most of the fourth quarter.
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who → pull → quarter
Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023, played in his first game since September 2025 but it didn’t matter.
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it → play → September
The Colts continued to play poorly, and that’s likely to continue — until something else changes.
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something → continue → ?
“Obviously any effort issue is unacceptable and wherever that is and wherever we see that, it will certainly be addressed and corrected,” Jones said after the drubbing.
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Jones → see → drubbing
“We certainly can’t have any effort issues.
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We → have → issues
What’s working
Looking ahead.
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working → work → ?
The Colts will spend another week trying to move on to the next game.
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Colts → spend → game
While that may be inside the team complex, others see a season quickly unraveling with more trades on the way as Indy tries to build draft capital for 2027.
uncertain
Indy → see → 2027
What needs help
Tackling.
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needs → need → help
It’s been a problem all season and even when it appears as if Indy is making progresses, a regression follows.
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regression → appear → progresses
It happened again Sunday, with several missed tackles leading directly to touchdowns.
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tackles → happen → touchdowns
Even though Steichen reiterated Jones will start next weekend against Dallas, Richardson finally made it into game action.
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Richardson → reiterate → action
If the losses continue to mount could he get another chance to prove himself?
uncertain
he → continue → himself
Given what’s happened the past two weeks, it’s possible.
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it → give → ?
The versatile tight end returned from a groin injury, but had wrong kind of impact on the game.
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end → return → game
One passed bounced off his hands and into the arms of Rayuan Lane III, who returned the interception 92 yards for a score and a 28-0 lead with 10 seconds left in the first half.
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who → bounce → half
And Warren fooled nobody on the second part of a double pitch to Taylor near the goal line, either.
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Warren → fool → line
He finished with four catches for 18 yards.
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He → finish → yards
Though Warren and All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner (calf) returned, CB Justin Walley sat out with a knee injury and LB Bryce Boettcher (groin) was inactive.
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Boettcher → return → injury
And there’s still no timeline for when — or if — WR Alec Pierce (heel) could be activated from injured reserve.
uncertain
Pierce → ’ → reserve
It’s the third-highest total in the NFL and though it’s not yet on pace to break the single-season franchise record of 533 in 1981, it is on pace to break the franchise record in the Indy era, 486 in 2001.
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it → ’ → 2001
After firing general manager Chris Ballard two weeks ago and trading two longtime stalwarts week, Indy responded with another dud in Jacksonville.
asserted
Indy → fire → Jacksonville
If they intend to salvage anything over these last nine games, they need to dig deep and show some fight.
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they → intend → fight
The Aporia
