INDIANAPOLIS — The journey began Feb. 14 when owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard put their trust and the fate of the Indianapolis Colts in the hands of coach Shane Steichen.
And here they are, heading into a new year and in position to achieve something few outside the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center thought possible those long, eventful 10 months later.
After dispatching the Las Vegas Raiders, 23-20, Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium, and with Cincinnati’s loss at Kansas City a few hours later, the Colts are in a win-and-in pre-playoff showdown with the Houston Texans, who visit Indy next weekend.
“We just rallied behind Shane,’’ linebacker Zaire Franklin said after breaking his own franchise record for tackles. He’s at 171 and counting.
“In this league, every year is a new year,’’ Steichen said of what’s been a transitional season for the franchise. “You put in the work in the offseason, you put in the work in training camp and you got to go out and execute on Sunday.
“Everybody has got to have belief in that locker room that we’re all together doing this thing, because it ain’t about one man. It’s about everybody.’’
And for the Colts to find themselves in what amounts to a one-game season?
“Just to be able to be in this spot is awesome,’’ wideout Michael Pittman Jr. added after complementing the critical team victory by eclipsing a couple of personal milestones. He pushed his season totals to 104 receptions and 1,108 yards, both career-bests, after missing the loss at Atlanta with a concussion.
Players in the locker room spoke of Steichen’s ability to keep everyone focused, especially when adversity hit.
And adversity has lurked around every corner, none bigger than losing rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson to shoulder surgery after just five games and four starts. Veteran backup Gardner Minshew II has been instrumental in getting the Colts to this point.
“Tough as nails,’’ tight end Mo Alie-Cox insisted.
That’s an apt description of Steichen’s Colts. Despite this injury or that suspension or that subpar outing, they’ve found a way to be playing meaningful football when it matters most.
The Colts have won six of their last eight and generally have found a way. They’re 6-2 in one-possession games.
“Scrappy,’’ insisted running back Jonathan Taylor, who finished with 96 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.
Mo Alie-Cox implored his teammates to seize the moment.
“I told the guys before the game, ‘Meaningful football games in December don’t happen every year,’’’ he said. “And I’ve been here for a bunch of years. We’ve had some years like last year where we were just going out there to play. We were playing for our jobs and things like that, but as a player, you want a chance to go into the postseason.
“I told them, ‘Don’t take this opportunity for granted. Go out there and enjoy it and have a great game.’’’
Pittman didn’t need that type of reminder. His rookie year remains fresh — an 11-5 record and Wild Card berth in 2020.
“We made it my very first year and I thought, ‘Hey, we’re going to do this every single year,’’’ he said. “And that’s not how it goes.’’
That certainly wasn’t the case in 2021 when the Colts saw their 98% chance of earning a playoff berth with two games remaining disappear with closing losses to the Raiders and Jacksonville.
What did Taylor learn from that disheartening situation?
“Win,’’ he said. “Just win the game.
“No matter how it happens, you’ve got to find a way to win. Win, and all your problems will be solved.’’
Sunday, it was Minshew directing an offense that blended lightning with thunder, the defense and patchwork secondary coming up with the necessary stops and kicker Matt Gay knocking down 38, 33 and 45-yard field goals.
Minshew passed for 224 yards and gave the Colts a 14-3 second-quarter lead with a 58-yard touchdown to Alec Pierce. He added a 50-yard completion to rookie Josh Downs, giving Minshew five completions of at least 50 yards this season. That’s second only to Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, according to ESPN Research.
The thunder? Taylor was the catalyst of a run game that generated 134 yards. On a drive early in the fourth quarter that Gay capped with a 33-yard field goal for a 20-10 lead, Steichen called eight consecutive runs that churned out 61 yards and drained 5 minutes, 40 seconds off the clock.
The return of right tackle Braden Smith after missing three games with a knee injury was huge.
Defensively, the Colts allowed 370 yards and 26 first downs, but kept fending off the Aiden O’Connell-led Raiders. O’Connell’s 1-yard TD to wide receiver Davante Adams with 43 seconds remaining kept things interesting until Colts safety Rodney Thomas II recovered the onside kick.
O’Connell finished with 299 yards and two TDs to Adams, who had 13 catches and 126 yards on 21 targets.
That might appear to be a long day for the Colts’ secondary, but that group was in scramble mode after nickel corner Kenny Moore II was ruled out with a back injury. The backend of the defense: rookie outside cornerbacks (JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones); nickel corner Chris Lammons, a special teamer who had been on the field for just 34 defensive snaps the past four seasons; second-year safety Nick Cross and safety Ronnie Harrison Jr., who replaced injured Julian Blackmon (shoulder) after seeing his previous action at linebacker.
“It’s the ultimate team game,’’ Steichen said. “To have a chance, obviously, with one game left . . . win and in. It’s huge. So, it’s a credit to the players, credit to the coaches and we’ve got to do our very, very, very best come this week.’’
Steichen rarely allows his emotions to seep to the surface. However, it was clear he’s pleased – pleased, not satisfied – with how his first season as a head coach has unfolded.
So much adversity, but so much on the line in week 18.
“I think we’re going to find out a lot about ourselves,’’ Steichen said. “Obviously, we found out a lot about ourselves throughout this season.
“Next week, we have to win. Our focus is strictly on Houston now. We’re moving on to them.’’
Will Steichen give himself time to enjoy the win over the Raiders?
“None,’’ he said. “Zero time to enjoy this win.’’
He paused.
“I mean, I might enjoy it for an hour or so, but that’s about it.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.