What a disaster.
The Indianapolis Colts were given a huge gift on Saturday night as the Bengals beat the Broncos to keep them alive for a postseason berth. Yes, plenty still needed to happen for the Colts, but they proceeded to set that gift on fire and kick it down a hill as they completely collapsed against an absolutely woeful Giants squad. This is one of those losses that is going to reverberate throughout the franchise and cause some major changes (or at least should). It was reminiscent of that Carson Wentz loss to the terrible Jaguars when all the Colts needed was to win and they were in the playoffs. That might have been the most embarrassing loss in recent memory, but this was a close second.
There were so many eye-popping stats presented throughout the broadcast explaining just how awful the Giants are this year. First off, look no further than a 2-13 record. Add on the fact that they are winless in their division and hadn’t won once at home. The kickoff return in the second half was the first one in I believe over a decade, and the amount of points they scored was by far the most all year. In six of the Giants’ games this season, they scored a combined total of 41-points. The Colts gave up 45. 45…. That is so beyond embarrassing and disappointing for a team that was actually fighting for something, and the other was on track for the first overall pick.
The Colts were so bad that they were allowing this team to set franchise records against them. Three different receivers had never scored a touchdown in the first half in franchise history. When you have a historic performance like that, expect heads to roll for the Colts. Wentz was the sacrificial lamb last time. This time, I think bigger fish will be on the hook. Gus Bradley has to be gone, or this fanbase will revolt. Chris Ballard has to be gone, or I will revolt. Ballard put that product on the field, and Bradley did an awful job getting much out of it. I think Shane Steichen is safe, but he needs to keep his head on a swivel. Don’t get too comfortable with all of the players on this roster either. Plenty of them bear responsibility as well for what has occured over the years. All of this doesn’t stem just from the Giants game, but this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Change is going to come. Change has to come. If it doesn’t, I am not sure what to think or believe anymore about this team. Continuing to do the same thing over and over and wonder why they achieve mediocre results is baffling. This franchise has some positives, but it has so many other things to clean up, I am not sure if they can get it all done in the offseason. All I know is, they better try.