Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen has refused to rule out a drastic quarterback change following a 42-7 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Steichen left the door wide open for struggling starter Daniel Jones to be benched, telling reporters on Sunday that the coaching staff is ‘going to evaluate everything.’
According to the Indianapolis Star, he added: ‘It wasn’t good enough, flat-out wasn’t good enough. We got outplayed and we’ve got to learn from our mistakes in a hurry.
‘The effort and the energy has to be there every week. If not, you’re going to get beat like that. Clearly, I’ve got to do a better job, plain and simple,’ Steichen said.
‘It starts with me as the head coach. I’ve got to do a better job to get these guys ready to go. That wasn’t it today.’
The crushing defeat marked the sixth loss of the season for Indianapolis, intensifying the scrutiny surrounding Jones’ status as the franchise’s starting signal-caller.
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen has refused to rule out a drastic quarterback change following a 42-7 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Steichen left the door wide open for struggling starter Daniel Jones to be benched, telling reporters on Sunday that the coaching staff is ‘going to evaluate everything’
Jones was unceremoniously pulled from the game with nearly 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after throwing for just 144 yards and two costly interceptions.
‘I’ve got to play better,’ Jones admitted following the defeat. ‘I’ve got to execute more consistently, put the team in a position to score points and win these games.’
The 29-year-old is enduring a nightmare campaign after spending the entire offseason rehabbing a ruptured Achilles.
While Jones signed a contract extension with Indianapolis in March, the deal’s structure reportedly allows the Colts an escape hatch, raising serious questions about his long-term future.
‘I think right now with everything going on and where we are, keeping your focus on what’s here, what’s right in front of us, how to improve day after day, is most important,’ Jones added.
Backup quarterback Anthony Richardson, who entered the game late in the fourth quarter, offered a staunch defense of his embattled teammate amid the swirling controversy.
‘We’re sticking with him,’ Richardson said of Jones. ‘He’s got my full support.
‘I’m supporting him 1,000 percent. It’s tough to play quarterback in this league, it’s tough to play quarterback in general. When the spotlight’s on you like this, you’ve just got to keep your head down and keep working.’
