Colts' Shane Steichen Talks 'Huge Game' Upcoming with Broncos

It's now or never for the Indianapolis Colts, Shane Steichen, and Anthony Richardson.

Dec 1, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen looks on during the first half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Heading into their Week 15 contest against the Denver Broncos, the pressure hasn't been higher for the Indianapolis Colts this season, as they come into Sunday with a 6-7 record and clawing to keep their chances alive for the playoffs, somewhere they haven't been since 2020.

This matchup against the Broncos is especially important for the postseason aspirations of Indianapolis. As Denver is 7th in the AFC at 8-5 as one of the only teams between the Colts and their shot at the playoffs, this is virtually a must-win for Indianapolis if they want to keep their hopes of contention alive in the final three weeks of the season.

In the event of a loss where the Colts drop to 6-8 and the Broncos go to 9-5, the road to a Wild Card berth becomes much more difficult to navigate for Indianapolis. If they win, jump to 7-7, and fall just one game behind Denver with three weeks left, things look much more appealing.

With those implications in mind, there's no doubt a big weekend is on the horizon for the Colts, and head coach Shane Steichen is well aware of the stakes in play.

During Wednesday's media availability ahead of Sunday's tilt, Coach Steichen dove into his mindset for what is expected to be one of the most important showcases of the season so far.

"The mindset is every game is big, right?" Steichen explained. "They are. They're big, but now they're getting bigger in December, and I think the guys know the magnitude of this football game. Do we look at standings? We see it. Everybody knows what's at stake. So, we've got to go handle our business."

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The Colts have three games left in the season after Denver, facing off against a lighter schedule consisting of the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and Jacksonville Jaguars. If Indianapolis can overcome a steep hurdle in the Broncos this weekend, running the table is far from out of the question.

Yet, the journey to a playoff appearance begins with the Broncos. Without checking the box with a victory this weekend, it's hard to imagine three wins at the season's end meaning much without owning a tiebreaker against a team right in front in the standings, especially if the Broncos were to have a three-game lead.

"We know it's a huge game going in there," Steichen said. "We've got to handle our business. We know it's going to be a four-quarter fight. They're playing good football right now. It's going to be loud. It's going to be a hell of an environment."

The Broncos are feeling red-hot and rested, coming off a three-game win streak along with a Week 14 bye to help give them a breather. It's much easier said than done to walk into Mile High and handle business, but with a consistent effort on both ends for all four quarters, this Colts team has proven to have the fight to make any game competitive.

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