3 Reasons Colts’ Shane Steichen Could Win Coach of the Year

The Indianapolis Colts found their leader in Shane Steichen, who has done an impressive job worthy of Coach of the Year honors.

In 2022, the Indianapolis Colts finished 4-12-1, enduring three QB rotations, two different head coaches, and multiple lineup switches on the offensive front. At the conclusion of the season, it was unclear what was next for the team’s future.

While it was monumental that the Colts selected their QB of the future, Anthony Richardson, with the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft, it was equally important to give the franchise a fresh mind at the helm of the team. This came in the form of dynamic play-caller Shane Steichen, who had already outperformed the expectations from when he was hired.

With this in mind, it’s time to dive into three reasons why Steichen could win NFL’s Coach of the Year for 2023. First, let’s discuss the offensive performance.

#1.) Having a Top-10 Scoring Offense w/ Gardner Minshew

Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not a secret that last year, the Colts had a putrid offense under both Frank Reich and interim coach Jeff Saturday. However, even minus his electric QB Richardson, Steichen is still keeping the Colts’ offense in the top 10 in scoring with a backup QB.

Yes, Gardner Minshew is a “high-level” backup, but he’s far-less mobile, has sub-par pocket presence, and isn’t a thrower of the deep ball. Despite this, the Colts sit comfortably at seventh in the NFL in points per game (24.5).

Given the switches in play calls and how less dynamic this offense is with Minshew, it’s even more impressive how Steichen has scored so consistently. He’s also doing this with a receiving corps that, while promising, is still young and thin, with mostly Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs gobbling up Minshew’s targets.

Look for Steichen to continue putting up points, as Indianapolis has one of the softest schedules in the league to finish out 2023.

#2.) Overcoming Injuries

© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

There have been too many injuries to count for Indianapolis this season. However, it’s safe to say that they’ve sustained a high quantity.

Notable names that have struggled with injuries and are still out include:

• TE Jelani Woods - Hamstring (0 games played)
• CB Dallis Flowers - Torn Achilles (4 games played/out for the season)
• RB Evan Hull - Torn Meniscus (1 game played/out for the season)
• CB JuJu Brents - Quadriceps (5 games played)
• C Ryan Kelly - Concussions (8 games played)
• QB Anthony Richardson - AC Joint Sprain (4 games played/out for the season)

There are several other injuries that have been sustained or are still keeping players sidelined. However, it hasn’t stopped Steichen and the team from winning. They’re already two wins higher than last season’s count, and there are still six games remaining. While a 6-5 record isn’t glamorous, given the situation last year, mixed with the injuries this year, it’s a massive accomplishment.

Yes, Steichen has a two-headed monster in RBs Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss to lean on. But, the ground game isn’t the lightning bolt it could be with Richardson, yet, these two rip off consistent gains for the offense. It can be credited to both the resurgence of the offensive line with coach Tony Sparano Jr., as well as Steichen’s variety of run schemes.

Steichen is still able to get Minshew to perform well enough to complement the running attack and get wins. The winning record, most importantly, also puts Indy square in the playoff discussion.

What happens next for the Colts? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Colts news delivered to your inbox daily!

#3.) Playoffs?

© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Yes, there are still six games left to play. But, as of now, the Colts sit at the seventh seed in the AFC playoff bracket through 11 games.

With the aforementioned soft schedule ahead, the Colts have a golden chance to keep building on this three-game winning streak. While teams like the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Houston Texans can be tough matchups, Steichen has already bested two of those teams (Titans and Texans) and with mostly Minshew under center. This could be a perfect sequence of games for Steichen to sneak his team into the playoffs.

If this can be done, it may be a unanimous decision that Steichen should win Coach of the Year. It’s fair that the Texans' DeMeco Ryans, as well as the Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton, could be in the running. But, it feels like Steichen’s situation has been far worse than either of those two, yet the Colts keep scoring and winning.

It will be a fun finish to the Coach of the Year race. Will someone start to potentially pull away with the award as 2023’s regular season draws to a close?

Outlook

Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Steichen was supposed to have his monster athlete Richardson at QB. There’s a firm argument that the Colts may be at 7-4 or 8-3 if Richardson is under center given his talents. But, the case is that Richardson won’t play this year, and Minshew will.

Minshew is a solid backup, perhaps still the best, but is grossly limited in comparison to Richardson. Despite these limitations at the most important position in the game, Steichen is still finding ways to silence critics.

We’ll see if this momentum can continue to build and if Steichen can take the Coach of the Year honors as his squad pushes for the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

---

---

Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.