Stephen HolderESPN
A day after one of the Indianapolis Colts’ worst offensive performances in recent memory, the team fired fifth-year coach Frank Reich. The Colts’ 26-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday was their third straight loss. It was the latest example of mounting offensive challenges that are beginning to look insurmountable despite the recent quarterback change from Matt Ryan to Sam Ehlinger and the firing of offensive coordinator Marcus Brady last week. Reich, 60, was 40-33-1 (.547) in the regular season and had a 1-2 record in two playoff appearances. It was a tenure defined by incessant turnover at quarterback. The Colts had different starters in each of Reich’s five seasons as the franchise struggled to find a quarterback to fill the shoes of Andrew Luck, who retired before the 2019 season. The previous two tenures — Carson Wentz and Ryan — ended badly (Wentz traded after one season and Ryan benched after seven starts). NFL RankYPG315.127thYards per game4.830thYards per rush3.730thRZ TD pct.4431st– ESPN Stats & Information The Colts have been reeling since the end of last season, when Indianapolis lost its final two games despite needing just one win to clinch a postseason berth. The 2021 finale, a 26-11 loss to the 3-14 Jacksonville Jaguars, was a particularly unsightly performance that angered owner Jim Irsay and prompted him to recommit to fixing the problems that led to the poor finish. Ultimately, 2022 did not bring significantly different results. Offensively, the Colts (3-5-1) are in their worst state of Reich’s tenure. After Sunday’s game, the longtime NFL quarterback and 2017 Super Bowl-winning offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles addressed the Colts’ frustration with being so inept on offense, his area of expertise. “Offensive performance, that’s why I was brought here. That’s my responsibility,” he said. “Well, we’ve got the players. We’ve got the players that are pretty good. I’ve got to do a better job. It starts with me on offense. I’ve got to do a better job of getting guys ready to play, putting guys in a good position to win and have answers when we face problems”. Lately there have been no replies. The Colts failed to convert any of their 14 third-down attempts Sunday, tied for the worst mark in a single game in the NFL in 30 years. Indianapolis produced 121 yards of total offense, the team’s lowest output since 1997 and the lowest during Reich’s tenure by 84 yards. Reich gained notoriety during his time in Indianapolis because he was able to bring the team back from the brink. The Colts have been notoriously slow starters, but have consistently rallied late in the seasons. The Colts started 1-5 in 2018 but finished 10-6 and made the playoffs. Last year, they started 1-4 before falling to 9-6, only to lose those final two games of the regular season. What remains unclear is the fate of general manager Chris Ballard, the man who assembled the team and hired Reich.
