Why the Indianapolis Colts need to fire Chris Ballard

THE Indianapolis ColtsThe record fell to an unenviable 6-8 after losing 31-13 to the Denver Broncos yesterday at Mile High. While a collapse of this proportion deserves plenty of blame, this time we have to look beyond head coach Shane Steichen and quarterback Anthony Richardson.

It’s time for Colts owner Jim Irsay to turn his attention to general manager Chris Ballard – but not for a warning, but rather for a tough firing.

Don’t go anywhere

Since Ballard took over as general manager in 2017, the Colts are 60-68-1 with two playoff appearances and just one win (2018 – Wild Card). Simply put, that’s not enough to get more chances, regardless of Andrew Luck’s sudden and abrupt retirement in 2019.

Fast forward through a slew of veteran quarterback misfires to 2024 and Richardson and Indianapolis are 6-8 with playoff hopes dashed with three games remaining. The Colts won’t have names like Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner, Jonathan Taylor and Kenny Moore II forever, which means it’s time for new leadership over Steichen and Richardson.

Richardson not improving under Ballard

Richardson’s game against Denver was a microcosm of his passing struggles through 2024. The second-year field general went a brutal 17/38 for 172 passing yards and two interceptions. While Richardson used his mobility for a score, criticism focused on his passing struggles.

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While Steichen deserves some shade, retaining the coach and quarterback is critical. However, Ballard is the most replaceable person in the equation, and Richardson isn’t improving under his watch either. It’s harder to find a new coach to pair with a developing quarterback and Steichen seems like the right fit at the moment.

A new general manager could help revive life around the roster to aid Steichen’s coaching and Richardson’s development.

Ballard won’t win the Super Bowl in Indy

Ballard used cap money to retain key pieces like Moore, Buckner, Taylor, Grover Stewart, Zaire Franklin and Michael Pittman Jr. However, this did not translate into on-field success or playoff berths. playoffs. Irsay must accept that despite excellent cap management, Ballard is not a general manager capable of winning a Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

This is not to say that the players Ballard is paying aren’t important or shouldn’t be with the Colts, but rather that Ballard probably could have done more with the funds available. Ballard isn’t aggressive enough to put the Colts in position to sign the most talented free agents, and it also doesn’t help that the Colts are a small-market team in the grand scheme of free agency.

Irsay wants another championship in Indianapolis, but that’s more likely to happen with a talented coach and quarterback intact, rather than a conservative general manager.

The essentials

It’s not easy to fire anyone, but Ballard’s tenure as Colts general manager is coming to an end. The Colts can only finish 9-8 at best and don’t control their playoff destiny. After so many poor results and disappointments, it is time for new leadership.

However, there’s a chance Ballard stays for at least another season, but it’s less likely if Indy can’t finish 9-8 with three straight wins to end 2024. We’ll see what happens shortly, but this does not appear to be the case. brilliant for Ballard as his team spirals out of control and playoff aspirations become a thing of the past.

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