Colts owner Jim Irsay says he doesn’t plan to fire head coach Chuck Pagano or G.M. Ryan Grigson in part because he believes the team they have built is better than its 6-7 record.
“We could be right now 10-3,” Irsay told USA Today. “That could be us if the ball bounces a little bit differently. It’s been that type of year — hasn’t gone our way. But right now, I’m not anticipating making any changes. That can always change. It always can, when we’re sitting down at the end of year and evaluate things. But I’m just looking at seeing if we can win these next three games and get some luck from the football gods right now.”
To say the Colts could be 10-3 if the ball bounces a little differently may be true, but it’s also true that they could be 1-12 if the ball bounces a little differently. Five of the Colts’ six wins were one-possession games, and in any one-possession game you could say afterward that a couple bad bounces could have changed the outcome.
Irsay is still hoping that the Colts can make the playoffs this year.
“Look, if you can improve your franchise, even if you’re doing well, you’re going to make that move. You just are — at least I am. It’s about winning and winning the right way and trying to sustain success over a large period of time. We’re used to being in the playoffs. This is the first time in almost 20 years we [wouldn’t have] made the playoffs in back-to-back years. That’s extremely disappointing. We hold out the hope we can win three, though, and get everything to fall our way.”
That’s a long shot, however, and if the Colts miss the playoffs again, they need to take an honest look at the leadership of the franchise, and not just say they’re a few bad bounces away from being in the playoffs.