Stumbling offensively, Colts fire coach Reich

One time aft 1 of the Indianapolis Colts' worst violative performances successful caller memory, fifth-year caput manager Frank Reich was fired by the squad connected Monday.

The Colts' 26-3 nonaccomplishment to the New England Patriots connected Sunday was their 3rd consecutive defeat. It was the latest illustration of their deepening violative challenges that are opening to look insurmountable contempt a caller backmost alteration from Matt Ryan to Sam Ehlinger and past week's firing of violative coordinator Marcus Brady.

Reich, 60, was 40-33-1 (.547) successful the regular play with a 1-2 grounds successful 2 playoff appearances. It was a tenure defined by incessant turnover astatine quarterback; The Colts had antithetic opening-day starters successful each of Reich's 5 seasons, arsenic the franchise has struggled to find a backmost to capable the shoes of Andrew Luck, who retired earlier the 2019 season. The tenures of the past 2 -- Carson Wentz and Ryan -- ending successful disfigured manner (Wentz was traded aft 1 play and Ryan benched aft 7 starts).

The Colts person been unraveling since the extremity of past season, erstwhile Indianapolis mislaid its last 2 games contempt needing conscionable 1 triumph to clinch a postseason berth. The 2021 finale, a 26-11 nonaccomplishment to the 3-14 Jacksonville Jaguars, was a peculiarly unsightly show that drew the ire of proprietor Jim Irsay and prompted him to recommit to fixing the problems that led to the mediocre finish.

Ultimately, 2022 did not bring markedly antithetic results.

Offensively, the Colts (3-5-1) are successful the worst signifier of Reich's tenure. After Sunday's game, the longtime NFL backmost and Super Bowl-winning violative coordinator with the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles alluded to that vexation of the Colts being truthful inept connected offense, his country of expertise.

"Offensive performance, that's wherefore I was brought here. That's my responsibility. So, we've got the players. We've got the players that are plentifulness bully enough. I person to bash a amended job. It starts with maine connected offense. I request to bash a amended occupation getting the guys acceptable to play, putting guys successful a bully presumption to triumph and having answers erstwhile we look problems," helium said.

Lately, determination person been nary answers.

The Colts connected Sunday failed to person immoderate of their 14 third-down attempts, tied for the worst single-game people successful the NFL successful the past 30 years. Indianapolis generated 121 yards of full offense, the team's lowest output since 1997 and the lowest of Reich's tenure by 84 yards.

Reich gained a estimation during his clip successful Indianapolis for being capable to bring the squad backmost from the brink. The Colts person been notoriously dilatory starters, but they person consistently rallied precocious successful seasons. The Colts started 1-5 successful 2018 but finished 10-6 and made the playoffs. Last season, they started 1-4 earlier rallying to 9-6, lone to spell connected to those 2 fateful season-ending losses.

What remains unclear is the destiny wide manager Chris Ballard, the antheral who enactment the squad unneurotic and hired Reich.