The Indianapolis Colts entered the season with playoff hopes, but Locked On Colts host Zach Hicks believes five games have already supplied the answer. After the 34-22 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, Hicks said the Colts’ ranking of 22nd in offensive EPA (Expected Points Added) per play and defensive ranking of 27th make their 2-3 record look more fortunate than encouraging.
Hicks argued that Indianapolis cannot pin its regression solely on a difficult schedule. He contrasted this year’s efficiency with the advanced metrics that supported bringing back the current leadership group after 2025, when the hosts said the offense ranked seventh in EPA per play and sixth in success rate. Instead of sustaining that foundation, Hicks said, the team has become slow on offense, disorganized on defense and overly reliant on special teams.
Locked On Colts co-host Jake Arthur said the Pittsburgh game followed an all-too-familiar script. Pittsburgh spent the week confronting internal problems, Arthur said, yet the Colts still failed to match the Steelers’ urgency on the road. He framed that as the central issue with a season that was supposed to show tangible improvement after an offseason built around decisive bets.
Hicks did not treat the loss as a one-game playoff forecast. He said Indianapolis has no single healthy return or adjustment waiting to restore the offense or solve the defense’s communication problems, and he predicted the team will miss the postseason. A home matchup with the Tennessee Titans in Week 6 offers the Colts a chance to turn things around, but the hosts said a routine win over a struggling opponent would not erase the larger evidence from the opening month.
The discussion extended to head coach Shane Steichen, whom Hicks still credited as a capable offensive play designer. Hicks argued, however, that repeated flat performances, effort questions and failures against stronger opponents have exposed shortcomings that play calling cannot cover. Arthur and Hicks both positioned the Pittsburgh loss as another test of the franchise’s culture rather than simply another unfavorable result.
Colts News and Notes
– Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither’s remark that tackling is a “want-to thing” became a focal point for the hosts. Hicks said repeated public concerns about effort across multiple seasons point to an organizational accountability issue, not an isolated defensive lapse.
– The hosts also returned to general manager Chris Ballard’s roster construction. Arthur argued that the front office has paired occasional aggressive moves with too many modest follow-ups, leaving thin depth at several positions when injuries and underperformance hit.
Some or all of this content may have been generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, AI can occasionally produce incorrect information. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.
