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The Colts' leaders are increasingly frustrated, but they haven't lost faith in Shane Steichen

The starting QB doesn't change.

Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen made that clear when he re-designated Joe Flacco as QB1 before Indy's Week 11 game against the New York Jets. Anthony Richardson will remain the Colts' backup, just close enough to be a moment away from playing again, but just far enough to be miles away from his former status as the face of the franchise.

This is Steichen's decision – sticking with the 39-year-old over the 22-year-old he helped draft last year before sending him to the bench – and it serves as a turning point in his budding career as an NFL head coach. Steichen's unwavering commitment to Flacco, who has committed six turnovers in the last two games despite not even considering reinstating Richardson as the starter, is baffling enough.

But let's take Flacco completely out of the equation for a moment. Steichen has refused to say what Richardson was supposed to be working on during his demotion.

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“I think it’s just the process — that’s what it is,” Steichen said Monday. “You have to go through the process every day and that’s what matters. He is a great person, a phenomenal person. Like I said, never lose faith or trust in him. We’re going through a process right now and that’s it.”

What does “the process” mean exactly? Steichen was given the opportunity to clarify.

“Well, like I said, we’re going through a process,” he repeated. “That’s it.”

Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter also didn't provide much insight regarding Richardson, although Cooter acknowledged the team's vagueness was intentional. The Colts have no interest in trying Richardson in the court of public opinion, so they're trying to keep it all in-house.

“I think it's more in our interest to be less vague with him and a little vague with you,” Cooter said. “I don’t always like coaching guys through the media. I really like coaching them. …When something doesn't happen quite the way you imagine. As a coach, you should probably pay attention to how you said it often. How did I train this guy? How did I teach that? So we make sure we spell that out in detail.”

As the Colts march on with Flacco at the helm and Richardson in the backseat, their problems don't stop there. Indianapolis has fallen to 4-6 after three straight losses, and it's fair to say the team is doing a bit of introspection.

Normally soft-spoken, cornerback and team captain Kenny Moore II beamed after Indianapolis' loss to Buffalo. He questioned his team's “effort” and cited the team's lack of attention to detail as the main reason the Colts have failed to turn the tide recently and, on a larger scale, in recent years. Safety Julian Blackmon also expressed his frustration.

“It's hard for me to even name names or anything like that, but it's definitely more than what meets the eye,” Blackmon said. “It depends on how we play and what happens in the games. In practice you see the same things as on Sundays. There is no surprise.”

Steichen said he understood Moore and Blackmon's feelings, which he addressed in the team's weekly Monday meeting. But the Colts coach dismissed the idea that the culture he built, which appeared to be strong despite a host of significant injuries when the team finished 9-8 last year, could fall apart.

“Last year … we were 3-5, kind of in the same boat as we are now, and we found a way to get out of there and we kept fighting through it,” Steichen said. “I think if you keep the faith, keep believing, keep going through the process and have the right attitude, everything will change.”

Moore agrees. While speaking at a Thanksgiving event he hosted in Noblesville, Indiana, on Monday, the Pro Bowler didn't walk back any of his critical comments about the team. Instead, Moore reaffirmed his confidence in Steichen to help the Colts navigate this rocky road that could still lead to a playoff spot for now. Moore even said Steichen was a big factor in his decision to return to the Colts during free agency last offseason.

The veteran cornerback added that Steichen had his “full support,” and team captain Quenton Nelson doubled his support. The Colts' starting left tackle and arguably the best player has earned a reputation as a man of few words. So when Nelson speaks out, his words carry weight.

When assessing Steichen it is no different.

“Every time Shane talks to us, I think it’s very effective,” Nelson said. “He’s a great leader and a great coach. And what he tells us is what we must do. I just have to execute and do it.”

The Colts will have a chance to stop their free fall on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. The good news is that Flacco – then a member of the Cleveland Browns – threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns in his final game against the Jets in last year's win over New York. But perhaps the bigger news is whatever the outcome of this game means for Steichen and the pressure pot he finds himself in. A win would take some stress off the Colts coach, at least for a few days, while a fourth straight loss this season could make a win unsalvageable.

“We’re experiencing some adversity right now,” Steichen said. “But we can decide how this ends.”

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(Photo: Marc Lebryk/Imagn Images)

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