The Indianapolis Colts aren’t as talented as the Philadelphia Eagles, so what should expectations be for Indy’s offense under Shane Steichen?
When it was announced before the Super Bowl that the Indianapolis Colts were closing in on hiring Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as Indy’s next head coach, Indy’s fans watched Super Bowl 57 with a lot of excitement. How could Colts fans not have been thrilled to see their next coach dialing up wicked plays and putting up 35 points in the Super Bowl? After the offensive production that Indy had in 2022, Steichen is exactly what the Colts needed.
However, Indianapolis is only getting Shane Steichen. The Colts won’t be adding Jalen Hurts, Jason Kelce, AJ Brown, and DeVonta Smith as well. While there’s a chance that some Eagles players could follow Steichen, Philly’s main offensive stars will be remaining in Philadelphia. So that brings up a fair question. What should the expectations be for Indy’s offense under Steichen since they are less talented than the Eagles?
Colts aren’t as talented as Eagles offensively
If you watched Super Bowl 57, you can’t deny the impact that the individual talent of Eagles players had on their offensive success. Yes, Steichen called a great game, but after watching AJ Brown catch touchdowns over two defenders, Jalen Hurts running all over the field, DeVonta Smith making elite sideline catches, and Jason Kelce and the offensive line moving everyone around, it’s only fair to ask: what would a Steichen offense look like with less talent, since that is his new job?
Well, for starters, the Colts aren’t Philadelphia but they do have some intriguing offensive weapons. Jonathan Taylor is arguably the best running back in football and Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce are two emerging receivers that have shown the ability to make really tough catches. Additionally, Indy has four very large and athletic tight ends that can be consistent playmakers. The Colts also have the fourth-overall pick in the draft, where they’ll likely select a top quarterback, so Steichen won’t entirely be working with an empty cupboard.
The biggest factor will be Indy’s offensive line. Philly’s offensive line is what made them go this past season and Indianapolis’ offensive line is what held the Colts back. So, Steichen will certainly be challenged with improving the offensive line if he’s going to have any offensive success.
Ultimately, though, the talent difference shouldn’t be too much of a factor for Steichen because though he did benefit from a stacked offense in Philadelphia this past season, he has proven his strength as a play caller.
Shane Steichen is a good play caller regardless of talent
Back in 2021, before the Eagles had AJ Brown, and when Hurts was still a polarizing quarterback that many people were unsure of, Philadelphia was sitting at 2-5. It was at that point that Eagles head coach, Nick Sirianni, gave up play-calling duties to Steichen. From that point on, as John McMullen wrote, “the Eagles are 22-7 (including the postseason) with Steichen calling the plays.”
Shane Steichen doesn’t just benefit from talent, he maximizes it. He’s been described as somewhat of an offensive mastermind and has already built two quality offenses around two different young quarterbacks. So although the Colts may not be as talented as the Eagles, Steichen will find a way to maximize their talent and also help develop a young quarterback so that Indy does have one of the better offenses in the league.
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