The Indianapolis Colts are 0-2 to start the 2024 season, and it's been a rough start to the season for a fanbase who thought their team might be a fringe playoff contender. Unfortunately, there's been a theme to both of the Colts' losses, and that's why Diana Russini said it's officially time for the Colts to panic.
Russini and co-host Chase Daniel were discussing the Colts' 0-2 start on their Scoop City Podcast, and Russini took the side of it being freak-out time in Indianapolis, while Daniel said the team didn't need to worry. Since the article is about Russini's take, let's start there, even though Daniel gives his reasons first.
Russini discusses how the Colts' game plan in Week 1 was clearly to try to contain C.J. Stroud, which then allowed Joe Mixon to be the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. She then discusses their Week 2 loss and how Malik Willis, despite being a great person, isn't "the greatest football player". She added, "Everybody in the world knew that the Green Bay Packers were going to run the ball over 50 times, which is what they did with Josh Jacobs."
The Colts are figuring it out….relax!!
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) September 18, 2024
But, @DMRussini says they should be freaking out. What’s going on in Indy?
Anthony Richardson needs to win games…not turn it over….they have all the pieces.
Scoop City Podcast: https://t.co/8ssLAYOpc3 pic.twitter.com/WoPVJm9HmC
Diana Russini argues that Colts fans need to be freaking out
On the other side of the argument, Chase Daniel isn't concerned by the Colts' 0-2 start. He notes that the team kept it close against an AFC contender in Week 1, and says that Matt LaFleur is a great coach for getting the Packers prepared without their starting quarterback. "I think they're figuring it out still," Daniel said.
While Daniel's take about the Colts narrowly losing to the Texans makes sense as a reason not to panic, the way Indianapolis lost to the Packers was downright embarrassing. They had just been run on like crazy in Week 1, and then somehow didn't know that the Packers were going to do that, despite having an inexperienced quarterback starting the game?
Truthfully, I'm not sure that it's time for Colts fans to panic yet, but there are plenty of concerns with this team two weeks into the young season. The run defense has been putrid, and teams will continue to take advantage of that. Until that's fixed, Colts fans should concerned, but not in full-blown panic mode yet.
In other words, find a happy medium between Daniel's and Russini's takes. One is optimisic while the other is full-on doom-and-gloom, and the Colts aren't in either of those situations quite yet. If they drop to 0-3 this weekend against the Bears, then I might be more inclined to join the panic bandwagon with Russini. Let's hope that isn't necessary.