Sauce Gardner was acquired midway through last season by the Indianapolis Colts for two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. It is the level of the two first-rounders that Gardner has to play up to, and in Week 4 against the Washington Commanders, he didn't. He allowed more than 100 receiving yards while facing a third-string quarterback.
After blaming some of the issues on communication and implying rookie safety AJ Haulcy was a big part of the problem, after the game, Gardner changed course on Wednesday when speaking to the media.
"There was multiple plays where my effort was not there," Gardner said. "That's not what I stand for. That's not the type of person I am. That's not the type of player I am. And that'll never happen again...When I'm loafing, and then I'm seeing (a defensive lineman) slide past me, it's like, 'Bro, that's embarrassing.' Yeah, that's unacceptable."
Sauce Gardner blames himself for failures in Indianapolis Colts' Week 4 victory
He's right, but to be fair to Gardner, he's correct about the summary of his normal style of play. He doesn't normally look lazy and doesn't play in that manner. He is one of the best players at his position in the NFL, and he has earned that through his play.
He might not have been a star in Week 4, and he has struggled somewhat over much of the 2026 season, but his career quarterback rating allowed is a fantastic 79.5. Lazy players don't have that low level of QBR. He's also been a fairly efficient tackler for a cornerback, whiffing on 12.8 percent of his attempts.
That number might not be great for an inside linebacker, but for a cornerback, it's more than solid. If Gardner were truly a lazy player, he wouldn't risk getting hurt by tackling ball carriers. He does a good job of that.
The positive part is that Gardner's one terrible game came during a victory. He might not have played well, but he can play far better and has for much of his five-year career. Indianapolis still defeated the weakened Washington Commanders despite Gardner's inefficiency and quarterback Daniel Jones' lack of brilliance.
Of course, those two players must play better moving forward. Sauce Gardner almost certainly will. Jones is a bigger question. In his last nine games, dating back to last season, he has turned the ball over 15 times. For the team to make the playoffs, he cannot continue to do that.
As for Week 5, Gardner will have an opportunity to immediately right his wrongs from Week 4. The Indianapolis Colts will play the Pittsburgh Steelers. More specifically, Gardner will go against former Colts wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and DK Metcalf. Gardner can remind everyone how elite he is against those players.
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