Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen is right, of course. As great as the start has been for Indy, one-half of a season does not a season make. Hopefully, the team finishes 16-1 and sweeps through the playoffs with ease, winning the Super Bowl.
But NFL life is rarely so easy, as coaches, players, and fans know. Steichen definitely does. Speaking with the media ahead of his team's Week 9 showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that offensively could challenge an iffy Colts defense, the head coach delivered the truth.
Steichen said, "You always want to start fast in this league. All 32 teams are trying to start fast and go win as many as you can. September, (October) - great. But I think the season starts in November, December. That's where it really starts to pick up. You've got to play at your very best starting in these next two months."
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen has a clear view of the future
The head coach is correct for many reasons. One is that while his Colts are performing at a historic level offensively, the team has been fortunate in that the defense, which has been riddled with injuries at cornerback, hasn't had to face many offensive juggernauts. The Steelers aren't exactly that, but they can move the ball and put up a bunch of points.
The rest of the season features four offenses better than any other team Indy has faced so far, except for maybe the Los Angeles Rams. After the Steelers, Indianapolis will play the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12, the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16.
The Indianapolis Colts certainly seem real. The team has the best record in the NFL, after all. But the second half of the season could be a bit more bumpy than the first half. Or, maybe Indy truly flexes its muscles, handles nearly everyone left on its schedule, and proves that they aren't just a half-season wonder.
Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones obviously work well together. If running back Jonathan Taylor were a quarterback and just as amazing at that spot as he is at RB, he would be the runaway leader for MVP. He likely should be anyway.
The biggest question is how well Lou Anarumo's defense can hold up. Maybe the unit gets a bit healthier later in the season, or maybe Indy makes an unexpected trade to sure up the defense. The offense has carried the team so far, and it might need to continue doing so the rest of the way.