Owner Jim Irsay emphatically denies notion Colts are tanking

It positive seems to be like Indianapolis Colts proprietor Jim Irsay is making an attempt to throw the towel in on this season. If he is not taking his group, he is definitely not actively making an attempt to win any extra video games.

Do not inform that to Irsay, although, as a result of based on new reporting from The Athletic, “tanking” isn’t within the vernacular for both Irsay or the Colts.

Bob Kravitz of The Athletic is reporting that Irsay known as him shortly after he fired Frank Reich and employed Jeff Saturday as interim coach. From the surface trying in, it positive seems to be like as if Irsay is doing all he can to tank for the very best decide he can within the subsequent NFL draft, realizing that this season is already over for his 3-5-1 group.

That is what it seems to be like from the surface, however Irsay would not prescribe to that storyline.

“That’s essentially the most absurd factor I’ve ever heard, that we’re tanking,” Irsay advised Kravitz. “That’s bulls—. We’re on this factor; 9-7-1 get us in, no query about it. … We’re not tanking the season. Whoever says these items, that we’re not enjoying Matt as a result of (of an effort to tank), that’s all bulls—. That’s not true. … We’re going to do what it takes to win. I don’t know who individuals suppose we’re, they don’t know us. We don’t tank in Indianapolis.”

That is an attention-grabbing take from Irsay, and that is placing it properly. 

The Colts benched future Corridor of Famer Matt Ryan in favor of second-year nothingburger Sam Ehlinger. Sure, Ryan hasn’t been nice this season, however would not his expertise alone give Indy a greater likelihood to win in comparison with Ehlinger’s 5 profession video games performed?

And positive, Frank Reich was fired after going 40-33-1 in four-and-a-half seasons. That a lot is smart.

What would not make sense is changing Reich with a man in Jeff Saturday who has precisely zero teaching expertise.

How is Saturday supposed to steer the Colts to the playoffs, not to mention one single win? When he takes the sector for Indy this Sunday as interim coach, not solely will or not it’s his first recreation as an NFL head coach, however it will likely be his first recreation as an NFL coach in any respect. 

Saturday has no teaching expertise in any respect on the NFL or faculty ranges. He was the top coach at Hebron Christian Academy in Dacula, Georgia, from 2017-2019, however from highschool sideline to NFL?

Saturday was a Corridor of Fame participant, however even Tom Brady would wrestle with that type of transition.

What’s Irsay doing if not tanking this factor?

We’re not all that dense to consider him, nevertheless it appears unlikely that anyone does at this level anyhow.

His phrases don’t match up along with his actions. He says he needs to be aggressive, however every thing he is finished lately says that the tank rolls on in Indianapolis.