The Colts were uncharacteristically poor in a certain area.
Shane Steichen points to lack of discipline in preseason opener originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Colts lost their first preseason game 24-16 to the Ravens on the road. While preseason is more about development and evaluation than the results, head coach Shane Steichen pointed to one key area where his team struggled.
The Colts were penalized nine times on Thursday night for a total of 107 penalty yards.
“We can’t have (that),” Steichen said in his opening statement to the media following the defeat. “That needs to get cleaned up.”
Six of those penalties came on the offensive side of the ball. Multiple false starts by offensive linemen and tight ends, an intentional grounding penalty by Riley Leonard were some. The biggest, however, took away a touchdown.
Daniel Jones found Ashton Dulin on a short crossing route for an 11-yard touchdown pass, but tight end Drew Ogletree was called for offensive pass interference for setting an illegal pick. The Colts had to settle for a field goal instead.
Penalties weren't an issue for the Colts in 2024. Indianapolis had the third-fewest penalties per game (5.5) and had the fewest penalty yards per game in the NFL (40.2).
Steichen said he and his staff will work to iron out those kinks before their season begins on Sept. 7 when the Miami Dolphins come to Lucas Oil Stadium.
Category: Football
