The Indianapolis Colts are coming to the conclusion of a disastrous 2017 season with their Week 17 matchup against the Houston Texans.
Ahead of the contest, Colts head coach Chuck Pagano declared that it's “the last rodeo” for the team. That statement may have a deeper meaning than he realizes, according to Andrew Walker of Colts.com.
“It’s the last rodeo, is what I told them,” Pagano said. “I had a picture of a guy on a bucking bronco with the spurs on it. It’s our last ride together. No team that I’ve ever been a part of has ever been the same, regardless of the record. That’s just the National Football League. This is our last rodeo together. We’re going to enjoy and embrace every single second of it and get obsessed with completion. That’s what successful people do — they get obsessed with completion. We need to complete this season. No better way than to go out with a win.”
The Colts' season was essentially doomed with Pro Bowl quarterback Andrew Luck sidelined for the duration of the year. His absence demonstrated how much work the rest of the roster needs in order to be competitive, demonstrating just how pivotal Luck is to their success on the field.
It likely also puts the final nail in the coffin to Pagano's tenure with the team. Indianapolis has missed the playoffs in each of the last three years after making the postseason in his first three years as head coach, including a pair of AFC South division titles and an AFC Championship game appearance.
An upheaval is needed to turn around the franchise, and that likely includes Pagano moving on.
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