Stop us if you’ve read this before. A couple short days after being eliminated from playoff contention following a loss to the Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano wants us to know the buck stops with him.
The embattled head coach, in the midst of another lost season, attempted to take responsibility Monday for the team’s lack of success.
“I take full responsibility for everything,” Pagano said, via the Indy Star. “That’s what comes with this job.”
We’re sure glad to know that Pagano takes responsibility for the lack of success of a talented squad he’s been tasked to lead. In reality, this is nearly the same quote the head coach made after Indy finished last season with an 8-8 record.
Whether the Colts’ brass will hold Pagano responsibile remains to be seen. It was noted earlier this season that owner Jim Irsay said he doesn’t expect to shake things up, meaning both Pagano and general manager Ryan Grigson might return next season.
“The record is what it is, I can’t change history,” Pagano said. “All we can do is keep moving forward and try to rectify what’s taken place. It’s not this organization. It’s unacceptable. Every man and coach up and down these hallways will tell you that. The standard is the standard. We know what the expectations are and that is to win. That’s what everybody came here to do.”
The record as of right now is 7-8. This guarantees that Pagano’s Colts won’t put up better than a .500 mark for the second consecutive season.
This has led to many believing Pagano and Grigson should be shown the door at the end of the season. Whether him taking responsibility for the team’s struggles plays a role in Irsay’s decision is not yet known.
What is known here is that being mired in mediocrity with a franchise quarterback wasting away under center is not the scenario Colts fans had in mind heading into each of the past two seasons. The same can pretty much be said for everyone within the now fledgling organization.