In facing the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend, Shane Steichen and the Colts find themselves in an intriguing predicament: they have to balance the fact that they're playing a team that has made it to the Super Bowl five times in the last six seasons with the fact that this year's Chiefs team is 5-5 and fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive.
The Chiefs, with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid leading the way, pose a significant threat on any given day. Their wealth of talent and experience in all three phases make them an intimidating foe – especially when backed by their fanbase at Arrowhead Stadium, like they will be on Sunday – and the Colts know they need to take everything seriously, no matter what the record or numbers may show.
"I think in this league, I think you can throw records out the window each and every week," head coach Shane Steichen explained Monday. "Because I think everyone in this league is very good and very talented, and you've got to be on your A game no matter what the records are, no matter who you're playing. We know that Kansas City is a hell of a football team. They went to three straight Super Bowls. They've got one of the best players in the world playing quarterback for them, and they're very talented. So, we've got to be on all the details and the specifics going into this game, especially in the hostile environment this week."
At the same time, though, the past doesn't mean anything if you're not executing properly on Sunday – and that goes both ways. So while the Colts know the Chiefs' potential, they also know their own, and they know they have to play up to their own standards above all else.
"We certainly have a lot of respect for their team, and they've had a ton of success the past five or six years in the NFL," quarterback Daniel Jones said Wednesday. "But we've got to play our game on Sunday, and that's what's important. Preparing for this week, the challenges that we see with this team and preparing for that and kind of not making it into a bigger – anything bigger than that."
Steichen's message to his team is also still the same as it's always been, focusing on the day-to-day improvements rather than the big picture. So far this season, the Colts have been able to lock in on a week-by-week basis – whether it's rebounding from one of their two losses or staying even-keeled after a big win – and there's no reason why that will change this week.
"I think every week is different," Jones said. "It's a different challenge and I think we've done a good job throughout the year of growing and improving week-to-week. I think this defense poses a lot of challenges from a pressure standpoint, and it's an aggressive group and (they're) doing a lot of different things, so we have an important few days here to prepare for that and make sure we're ready to go."
The Chiefs defense has only allowed 181 points this season (third-best in the league) and is led by defensive end George Karlaftis, who has a team-high five sacks and 17 quarterback hits, and defensive tackle Chris Jones, whose three sacks and 10 quarterback hits are second on the team.
It's a similar situation on the other side of the ball as well; Mahomes is leading a highly efficient offense that's averaging 38.8 yards per drive (second only to the Colts' 40.6) with 48.9 percent of their drives ending in a score. Again, the only team to boast a better number is the Colts, with 56.7 percent of drives ending in a score.
"I think the whole group – you can tell they're well-coached, they're well-prepared," Jones said. "They got playmakers all over the field offensively and defensively."
So, no matter what their record says, the Chiefs are good. Also, they've only lost one game at Arrowhead Stadium this year, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The Colts know they're in for a challenge on Sunday – and they're ready for it.
You want to play in these games, in these big games," Jones said. "And it's the NFL – they're all big games. But this is an opponent we respect a lot and a team that's had a lot of success, so I'm excited."
