EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsINDIANAPOLIS -- What started as a smattering of boos early mushroomed into "Fire Ballard" chants -- a reference to the Colts' general manager -- by game's end as Indianapolis lost 26-20 to the previously winless Tennessee Titans on Sunday.Players and coaches took note of the crowd reaction and said they could not fault the home fans."We've got to give them something to cheer about," coach Shane Steichen said. "I don't blame them for booing one freaking bit."Veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who was visibly angry after the game, responded similarly: "They're upset. We lost to the Tennessee Titans. They were 0-5. And now they're 1-5."Amid a season that was seen as make-or-break for the team's leadership and likely many players, the Colts fell to 2-4 and suffered a loss that flies in the face of everything they said throughout the offseason. Entering the season, the Colts adopted a mantra of "find a way" -- a nod to their inability to finish previous games and seasons after fast starts.On Sunday, the Colts found a way to lose a game that seemed in hand, squandering a 13-0 halftime lead after yielding 20 unanswered second-half points. The Colts outgained the Titans 399 yards to 186 yards and dominated time of possession by holding the ball for 38 minutes, 32 seconds. But Indianapolis suffered a meltdown that featured special-teams miscues, three turnovers and untimely defensive lapses."Extremely disappointing," Steichen said. "We've got a lot to fix, and we've got to fix it in a hurry."Time is not on Steichen's side. He and GM Chris Ballard were under scrutiny from ownership after losing seven straight games to end the 2025 season. But principal owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon and her sisters decided to give them another shot to reboot things in 2026 after injuries to quarterback Daniel Jones and others short-circuited last season.Instead, the Colts appear to have regressed. They began the season with two historically poor defensive performances, giving up more than 1,000 combined yards to the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, the offense has not established consistency behind Jones, who now has nine turnovers after throwing two interceptions against Tennessee. It was his third game with multiple turnovers this season.Asked whether he was wavering on Jones as the team's starter, Steichen backed his quarterback, who signed a two-year, $88 million extension in March."I love Daniel, but we have to clean up the turnovers," Steichen said.Asked directly if Jones would remain the starter, Steichen later said, "He's our starting quarterback."Of his own performance, Jones said, "I don't think it's been consistent enough. I think, certainly, today wasn't consistent enough."Buckner, 32, returned to the Colts this season after undergoing a neck surgery that raised the possibility of retirement for the former All-Pro selection. But he has still managed to be one of the Colts' best players, leading the team with four sacks and eight quarterback hits.In the aftermath of the loss, Buckner's frustration reflected that of those booing fans."I'm pissed off, too," he said. "I'm sick and tired of the same song and dance every year."
