Shane Steichen's Aggressiveness Gives Colts an Edge
The modern NFL is dominated by the use of analytics, which has led to a stark increase in fourth-down go attempts by offenses. The Indianapolis Colts, particularly under Shane Steichen, have always been at the forefront of this trend, as the third-year head coach likes to remain aggressive in most situations.
Steichen's aggressive tendencies have only magnified in 2025, as he boasts the best offense in football. The Colts have been lethal in short yardage situations since Steichen took over, but it has reached an even higher level this season. The team has elected to go for it on all nine fourth down situations with two yards or fewer to go to the sticks, converting all nine opportunities for a new set of downs.
While Steichen's tendency to go for it in these situations isn't unique in the modern NFL, the value of how he calls these games has been evident in the Colts' two match-ups with the hapless Tennessee Titans. The Titans and the Colts couldn't be more different this season, as the Colts' have an NFL-best seven wins through eight weeks while the Titans are tied for the fewest wins with just one.
The two match-ups between the teams this year haven't even been remotely competitive, as the Colts won those games by a combined margin of 45 points (which is insanely hard to do to a divisional opponent in the NFL). The Colts were likely destined to win both of those games regardless of coaching, but the aggressiveness of the two coaching staffs loomed large in both games.
Flash back to earlier this year, and the Colts jumped out to an early lead on the Titans back in week three. An early interception returned for a touchdown by Kenny Moore II vaulted the Colts out in front early, and the team cruised to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter. The game tightened up a bit in the second, however, as the Titans put up six points and were driving into the Colts' territory late in the half.
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The Titans faced a crucial fourth and one situation from the Colts' 39 yard line with 42 seconds left in the half. While it may have seemed unlikely the Titans would get a touchdown on the drive, the logical - and aggressive - call here would be to go for the fourth down, hopefully convert, and make the field goal shorter (and with less time) to end the half.
Instead, then-Head Coach Brian Callahan took a delay of game with his kicking unit out on the field, leading to a 62-yard attempt that was blocked by Grover Stewart. The Colts then drove down and kicked a field goal just as the half expired. Scared and cowardly coaching by the Titans turned a potential eight-point game into a 14-point game at halftime.
Jumping ahead to this past Sunday's game, and the Titans' new coach Mike McCoy suffered from the same cowardice as the previous one. The Titans were trailing coming out of the half, but they had a chance to cut it to a one score game with a good drive to start the third quarter. They moved the ball down to the Colts' 42 yard line and ran it on third down to set up a fourth and three opportunity.
Rather than going for it, as a 1-6 team on the road with a chance to play spoiler, they inexplicably punted the ball back to the Colts' historic offense. The very next play Jonathan Taylor exploded down the sidelines for an 80-yard touchdown, turning the game into a three-score game before the Titans even knew it.
I've focused a lot on the Titans in this piece thus far, but the Colts have been the complete opposite in their two match-ups with their bottom-feeding divisional foes. The Colts went 3-3 in Titans' territory this year on fourth down, with two of those drives resulting in touchdowns soon after the fourth down conversion.
The overall premise of this piece is that the Colts would have never even considered punting (or kicking) in those two situations. The Titans were likely going to lose regardless, but their cowardice led to the Colts routing them in both match-ups.
Shane Steichen may not be the perfect coach, but Colts fans never have to worry about him being a coward in these situations. Sure, there have been some situations where the Colts value eating the clock a bit more than aggressiveness, and it has come back to bite them, but Steichen trusts his offense at the end of the day to get the job done.
In the modern NFL, that type of mindset is needed to survive. The Titans are already on their second head coach this season partly due to their passive approach, and they'll be looking for another one in the offseason. Steichen, and game manager Charlie Gelman, are as aggressive as it gets, and it has led to further success for the Colts in 2025.
Big Dom Shows Humanity Beyond Rivalry in Heartfelt Support for Giants Rookie
Philadelphia, PA — NFC East rivalries are known for tension, hostility and unfiltered passion. But on Sunday night, Philadelphia Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro — the widely respected figure known as “Big Dom” — delivered a moment that cut through all of it.
After Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo suffered a season-ending ankle injury and was rushed to a hospital in Philadelphia, his parents arrived shaken, uncertain of what would come next in their son’s young career. It could have been a lonely and frightening moment.
Instead, Big Dom quietly stepped away from his post and visited the family. He brought with him pizza and Philly cheesesteaks, the city’s signature comfort food, hoping to make a brutal day feel just a little easier for everyone involved.
“We may battle on the field — but once the whistle stops, we take care of our own,” he told Skattebo’s father while offering support. “Your boy will walk again. Your boy will fight again.”
There were no cameras, no announcements — just humanity.
The gesture resonated instantly. The Skattebo family later described the moment on X, publicly thanking Big Dom and the Eagles organization for treating them with kindness and dignity during their toughest hours. It was the kind of message no Giants fan ever expected to write.
Inside the Giants’ locker room, the post spread quickly, with several veterans praising Philadelphia for setting aside rivalry when real life took precedence. Even players who were visibly frustrated after the loss acknowledged the importance of what DiSandro did.
Eagles fans echoed that compassion earlier in the night, standing and applauding Skattebo as he was carted from the field in an air cast. For a rivalry often defined by bad blood, the applause and online reactions painted a dramatically different picture.
Skattebo’s rookie season is done, but the Giants believe he remains a major building block for their future. With Cam, Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and a young defensive core, hope continues to grow in New York — even through the adversity.
And thanks to Big Dom’s quiet act of kindness, this chapter will be remembered not just for injury and heartbreak — but for a rare moment where respect won over rivalry inside the NFL.
