GM Chris Ballard promises to take a new approach after Colts fail to make playoffs again

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard blames himself for another playoff miss.

So, he’s promising to implement a different approach this offseason.

 

After hearing some team leaders complain publicly about the changes they want, Ballard responded Friday at his end-of-season news conference, telling reporters he’ll re-evaluate his strategy in free agency as he tries to build a more competitive roster

. thought we were playing really good football at the end of last season, lost a tough game at the end to Houston, could have gone either way,” Ballard said. “So I said, `OK, we´re trending up’ and instead of really creating competition throughout the roster and throwing new blood into the locker room, I said `We´re going to run it back.’ That was a mistake.”

 

It’s an admission the critics have longed to hear for weeks, maybe even years.

 

Ballard repeatedly acknowledged Friday that the critiques are warranted. In his first eight seasons with the team, Indy has made the postseason twice, won one playoff game and no division titles

Yet team owner Jim Irsay still opted to bring back Ballard and coach Shane Steichen while expressing his disappointment with Indy’s four-year playoff absence in a letter posted Sunday night.

 

Five days later, Ballard sounded relieved to be getting another chance – perhaps his final opportunity to fix the mistakes of recent years.

 

“We’ve got to be better about making sure we identify the right free agents that can help this team to where it needs to go,” Ballard said. “Right now, we’re not close. I’m going to make this really clear. Close is losing on the last play of the Super Bowl. That’s close. Going 8-9, that’s not close. We’ve got to own that. We are not good enough.”