Colts' Gardner Minshew Reveals Mindset Ahead of Final Playoff Push
When in the middle of a playoff race, it can be tempting for teams to look at what's ahead.
Teams want to know who remains on their schedule and where they can make gains in their playoff push. But that can also be very dangerous, as looking ahead may lead to dismissing the current opponent and suffering a loss.
The Indianapolis Colts find themselves in the thick of a very tight playoff race in the AFC. The Colts currently hold the seventh seed in the conference but are also in a three-way tie atop the AFC South division. With the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans dealing with injuries to their quarterbacks, Indy could potentially capture the division crown by winning their final three games.
But if you ask Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew, he does not want to hear about any of it. The veteran knows they cannot look ahead. He is only focused on the current opponent: The Atlanta Falcons.
"We’ve just got to get ready for Atlanta, man," Minshew said on Wednesday. "That’s it. You can only win one game a week and this is an opportunity we won’t be able to get back, so we got to prepare like it’s the last, most important game we got. I think that’s how we are going to approach it.”
The Colts have won five of their last six games to get themselves in this position. Minshew has had a hand in all of it, steadying the offense after rookie Anthony Richardson went down with a season-ending shoulder injury. The wins and the way they have transpired have assured the Colts they can overcome whatever is in front of them.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew II (10) drops back to pass against the Tennessee Titans.
© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I think there is definitely a certain sense of confidence, of optimism," Minshew explained. "We kind of expect no matter what happens in the game, we will be able to figure it out. I think that’s a good place to be right now. I think we have a lot of trust with each other, and that confidence is building.”
The confidence Minshew and the Colts have is showing on the field. Although they were down 13-0 to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, head coach Shane Steichen and his group never wavered. Instead, Minshew and the offense rattled off 30 unanswered points to secure the victory.
What made the comeback more impressive is the Colts accomplished the feat without their best playmakers. Jonathan Taylor was ruled out before the game started. Michael Pittman Jr. and Zack Moss left the game due to injury. But Minshew stayed level-headed, exuding confidence to his teammates that they would get the job done.
"I think you have to believe in yourself for others to believe in you," Minshew commented. "There’s no way to hide it, you kind of got to step in there with it or without it. Just try to bring confidence, try to bring leadership and help in any way I can really.”
What the Colts have been able to do this season without their starting quarterback is pretty remarkable. Not many people gave the Colts a shot after Richardson went down. But the team is on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in large part because Minshew has kept the offense afloat.
“I think just (Minshew's) presence being here – veteran presence," Steichen elaborated when asked what he appreciates about the quarterback. "Obviously, he’s played a good amount of years in this league. I say it all the time, I’m going to beat a dead horse, but the preparation that he puts in is phenomenal. The way he carries himself around his teammates, on the practice field, in the locker room. Then obviously on game day, playing with a lot of confidence, which is awesome.
"You want that in a quarterback. Like I said, every time he steps on that field – that’s what you want in a quarterback, you want that confidence and you want that quarterback that is going to give us a chance to win every time we step out there.”
Minshew has not been perfect by any means. Turnovers have plagued him at times, as the veteran quarterback has eight interceptions and eight fumbles on the year. Minshew has even been the primary reason the Colts have suffered a loss or two.
But regardless of what has happened on the field, Minshew has shown the ability to put the bad plays behind him. He can go from fumbling the ball away on one drive to leading the offense to a touchdown on the next. Steichen praised his quarterback for having that mentality at the most cerebral position on the field.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew II (10) celebrates a touchdown during a game against the Cleveland Browns at Lucas Oil Stadium.
© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
“I think that’s special at the quarterback position," Steichen admitted. "You’ve got to have that mindset, next play, no matter what happens because you’re going to go out there, you’ve got to pull the trigger in clutch situations. Obviously third down, standing in the pocket and delivering the throws to guys with guys barreling down on you in the pocket. But yeah, I think that mindset of next play no matter what happens, good or bad – moving on to the next play, he’s got that.”
"I think that’s something you kind of practice," Minshew remarked. "You can’t let those things linger. You really have to show up each play with a fresh mindset, ready to take on what’s coming from across the ball.”
Minshew is taking that same mindset into this weekend's matchup with the Falcons. The Falcons' defense poses a challenging matchup, ranking eighth in the NFL in scoring (19.9 points/game) and pass defense (199.5 yards/game). Cornerback A.J. Terrell and safety Jessie Bates III are two of the best players at their respective positions.
If the Colts want to stay in playoff positioning and keep their chances of winning the division alive, their backup quarterback will need to lead them to a win against a 6-8 Falcons squad. Backup quarterbacks have done a lot around the league this season, but Minshew is not worried about that. He is laser-focused on getting a win this weekend.
“I’m just trying to help us win," Minshew admitted. "I don’t have a bunch of time to look around – we’ll just figure out how to beat the Falcons and I hope it helps us all out.”
If he can help the Colts get to the playoffs and even win the AFC South, the legend of Minshew Mania will reach heights it has never seen before.
Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!
Follow Horseshoe Huddle on Facebook and X, and subscribe on YouTube for multiple Colts live-stream podcasts per week.
