Shane Steichen, Eagles Head to Super Bowl as Colts Interview Looms
As the search enters its fourth week, the Indianapolis Colts are finally closing in on choosing their next head coach.
13 candidates were given an interview. The candidates ranged from coordinators from all three phases and an interim head coach.
Last week the Colts began to conduct second interviews with their finalists. While the first round of interviews was conducted virtually with each lasting around four hours, the second round has been in person, with the candidates staying at the facility for 11-12 hours.
It has been reported the Colts would like to interview around seven or eight candidates in person before making a final decision. Four finalists have already undergone their second interview. Those have been Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejero Evero, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, and New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
It was announced on Sunday that the Colts would be bringing in two more candidates for second interviews: Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. Of all the candidates that the Colts have brought in for second interviews, the only one that has a team still playing at the moment is Steichen.
With the way his unit has been playing this postseason, it could give Steichen a leg up on his competition.
The Eagles faced off against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon in a much-anticipated NFC Championship showdown. The Eagles’ offense under Steichen has been humming all season. In the regular season, Philly ranked third in total yards (389.1/gm), fifth in rushing yards (147.6/gm), and third in scoring (28.1/gm). The offense was on full display against the Giants in the divisional round, blowing out their division rivals 38-7.
Similarly, the 49ers’ defense under defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans has been dominant all season. The Niners ranked first in total yards allowed (300.6/gm), second in rushing yards allowed (77.7/gm), and first in scoring (16.3/gm). Their defense carried the way for the 49ers in the divisional round, stifling the Dallas Cowboys offense on the way to a 19-12 victory.
© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
It would be a matchup of strength-on-strength with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Nothing was going to come easy for the Eagles’ offense, but one thing Steichen has been able to do all season is find an area to exploit in-game.
The 49ers had success defending the pass throughout the game, which had been their relative “weak spot” in the regular season. But Steichen saw early that, with the threat of quarterback Jalen Hurts taking off and running, the RPO game would freeze the Niners’ speedy linebackers in the second level. This allowed the Eagles to get the running game going, and it would be the difference in the game staying close versus a Philly blowout.
While the numbers are not staggering by any means – the Eagles had 148 rushing yards on 44 attempts (3.4 ypc) – the running game allowed the Eagles to control the tempo and beat up on a 49ers defense pushing to keep their team in the game. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy suffered an elbow injury at the start of the game, and backup quarterback Josh Johnson was knocked out in the second half due to a concussion. By running the ball as successfully and creatively as the Eagles were, it took the life out of the 49ers’ defense.
On top of almost doubling the average amount of rushing yards allowed by the 49ers, the Eagles scored all four of their touchdowns on the ground. The onslaught was too much for the 49ers as the Eagles came out with a 31-7 victory. The 31 points put up by the Eagles was only the third time this season the 49ers have allowed a team to score over 30.
Through two games this postseason, the Eagles’ offense is averaging 208 rushing yards a game and a 4.7 ypc average. Creativity in the running game has made them very hard to defend. While the Eagles have a talented quarterback, talented running backs, and a great offensive line, Steichen and head coach Nick Sirianni have their fingerprints all over this offense.
© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
The Colts are watching what the Eagles are doing on offense and have to love what they are seeing. General manager Chris Ballard would love for his team to set up the pass with the running game, something he feels helps teams win in the cold months of December and January. It is not hard to get excited thinking of the damage a healthy Jonathan Taylor and Zack Moss could do in a dynamic running scheme like this.
But as we know, one of the most important aspects for the next head coach of the Colts will be how they can help develop a young rookie quarterback. Steichen has worked with many successful quarterbacks over the years, with all crediting him in part for helping improve their game.
From 2016-2019, Steichen worked with Philip Rivers as the quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Chargers. Rivers threw for 17,824 yards, 116 touchdowns, and 63 interceptions while working with Steichen. Steichen was also the offensive coordinator for the Chargers in 2020 when Justin Herbert took over the starting role, helping lead him to 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
For the last two years, Steichen has been working with Hurts in Philadelphia. Hurts has gone from a project quarterback who many wondered if he could even start in NFL to an MVP candidate leading his team to a Super Bowl. Hurts threw for 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 15 games this season. He also added another 760 yards on the ground with 13 rushing touchdowns.
Steichen has always been able to get the most out of the quarterbacks he has worked with, tailoring the offense to their strengths and emphasizing what they do best. As a coach with proven success at multiple stops around the league, it is easy to see what makes him an attractive head coaching candidate. The Colts have certainly been impressed, and Steichen is considered one of the favorites for the job.
The last time the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl, the Colts hired their offensive coordinator to be their head coach. We will see if history repeats itself.
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