Gardner Minshew Shares His Mentality Ahead of the Final Playoff Push

admin | December 21, 2023 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew seems laser-focused on the job at hand.

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 is still on their schedule and where they may improve their chances of making the playoffs. But that can also be very dangerous, as looking ahead may lead to ignoring the current opponent and suffering a loss.

The Indianapolis Colts find themselves in the thick of an AFC playoff race. The Colts are currently the conference’s seventh seed, but they are also tied for first place in the AFC South division. With the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans both dealing with quarterback injuries, Indy could win the division 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 just concerned with his current opponent, the Atlanta Falcons.

“We’ve just got to get ready for Atlanta, man,” Minshew said on Wednesday. “That’s all there is to it. You can only win one game a week and this is an opportunity we won’t be able to get back, so we had to prepare like it’s the last, most important game we got. I think that’s how we are going to handle it.”

The Colts have won five of their last six games to reach to this point. Minshew has played a role in all of this, helping to stabilize the offense when rookie Anthony Richardson suffered 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.

“I think there is definitely a certain sense of confidence, of optimism,” Minshew said. “We kind of expect no matter what happens in the game, we will be able to figure it out. That seems like a wonderful 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 apparent 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 scored 30 unanswered points to seal the win.

The Colts’ comeback was all the more stunning since they did it without their finest players.Jonathan Taylor was declared out of the game before it began.Michael Pittman Jr. and Zack Moss were injured and had to leave the game. But Minshew remained calm, assuring his comrades that they will complete the task.

“I think you have to believe in yourself for others to believe in you,” Minshew stated. “There’s no way to disguise it, you kind of need to get in there with it or without it. “I just try to bring confidence, leadership, and help in any way I can.”

What the Colts have accomplished this season without their starting quarterback is rather impressive. After Richardson went down, few people gave the Colts a chance. However, the squad is on the verge of entering the playoffs for the first time since 2020, thanks in large part to Minshew’s ability to keep the offense afloat.

“I think just (Minshew’s) presence being here — seasoned presence,” Steichen said when asked what he enjoys about the quarterback. “Obviously, he’s spent a significant amount of time in this league.” I’m going to beat a dead horse here, but the preparation that he puts in is tremendous. His demeanor with his teammates, on the practice field, and in the locker room. Then, of course, on game day, he plays with a lot of confidence, which is fantastic.

“That’s what you want in a quarterback.” Like I said, every time he gets on the field – that’s what you want in a quarterback, you want that confidence and you want that quarterback who is going to give us a chance to win every time we step out there.”

Minshew has not been without flaws. Turnovers have plagued him at times, as the veteran quarterback has eight interceptions and eight fumbles on the year. Minshew has even been the main reason the Colts have lost a game 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.

“I think that’s special at the quarterback position,” Steichen admits. “You’ve got to have that mindset, no matter what happens, because you’re going to go out there and pull the trigger in clutch situations.” Third down, obviously, standing in the pocket and executing throws to players with guys barreling down on you. 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 pointed out. “You can’t let those things hang around.” You really have to show up each play with a new mindset, ready to take on what’s coming from across the ball.”

Minshew is carrying that same attitude into this weekend’s game against the Falcons. The Falcons’ defense provides a hard test, ranking seventh in the NFL in scoring (19.9 points/game) and pass defense (199.5 yards/game). A.J. Terrell at cornerback and Jessie Bates III at safety are two of the top performers in 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. This season, backup quarterbacks have done a lot throughout the NFL, but Minshew isn’t concerned. He is completely focused on winning this weekend.

“I’m just trying to help us win,” acknowledged Minshew. “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 to the playoffs and even win the AFC South, the legend of Minshew Mania will reach new heights.