Jeff Saturday, unfortunately, knows how players can handle the disappointment that comes with a sudden, frustrating end to a season.
The Colts Ring of Honor member joined Jeffrey Gorman, Larra Overton and JJ Stankevitz on the Colts Official Podcast presented by WynnBet this week to offer his thoughts on what will come next for players as they digest that disappointment and turn their focus to making sure they don't feel like this ever again.
"A lot of self-reflection," Saturday said. "You got to look at yourself — what did I do well and what did I do poorly this season? What areas can I fix on myself? I'm a leader of this football team, what areas or needs of improvement to I check? I can make it as small as small as this, when I was a player, I would find one thing and I would (have a) fine focus on that.
"If it was, I want to improve my back block when the guard away from me is going to pull, my reach technique, my hand placement, I would get that detailed. I was going to work on that all offseason to make sure next year that would not be an area that I needed to improve. And then you take it a next step to accountability — there has to be an accountably each player on this team assumes, and when you get called to the carpet, you'r ready to step up and do your part."
Listen to the pod crew's full conversation with Jeff Saturday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
The sting of the Colts' Week 18 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars may linger for a little while, but Saturday said the best thing the team can do is flush it and turn their focus to 2022.
"The worst part is, everybody understands they have their part of blame to shoulder and this was one of those games where it was an epic failure," Saturday said "You look at yourself as a football team and go, how in the world did we give one up to get in the playoffs to a team that's going to have the first pick in the draft? You just kick yourself for missed opportunities.
"But the reality is, after a week, you got to let it go and it's time to build for the 2022 team. And I think that's the best way to get rid of something like that is try to move on and begin to get yourself ready for the following season. There's no other way — I wish it were easier, I wish there were a better answer, a sexier answer, but the bottom line is it just takes work and the faster you get back to work and try to improve yourself the better off you'll be of letting that one fall away from you."
Saturday, on the Colts Official Podcast, also offered his perspective on:
- Carson Wentz's 2021 season
- The Colts' run vs. pass balance
- How the Colts are viewed nationally after losing to Jacksonville
- What to watch for in the NFL Playoffs
- How Peyton Manning approaches the "Manning Cast"
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