Jim Caldwell Fired: Why Dismissing Coach Was Right Move for Colts' Future

Jim Caldwell had a lot of excuses working in his favor this season.

Peyton Manning was out for the season after two neck surgeries. The Indianapolis Colts front office hadn't done much to significantly improve the squad in the offseason, including finding a replacement for Manning. In a way, Caldwell was blindsided.

Nonetheless, in the end, Caldwell didn't get it done. He not only didn't get it done, the Colts went a deplorable 2-14 and were arguably the worst team in the NFL.

That led to Caldwell's firing on Tuesday.

You knew the offense would drop. After all, you don't lose Manning and have everything be just fine. But what really bothered me was that the defense also took a turn for the worse, marking putridity across the board.

Let's be honest: The Colts have never had the most impressive defense. However, they gave up 26.9 points per game this season, including a whopping 62 points to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

The Colts weren't just bad, they were horrible.

This was Caldwell's first stint as a head coach. Fair or unfair, you don't get a lot of leeway when you are given a shot in the NFL. You either produce or you're yanked.

What the Colts need now more than ever is an experienced coach who has a history of helping struggling teams rise from the ashes. They also need a coach who can work with soon-to-be No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck.

According to John Clayton of ESPN, the Colts were considering pairing Caldwell with Steve Spagnuolo, making Spagnuolo the new defensive coordinator.

However, it appears they are headed in a different direction, possibly because Spagnuolo has become so coveted throughout the league—with the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings all potentially in the mix.

In that sense, the Colts may feel like they need to grab the best head coach available, instead of adding someone to help Caldwell.

Caldwell had some good seasons with the Colts, but you are judged the most when the chips are down and you need to step up, regardless of the circumstances. Caldwell didn't do this, and it paves the way for the next man in charge.