Coming off a pair of losses and facing consecutive games against unbeaten teams, the Colts held a players-only meeting last week to emphasize the need to refocus.
The Indianapolis Star reports leaders in the locker room decided something had to be done as the relationship between coach Chuck Pagano's staff and general manager Ryan Grigson's front office grew increasingly strained.
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Players speaking on condition of anonymity told the Star their primary concern was the perception that the front office was making lineup decisions rather than the coaches — an issue that dates to last season.
The Colts subsequently lost, 29-26, at Carolina on Monday night, their third straight defeat by a touchdown or less. The following day, the team fired offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, a move the Star said "stunned" many players.
Hamilton's replacement, Rob Chudzinski, now faces the task of dealing with a 7-0 Broncos team Sunday that boasts the best scoring defense (16 points per game) and total defense (261.1 yards per game) in the NFL.
The players' hope with the meeting was to ensure those in the locker room remain focused on what they can control on the field, while doing their best to shut out the distractions swirling throughout the organization. The 3-5 Colts remain in first place in the toothless AFC South.
