24 replies to this topic

[hambone35]

Well at the beginning of the season I was very hard on brown, and I do see he has speed plus I see its our o line. I like brown but I think Ballard was a sleeper pick who will get better I like his running and catching what do we do with brown let him go? Iam not sure, Ballard may end up a top notch back. What's your thoughts

[coltsfan1828]

I think for now they should continue to split carries. After this offseason, which hopefully bolsters our o-line we will see a definitive #1 back. I'm not sure how well AP or Arian Foster could run behind that line. That said I have been impressed with Ballard. I still want to see more out of Delone Carter.

[ALuck>RG3]

Beast without an o line

[JWF]

Solid player. Not sure if hes a starter down the road but def. a solid rotational guy.

[NewColtsFan]

I'm not sure any of us here knows just how good (or not so good) either Ballard or Brown really are.

Not trying to run behind this OL. As bad a run blocking OL as I've ever seen. Until we upgrade the OL it's not clear just how good our guys are. I think they'll be solid. Don't know if they'll be great.

I also think much of the very poor play we've saw from Luck today, and even in recent weeks despite our wins, is due to the very poor line in front of him. Between a poor running game, and frantically running for his life in the pocket, and constantly getting hit when he's not being sacked, I think that's why Luck has been as wildly inconsistent as I've ever seen him.

For a while today, I thought..... OK, who is this quarterback, he must be an impostor. Where is the ***real*** Andrew Luck?
Then, with less than 5:00 to go, the Real Deal showed up. Thank God!!

But, it all starts with the OL. Fix that and we'll all see what we want to see!

[INColts12]

I think he is a good back, but still needs to split it up

[Nobody]

I really like Brown's speed and Ballard's power (not to discount Ballard's speed, Brown is just really fast) complementing each other. I think either one could turn out to be very good once we fix the OL.

[Coltscodeblue]

Secretly put some stick'em on his hands for fumbles, been a while since he's had one but still makes me nervous when he goes into traffic, and if Colts had a bigger line next year to open holes up and he being 2nd year RB with young fresh legs, he'll be the permanent starter and D.Brown will be lucky to be kept and to play, need to use D.Brown like the Pats used K.Faulk all those years for out of the back field catching... Ballard was a good pick up in the draft, the only sort of a bust is Mr.Irrelevant, he's still on the practice squad I believe...

[Gavin]

Good potential, runs hard, shown that he is shifty as well, can catch passes out of the backfield and make something of those catches, May fit the Man Blocking scheme more maybe then any Back on our roster except Carter. Still makes me nervous every time I see him run with the ball I feel like he has a high potential to fumble but, With Brown coming up limping in the last game Ballard could see more and more carries. The rotation of Backs kinda hurts us in my opinion, our Backs may have hard time getting any rhythm or feel for the game but it does keep them fresh. If I picked the starter right now it would be Brown do to the quick scoring threat, I'd love to see what our running backs can do behind a real O Line especially Brown, I like Ballard but I see him as a Delone Carter type with less power even with the same fumbling issues, which Carter has not done this year, Anyway anyone really looks at it we wont know what our Backs real potential is until we get an O Line

[Gavin]

Secretly put some stick'em on his hands for fumbles, been a while since he's had one but still makes me nervous when he goes into traffic, and if Colts had a bigger line next year to open holes up and he being 2nd year RB with young fresh legs, he'll be the permanent starter and D.Brown will be lucky to be kept and to play, need to use D.Brown like the Pats used K.Faulk all those years for out of the back field catching... Ballard was a good pick up in the draft, the only sort of a bust is Mr.Irrelevant, he's still on the practice squad I believe...

Wouldn't say Harnish is a bust at all, its a good thing that we have not seen or heard from him in a long time now, thats really how it should be, Also its not been that long since Ballard fumbled actually (vs New England) it was just recovered by the Colts

[Superman]

Right now, he's easily our best, most well-rounded back. Even with the inconsistent line play. The first touchdown drive of the second half was masterful, and he did a fantastic job of fighting for yardage. Well deserved touchdown run, too.

We need to figure out a way to keep Brown involved offensively, though. He has speed and quickness, and is a big play waiting to happen. Some flat routes and such will get him touches in space, and he will also find the edge when it's there. But no question, Ballard is outplaying him right now. Many on this board expected that to be the case at this point in the season.

[Coltscodeblue]

I said sort of a bust, he is compaired to the other player, he didn't beat out D.Stanton and on the main team/squad, that's all I ment, geez! :}LOL
At least he's still there on the team, sort of, and no other team has picked him up...
To me and my busy schedule 2 games and 2 weeks "is called been a while" well for me at least! geez! :}LOL

[Gavin]

Right now, he's easily our best, most well-rounded back. Even with the inconsistent line play. The first touchdown drive of the second half was masterful, and he did a fantastic job of fighting for yardage. Well deserved touchdown run, too.

We need to figure out a way to keep Brown involved offensively, though. He has speed and quickness, and is a big play waiting to happen. Some flat routes and such will get him touches in space, and he will also find the edge when it's there. But no question, Ballard is outplaying him right now. Many on this board expected that to be the case at this point in the season.

I just dont see how you say no question about it view point because neither have had the chance to show what they can do behind our O Line (I only use the term O Line very loosely at this point). Brown is still averaging more ypc even with him being injured the last few weeks, Both only have 1 touchdown running this year. Ballard has had 19 more carries then Brown but only 51 more yards and Ballard has 1 more fumble then then Brown has had his whole career. Its a toss up to me especially because the Colts organization seem to write Brown off as being incapable of carrying the load at running back which I think if he had an NFL caliber O Line in front of him then he would be a nightmare for defenses to gameplan for week in and week out, None of this is to say I dont like Ballard or Carter because I certainly do and with our O Line being what it is I think Carter should get more carries but if we had an O Line I'd have to go with Brown, Another thought just occurred to me while typing this (random perhaps I know) Brown was drafted for our Zone Blocking we have had in years past so its possible he may not fit the scheme but I think he does, he is more of a 1 cut and go runner in my opinion

[Superman]

I just dont see how you say no question about it view point because neither have had the chance to show what they can do behind our O Line (I only use the term O Line very loosely at this point). Brown is still averaging more ypc even with him being injured the last few weeks, Both only have 1 touchdown running this year. Ballard has had 19 more carries then Brown but only 51 more yards and Ballard has 1 more fumble then then Brown has had his whole career. Its a toss up to me especially because the Colts organization seem to write Brown off as being incapable of carrying the load at running back which I think if he had an NFL caliber O Line in front of him then he would be a nightmare for defenses to gameplan for week in and week out, None of this is to say I dont like Ballard or Carter because I certainly do and with our O Line being what it is I think Carter should get more carries but if we had an O Line I'd have to go with Brown, Another thought just occurred to me while typing this (random perhaps I know) Brown was drafted for our Zone Blocking we have had in years past so its possible he may not fit the scheme but I think he does, he is more of a 1 cut and go runner in my opinion

I don't disagree with most of what you say. But I think Ballard is playing better than Brown right now, overall. Brown hasn't had a whole lot of opportunities since coming back from his injury, and that has a lot to do with his lack of production. Ballard hasn't been perfect, either. But, the opening touchdown drive in the third quarter is a perfect example of the flashes Ballard has shown. He took the game over on that drive, with the passing game inconsistent, and against a pretty physical defensive front.

I think Ballard's use right now is the right role for him. But I think Brown ought to be used in a variety of ways, ways that Arians hasn't made much use of all season long. Screens, flares, wheel routes, etc. Along with traditional run plays.

We have a decent tandem, especially when you add Carter back in. If Brown is healthy, and we use them all properly, we can have a dangerous attack. Even with the substandard line play.

[Captain Americolt]

Ballard could be a very good back for us in the future. We just need an o-line. We got man handled today, yet Ballard ran hard and continually got yards after contact. He also has some moves and shiftiness to him.

Arian Foster ran a 4.7 and didn't look very well in his pre-draft drills. Yet hes tough, has great vision, and catches the ball well, all just like Ballard. But Foster has an amazing o-line. That's why there really isn't a difference when Houston puts their 2nd RB in there.

[Gavin]

I don't disagree with most of what you say. But I think Ballard is playing better than Brown right now, overall. Brown hasn't had a whole lot of opportunities since coming back from his injury, and that has a lot to do with his lack of production. Ballard hasn't been perfect, either. But, the opening touchdown drive in the third quarter is a perfect example of the flashes Ballard has shown. He took the game over on that drive, with the passing game inconsistent, and against a pretty physical defensive front.

I think Ballard's use right now is the right role for him. But I think Brown ought to be used in a variety of ways, ways that Arians hasn't made much use of all season long. Screens, flares, wheel routes, etc. Along with traditional run plays.

We have a decent tandem, especially when you add Carter back in. If Brown is healthy, and we use them all properly, we can have a dangerous attack. Even with the substandard line play.

The only thing I disagree with is Brown having opurtunities to produce, because his highest amount of carries in a game this season he has had was 18 and that was pre injury at Jacksonville, I mean while guys who are considered the best runners in the game have gotten way more carries, he averages as many ypc as Foster, Trent Richardson, Darren Mcfadden, the difference is amount of carries. Im campaigning for Brown specifically I guess as much as I think he got the raw deal pre injury (even though I know such is life in the NFL)

[SteelCityColt]

I like both out RBs, though I think Ballard has been he more impressive of the 2 (Torpedo TD!), but they are getting limited carries.

[Gavin]

vs Jacksonville I mean

[Playmaker]

Uh how is a 7th rounder a bust!?
Ballard has been getting better, but I'm not convinced he can be the workhorse of this team.

[HireBruceArians]

I like both out RBs, though I think Ballard has been he more impressive of the 2 (Torpedo TD!), but they are getting limited carries.

That's the only problem I see. The only way to establish a dominant run game is to be patient and stick with it. Watch Houston, for example. Foster doesn't have that great of a YPC average, but he's 4th in rushing yards and 1st in rushing TD's. We give up on the run way too soon in games, IMO. 15 carries between our 2 backs isn't going to cut it. Luck is being asked to do too much right now (even though he's succeeded at it more times than not)

[TKnight85]

You can't really make evaluations yet till we get a line. But if I had to say, our RB's have done well even behind our terrible o-line

[lollygagger8]

I can't wait til we get a O-Line. Then this conversation will be, will the Ballard/Brown hit 1,000 each?

[corgi]

I can't wait til we get a O-Line. Then this conversation will be, will the Ballard/Brown hit 1,000 each?

Yeah you said it perfectly.

[Tark The Shark]

O-line, O-line, and more O-line.

And all the running to the left? When we ran it to the right, we actually got yardage.

Ballard is the big bruiser and pass blocks well, Brown is the shifty fast outside runner.

And it will be interesting without Justice or Reitz.

[oldunclemark]

Well at the beginning of the season I was very hard on brown, and I do see he has speed plus I see its our o line. I like brown but I think Ballard was a sleeper pick who will get better I like his running and catching what do we do with brown let him go? Iam not sure, Ballard may end up a top notch back. What's your thoughts

Neither he or Brown did much at Detroit...87 total rush yards...but we dont block good lines well...

Neither are toip notch but we are a passing team....Nobody's letting anybody go...