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14-2 Or 9-7?


bleevit

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We've seen all there is to see from our potential starters.  Having said that there are likely scenarios for the current Colts.  As much as I hate to jump on any bandwagon, the deciding factor will likely be the O-line.  Given that we haven't seen much from Frank Gore yet, I do believe his presence will stop some teams from just pinning their ears back and rushing Andrew.  Conversely, the strength of the passing game should provide Frank with some highly desirable defensive boxes.  Both of these things will help the O-line.  They need it.  I do not care who you are it is difficult to step in as a first year tackle in this league and have success.  Go Jack.  If Herremans has a decent year, it should help Mewhort some.  The rest of the middle of the O-line is just okay.  Some tight end blocking will help.  14-2 could be there.  On the negative side, if Andrew spends the year running for his life, or heaven forbid gets injured; and they can't get any holes for Gore, then 9-7 might look good.

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We've seen all there is to see from our potential starters. Having said that there are likely scenarios for the current Colts. As much as I hate to jump on any bandwagon, the deciding factor will likely be the O-line. Given that we haven't seen much from Frank Gore yet, I do believe his presence will stop some teams from just pinning their ears back and rushing Andrew. Conversely, the strength of the passing game should provide Frank with some highly desirable defensive boxes. Both of these things will help the O-line. They need it. I do not care who you are it is difficult to step in as a first year tackle in this league and have success. Go Jack. If Herremans has a decent year, it should help Mewhort some. The rest of the middle of the O-line is just okay. Some tight end blocking will help. 14-2 could be there. On the negative side, if Andrew spends the year running for his life, or heaven forbid gets injured; and they can't get any holes for Gore, then 9-7 might look good.

Not sure where you've been the last 3 years but he's been running since he came to Indianapolis and each year it's been 11-5

So how is it possible that with arguably his Best supporting cast since he arrived here that we'll even possibly go 9-7 when patchwork rosters from the past 3 years went 11-5?

Please explain, cause I'm not understanding this thread

:scratch:

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Not sure where you've been the last 3 years but he's been running since he came to Indianapolis and each year it's been 11-5

So how is it possible that with arguably his Best supporting cast since he arrived here that we'll even possibly go 9-7 when patchwork rosters from the past 3 years went 11-5?

Please explain, cause I'm not understanding this thread

:scratch:

 

 With better QB play by our opponents, is it Possible we could lose a game in our division?? That`s a Big Homer Naaaaaaa!

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We're in a better position than any contender in the league. If we sweep the Jags and Titans, we probably only need to go 6-6 in the other games to win the division and get a home playoff game.

If we have Super Bowl aspirations we need a bye. 12-4 to get it, probably.

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Can't tell anything from our pre-season games. Just guessing, I think the Colts fall somewhere between 11 - 5 or 10 - 6. That's about the same as last couple of years, but other teams I've seen got noticeably better.

Other teams also have serious injuries or suspensions that we don't have *Knocks on every piece of wood in a 2000 mile radius*

Jets & Bills both have suspended stars on their defense when we face them

Panthers will be without K. Benjamin which makes Vontae's night much better

:flyingelvis: are potentially fielding the weakest team they've ever fielded in the Andrew Luck Era

Our division..... well, you know

We have a very favorable year ahead of us if all the puzzle pieces fall into place

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Half a dozen of one, six of the other. The split is between 9-7 & 14-2. That's around 11.5 games on the W side. With that in mind, I do think the Colts have a much better shot at the 11/12 game mark, than 9/10. Too many positives added this year to not align that way. Not overly concerned with the OL from a point of status. You have a decent running game to offset that. The real test of the season resides in the middle. Many playoff contenders. It's extremely important this year to acquire "home-field advantage", IMO. That takes place in the 1st half of the season. I've always sided with the premise of this line of thinking. Considering the schedule, I'm not at all shy about declaring the Colts to go 12-4. Just as others have posted, 13-3 & 14-2 might occur, just not likely.

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I thin it all comes down to injuries.  The fewer the more wins, the more the less wins.  Sure, that's a no brainer, but I think our depth is so thin that we'll be even worse off than most other teams should we get a rash of injuries.  I also think the AFC East could FEAST on us in a bad way.  I think they will be MUCH improved across the board and our O-Line is going to be tested mightily those first two weeks.  We could easily start 0-2 again, though Buffalo will have to have a ferocious running game as they have a weak QB no matter who starts.  I also think Atlanta is going to be a tough out.  I could see us finishing 4-4 against those two divisions. I think we'll lose an AFC South game this year making us 5-1. So at 9-5, we need to beat Pittsburgh and Denver, which is possible.  But splitting those means 10-6, winning our division, hosting a wild card game likely against an AFC North team, then losing once again to New England at their place either in the second round or championship.  It just looks like same old, same old.   Bad o-line.  Bad d-line.  Next year, with our new coaches and a more mature Anderson and Parry and Mewhort, we might finally get over the top;  Of course we'll be playing NFC North and AFC West as well as the Patriots, the AFC North winner and it will be a struggle to best 11-5 that year too.  Or maybe we go undefeated and win it all.  How's that for a hedge. 

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Contrary to popular belief, the O line was in the top third of the league in giving up the least QB sacks.

 

Some of that has to do with Andrew's ability to scramble.  But by the same token, some of the sacks were due to Andrew holding the ball longer in order to make a big play.  However, Luck was hit way too many times and that has to be addressed.

 

The first team O Line did pretty well in the preseason in pass protection outside of the couple Mewhort plays.  It did very well in pass protection against a great Rams D line.

 

As far as the record, I'm looking forward to 1-0.

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Half a dozen of one, six of the other. The split is between 9-7 & 14-2. That's around 11.5 games on the W side. With that in mind, I do think the Colts have a much better shot at the 11/12 game mark, than 9/10. Too many positives added this year to not align that way. Not overly concerned with the OL from a point of status. You have a decent running game to offset that. The real test of the season resides in the middle. Many playoff contenders. It's extremely important this year to acquire "home-field advantage", IMO. That takes place in the 1st half of the season. I've always sided with the premise of this line of thinking. Considering the schedule, I'm not at all shy about declaring the Colts to go 12-4. Just as others have posted, 13-3 & 14-2 might occur, just not likely.

Problem is since Luck has arrived, Colts always lose a game they should win and win one they should lose. So are those 2 games the difference in us going 11-5 instead of 12-4? Or 12-4 instead of 13-3?

Find out on the next episode of DragonBall Z!

:peek:

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If we can run the football against good defenses well enough that they have to respect the run, this is a 13+ win type of team (as long we can avoid big injury losses - Luck, Castonzo, and maybe Davis jump to mind as the guys who we're pretty much screwed without for an extended period). Last year we were not able to do that It remains to be seen if we will be able to this year. Our running back situation with Gore/Herron/Robinson is better than last year's Richardson/Bradshaw/Herron. With our offensive line I'm not sure where we stand compared to last year. Castonzo should be just as good or marginally better, Mewhort should be a least somewhat of an upgrade over an injured Cherilus... The inside 3, I'm just really not sure how well they will play. 

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Problem is since Luck has arrived, Colts always lose a game they should win and win one they should lose. So are those 2 games the difference in us going 11-5 instead of 12-4? Or 12-4 instead of 13-3?

Find out on the next episode of DragonBall Z!

:peek:

Yeah, TKnight24. That is exactly aligned with my opinion. The Colts should, emphasis "should", win those games this year given the additions/changes on both sides of the ball. Pretty sure the organization has learned the "winnable" games can be just the opposite if the effort isn't there. Injuries are always the concern of every team, especially playoff caliber ones. Here's hoping that they're limited in every fashion this sesason. So yeah, we _have to win_ those games for home field to apply, IMO.

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A Rookie

A Washed Up QB

2nd Year QB

That's better QB play from the division?

:funny:

 

Hoyer is washed up? I don't think that he knows that. Besides when the Colts has a rookie QB and the next year a second year QB, they did pretty well. I don't think 6-0 is a given in our division any more.

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Hoyer is washed up? I don't think that he knows that. Besides when the Colts has a rookie QB and the next year a second year QB, they did pretty well. I don't think 6-0 is a given in our division any more.

I personally think the Texans will be a fight to the death as they typically are. And, the Titans could present challenges with Mariotta getting better and more experienced by the week and LeBeau's revamped defense. 4-2 could be realistic within the division.

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Not sure where you've been the last 3 years but he's been running since he came to Indianapolis and each year it's been 11-5

So how is it possible that with arguably his Best supporting cast since he arrived here that we'll even possibly go 9-7 when patchwork rosters from the past 3 years went 11-5?

Please explain, cause I'm not understanding this thread

:scratch:

Where I have been is watching every single game.  A play here and fumble there and each of those seasons were 9-7.  Just sayin'.

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I'll tell you who I was quite impressed with the past week- New England's defense (across the board). I think the talent they had continues to develop and they continue to find pieces that really work well together. That backup QB Garapolo (sp?) also played well. I don't view these guys as "Weaker".

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Where I have been is watching every single game.  A play here and fumble there and each of those seasons were 9-7.  Just sayin'.

 

Don't worry, TKnight rarely actually watches the Colts, and has admitted as much.

 

Better football team does not always equate to more wins. This season could be tougher than many realize.

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Hoyer is washed up? I don't think that he knows that. Besides when the Colts has a rookie QB and the next year a second year QB, they did pretty well. I don't think 6-0 is a given in our division any more.

I agree.  I saw Bortles the other day and since he went to "quarterback school" in the off season his delivery is markedly improved and looked very sharp the other day.  With the type of D that Houston plays, a good solid game manager is sufficient to make them at least competitive.  I gotta think Wilfork and Clowney will make them tougher than ever.  The Titans?  Probably should sweep.

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We've seen all there is to see from our potential starters. Having said that there are likely scenarios for the current Colts. As much as I hate to jump on any bandwagon, the deciding factor will likely be the O-line. Given that we haven't seen much from Frank Gore yet, I do believe his presence will stop some teams from just pinning their ears back and rushing Andrew. Conversely, the strength of the passing game should provide Frank with some highly desirable defensive boxes. Both of these things will help the O-line. They need it. I do not care who you are it is difficult to step in as a first year tackle in this league and have success. Go Jack. If Herremans has a decent year, it should help Mewhort some. The rest of the middle of the O-line is just okay. Some tight end blocking will help. 14-2 could be there. On the negative side, if Andrew spends the year running for his life, or heaven forbid gets injured; and they can't get any holes for Gore, then 9-7 might look good.

If the O-line dictates our season, we should be 11-5, minimally. We've never had an O-line since Luck's been taking snaps under center and we've done relatively well. I think the additions of AJ, Gore, and Dorsett offset some of our O-line woes. Plus, I think the line is slightly better than its ever been with these guys getting another year to play together.

I actually think the progression of the Colts is directly proportional to the progression of one, Mr. Andrew Luck. If he can continue to make incremental progress, with the addition of all of these new shiny toys on offense, we should be able to outscore a Pittsburgh, Dallas, Green Bay, Seattle, or New England.

I say 12-4

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