10 Things I think I think part deaux

[Warhorse]

I will just say thanks ahead of time for being reminded that this is after only one preseason game. I may be on the wrong side of the century march, but I can at least remember that.

# - The change is evident...top to bottom. The Colts are officially a different team. We have a new demeanor and identity. No matter the wins and losses, we are embarked on a new era.

# - I cannot remember a Colt team that was prepared for the preseason from the top of the roster to the bottom. Almost to a man, when the subs came in, the game still flowed. None of that time out to avoid the costly mistake. These guys are coached up and have bought in. THAT is fresh and welcomed.

# - I really like seeing the 5/2 defensive front and then a change to the 4/3. This rotation looks relentless. I expect to see some DT's to be high fiving this season. Manusky has a great vision of using the d-lineman individually in the way that suits them best! How refreshing. (BTW, see my first installment of 10 things and read #2.....I was dead wrong, and several posters pointed that out quite accurately)

# - I see a lot of weapons available to Aluck for the quick strike, move the chains outlet pass. Not to mention the fact that Avery is still in the wings. Was that a FB I saw executing for us! Our WR corps are better than last year. Health will be the key.

# - Name a RB, they all produced. Its a wonder what strong weight room attention, a commitment to blocking, and some fiery OL can do for the running game.

# - We are flat out larger. Just watch the Colts file out of the locker room. Were not just a little bigger...we are significantly bigger.

# - I loved how as soon as the coach was asked at halftime what he wanted to see in his players in the second half, he instantly said, "Finish"...."I want to see them finish the game". He didn't even hesitate. That is because the man has conviction. No, I was not a fan that put down the previous staff for their quiet demeanor. Pagano had a very controlled and subtle demeanor on the sidelines, but when he was asked, you could see the determination in his face.

# - Someone has been drilling the team with tackling techniques, because I didn't see those "almost had them for a small gain" misses like we had quite often when guys went for the highlight hit. I also didn't see 2 LB's getting hauled 6 yards by one RB, which I can remember. (This is not meant to demean the past, but to bring light to the improvements)

# - I see a young QB who possesses an agile, strong body, a bright football mind(listened to his dad talk today on Sirius and I get it), and who appears to be poised to lead our team for years to come. It's almost as if I can't say it out-loud for fear it will go away.

# - Our GM has done an incredible job of being handed a cap mess, a cupboard of expensive aging players, a fairly entitled fanbase, and the responsibility of turning it around quickly.....and bringing us a product that we can get behind.

Again, these are my opinions, and I am not naive to the significance of a preseason game. I don't need to filter what I saw with my own eyes......we are a new team headed in a great direction.

[HungarianColtsFan]

I agree with Your points. The organization made huge efforts to reanimate the "dead horse" and they've done it. There are still some things to improve, but it was only the first game in the preseason, there are 3 more games to mend shortcomings, and I'm sure coaching staff is busy with it.

Still I wouldn't pose high expectations toward the team this season. It isn't our turn...yet.

[NewColtsFan]

Nice post, Warhorse....

I clicked the "Like This' tab.... if I could click it many, many more times and have it count, I would.

A job very well done by you! Thumbs up!

[JoKeR]

I was wondering about a 5-2 before the preseason and I like how it doesn't give the runner anywhere to go.

[Balzer40]

# - I loved how as soon as the coach was asked at halftime what he wanted to see in his players in the second half, he instantly said, "Finish"...."I want to see them finish the game". He didn't even hesitate. That is because the man has conviction. No, I was not a fan that put down the previous staff for their quiet demeanor. Pagano had a very controlled and subtle demeanor on the sidelines, but when he was asked, you could see the determination in his face.

This I believe is going to be the biggest and best difference this season. I was one of the one's blasting the old coaching staff. Most just said I wanted somebody that yelled and screamed at the players and that just wasn't true. I just wanted a staff that knew what the heck they were doing because it was abundantly obvious the old staff didn't. After Caldwell and Co. were fired I said Pagano would be a perfect fit and luckily for me(and all Colts fans) that is exactly what happened. We'll see how it works over the long haul, but I sure like the results so far.

[ztboiler]

This I believe is going to be the biggest and best difference this season. I was one of the one's blasting the old coaching staff. Most just said I wanted somebody that yelled and screamed at the players and that just wasn't true. I just wanted a staff that knew what the heck they were doing because it was abundantly obvious the old staff didn't. After Caldwell and Co. were fired I said Pagano would be a perfect fit and luckily for me(and all Colts fans) that is exactly what happened. We'll see how it works over the long haul, but I sure like the results so far.

I don't agree that the old staff didn't know what they are doing - no staff that has been to a Superbowl can be shackled with that - but I completely agree that every team has a right fit with style and approach. I don't think that Peyton ever tried to "coach" the team, but when your best player has such a driven, detailed approach and pushes everyone to be better in such an involved way it is a unique dynamic and requires the right coaching staff. Dungy and Caldwell were probably the ideal leaders to pair with Peyton. You can have a lot of alpha personalities, but you can only have one true alpha male in the room at a time. To his credit, Peyton was going to drive whatever ship he was on to great success....and that is likely to continue in Denver. It is also why he probably had to be so careful to choose the right environment as a free agent. Best of all time in my book - yep I love the guy - but the dynamics of productivity between people are complicated. Jordan needed Phil Jackson as well.

[ruksak]

Top shelf post, Warhorse.

After what we've been through, this debut was a pleasant surprise and just what was needed to gel our fanbase together again.

[GoDeep]

Nice post.

I was VERY pleasantly surprised Sunday. The future of this team is bright!

[Balzer40]

I don't agree that the old staff didn't know what they are doing - no staff that has been to a Superbowl can be shackled with that - but I completely agree that every team has a right fit with style and approach. I don't think that Peyton ever tried to "coach" the team, but when your best player has such a driven, detailed approach and pushes everyone to be better in such an involved way it is a unique dynamic and requires the right coaching staff. Dungy and Caldwell were probably the ideal leaders to pair with Peyton. You can have a lot of alpha personalities, but you can only have one true alpha male in the room at a time. To his credit, Peyton was going to drive whatever ship he was on to great success....and that is likely to continue in Denver. It is also why he probably had to be so careful to choose the right environment as a free agent. Best of all time in my book - yep I love the guy - but the dynamics of productivity between people are complicated. Jordan needed Phil Jackson as well.

Well, I don't want to get into a long debate about a coaching staff that is no longer here, but I'll just say that I completely disagree that they knew what they were doing. I just can't give them the credit for the superbowl and I don't give all the credit to Manning either. It IMO was just that they team had quite a few veterans that knew what their job was and of course, it didn't hurt that they had the greatest QB of all time leading them.

It became very clear last yr. that the staff were in way over their heads. Still tried to run the team like Manning was still the QB and never made the right adjustments to help the players that were in desperate need for some leadership and direction. A good coach would have realized that things needed to be changed up when your best player and clear leader is out for the season, yet the old staff never adjusted at all and IMO it was because they had no idea what to do. Like I said though, That era is over with(thank God) and we no longer need to worry about it.

[TKnight24]

Agreed, we definitely looked Different. Got off to a slow start, but once we settled in.... we we're unstoppable

[coltsfanmilyman]

To add to your points Warhorse, I was very skeptical of the offensive line throughout camp and even during the start of the game, the first couple of series with luck had me really nervous, but it seemed to me that the third series there was more cohesiveness to them. By no means am I saying that they will be the best offensive line this year but the final drive gave me reason to hope. Considering that this was the first pre-season game of the new look colts I think that the building blocks are there. I would venture to say that by the end of the pre-season the offensive line will be leaps and bounds better. Again not saying that they wont give up sacks because I know that wont happen but I am alot more confident in what the coaching staff can do as well as the line but that is just my perspective.