ColtStrong2013
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Posts posted by ColtStrong2013
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12 minutes ago, DougDew said:
The QB position is important, but its a tad bit overrated, because its starting to sound like you need a Michael Jordan at QB to win the SB. You could say that Mahomes is MJ, but SFs defense took a turn when Greenlaw went down.
If we had a better defense and offensive weapons around a limited Philip Rivers, we probably would have gone deeper into the playoffs. Not affixing blame for failure, just illustrating an example where you don't need an MJ.
San Francisco has lost how many conference championships/superbowls now in the modern era due to inferior qb play against the winner? How many non-elite qb’s can we actually point to as Super Bowl winners? Without checking myself, I know it’s not very many. It’s not an overrated position. There is no position like it in sports. Especially this era of football. Manning and Brady changed the game and the rules to elevate the current QB importance to where it is. It is what it is.
Had a rookie Pittman not dropped a touchdown in the 2nd half of the Bills game that playoff, we would have gone further. He’s never had a chance to redeem himself since because of mediocre to sub par qb play.
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Just now, Solid84 said:
I know and appreciate it's tough to win - with or without a QB. But, there are examples of winning without a QB because the rest of the roster is bang on target. I won't give Ballard a free pass because the Colts haven't figured out the QB situation (until now hopefully).
I don’t give him a free pass. I’m just not sure about knocking it all down and starting new like a lot of folks on here think is not only going to be better, but is necessary. I don’t think it’s either. It’s not necessary, last season showed that. And it absolutely would not guarantee better. Could be a lot worse. Hence, why I think we are spoiled. Our expectations are to be the best, and for a lot of organizations it’s really unreasonable. But it isn’t for us, because it’s come to be expected… -
8 minutes ago, Superman said:
His actual perspective is obviously much more aligned with what you want and expect. Which, by the way, is why the 'people are okay with these results' angle is so unnecessary. Every single person who follows the Colts, including the players, wants the Colts to have more success than we've seen recently. This talking point is silly.
you mean Chris Ballard does actually care to try to improve the team? 😂 -
Just now, Solid84 said:
It's fine you think you're spoiled, doesn't mean the rest of us agree we are.
that’s fine… but everyone else in the league knows how spoiled colts fans have been… It’s all I ever saw online. We went from one generational qb to the next with one year in between. And now we complain about being a play away from a division (ZERO DIVISION TITLES!! 😩 😭)an entire generation of new colts fans that didn’t experience much losing their entire childhoods/early adulthoods. Contrast that with the franchises that have sucked for decades… generations… I was pretty happy for the old guy at the Lions game they kept showing. That’s a true fan. Man- I can imagine how many folks on this forum would disappear if we lost the way that man stuck it out through.
To touch on all that a bit more, and I’m going to love it as much as the next guy, but New England is going through the same thing. It’s ok. I have high expectations too. There isn’t anything wrong with that. Trust me, the last several Falls/winter’s have been brutal in my house- my wife would attest.
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Just now, Solid84 said:
Actually this is what starts it down the wrong path:
If you call people spoiled you better expect backlash.
I’m fine with the backlash. I’ll argue it all day. We have been spoiled like none other. The only ones that don’t see it (throughout the entire league by the way) are the ones complaining about being average on the Colts.com forum.-
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6 minutes ago, stitches said:
Spoiled rotten for wanting more than 0 division titles, 2 playoff appearance and one playoff win in 7 years? Really? I guess I'm spoiled rotten. Good to know others are OK with that sort of results.
Am I taking crazy pills? What the hell are we talking about here?
“big on saying words, not big on delivering.”
Yeah, you are spoiled to the point of complaining about players on a forum board. Complaining about results, a year removed from a rookie head coach being one or two plays away from a division title with a backup qb… knowing that our top 5 freakish qb is going to start this season (the first time a qb has started consecutive seasons in our GM’s 8 year career.)
We are spoiled that most here don’t even recognize it. Look around the league. All you see is what you think we should be, and all I’m saying is it could (and probably should be) a lot worse. We haven’t had consecutive “bad” years in an entire generation of fans. Think about that, and then google what other fanbases have gone through. Seriously…
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8 minutes ago, stitches said:
not very big on actually delivering for those fans.
Lol. Colts fans have been spoiled rotten man... It's unreal.
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9 minutes ago, smittywerb said:
AR has a lot of pressure on him this upcoming year. Our future is really dependent upon if he has a good season. If he struggles and play the full season, I’d say hit the rebuild button. If he balls out, I’d say hit the win now button
I don't think everyone on this forum, nor in the organization feel that way. It's not this year or never. I can't imagine having that mentality with a guy that is basically a rookie under center. "if he doesn't play a full season, or struggles, hit the rebuild button." That's interesting...
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9 minutes ago, stitches said:
Luck retired in Ballard's 3d year... we are entering year 8 of his tenure. I think it's long been time to stop using the Luck retirement as an excuse. Sure, it was horribly timed, it was incredibly unlucky for Ballard... but A TON of time has passed since.
The Bengals have a new QB since Luck has retired and made the SB.
The 49ers have switched a few QBs since Luck retired and have made multiple SBs.
The Eagles have a new QB since Luck retired and have made the SB.
The Jaguars have a new QB since Luck retired and have won the division.
The Texans have a new QB since Luck retired and have won the division
We cannot keep getting back to that Luck thing.
i don’t disagree. We should have drafted a qb in 2020…
the 49ers and Eagles are the anomalies of that group. And you know what they both were focused on roster wise? dominating the trenches… the others had either a #1 draft pick (with similar rated qbs as Luck in Burrow and Lawrence) or draft (or lucked into- whichever way you want to look at it) CJ Stroud. We have a new qb too, he just tore his shoulder his rookie year. So we’ll see regarding qb…
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6 minutes ago, stitches said:
TY was drafted in the 3d... in the year he picked Luck in the 1st. He used one of his best remaining picks for TY. And then followed hitting on TY with picks of WRs in the 3d and the 1st in 2014 and 2015 and he picked up Andre Johnson as one of his big vet acquisitions.
Please don't make me defend Grigson... it pains me more than you can imagine. Yes, I agree with most everything - this post was not meant as a defense of Grigson... It was meant as an example for how investing in the most important positions(in 2024, not in 1984) and hitting big on them can mask a lot of bad decisions and how hitting on the least important positions don't really bring you much of anything besides mediocrity. Yeah, we hit on a RB and guard and linebacker(a few of them actually)... and 4th round run-stuffing DT, and what did we get for that? How does that translate to wins on the field? Well... it translates into what we see nowadays... mediocrity and an incredibly boring team.
I know when he was picked. What I stated was not incorrect. Ballard has 3 receivers on roster that were drafter higher than TY was. And they don’t have Luck throwing them the ball… I remember how TY looked wide open when Wentz was overthrowing him the ball with the playoffs on the line,all too well.
im not sure you can defend him man. the argument you are trying to make is not one I’m going to ever agree with. He did nothing that Ballard hasn’t done. He paired an explosive receiver with a generational qb. 👏. He already had Reggie Wayne on roster… If it weren’t for Robert Mathis on roster, he would have had worse edge rushers than Ballard has. If it weren’t for Castonzo already on roster, his offensive line (somehow) would have been even worse. The only good pick he made past 2012 in my opinion was Ryan Kelly, and it was far too late for that.
I understand the hitting on positions of lesser importance. What is Ballard supposed to do? Not draft those positions? I understand the Nelson pick being highlighted. But he got three 2nd round picks (and put a few to good use) to work with in addition to Nelson… At the end of the day, he didn’t luck (no pun intended) to the Andrew Luck sweepstakes and a roster with premium positions filled… He inherited a broken Luck and trash roster. What he’s done in 8 years should be more impressive than what Grigson did with Andrew Luck carrying the team. But for some reason, people cry over the difference in record… as if it’s that far apart and those wins actually resulted in anything.
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4 minutes ago, stitches said:
You guys know I'm Grigson biggest critic here. But you know what I would never crush him for - pursuing the right positions with top picks(Trent Richardson aside...). Grigson got TY Hilton. NONE of the receivers Ballard has gotten even sniff the impact TY had for this team. Grigson got Vontae Davis(rest in peace) for a second. NONE of the secondary players Ballard has ever gotten even sniff the impact Vontae had for this team. He also tried addressing other top tier positions with high picks - picked another receiver in the 1st and one more in the 3d in the years immediately AFTER he hit on TY Hilton, picked EDGE rusher in the 1st... Now... those didn't work... like almost all of his picks and he was truly awful evaluator of talent and deservedly got ousted... but can you just how important hitting homerun on FEW players at the most important positions is, compared to consistently hitting singles and doubles on the least important positions in football? Grigson pretty much hit big on 3 players in his entire tenure and those 3 players dragged his Colts teams to more wins and playoff appearances than anything master drafter and player evaluator Ballard has done so far.
You say that he pursued the right positions with top picks, but TY was not a top pick. Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs and Michael Pittman were all drafted higher than TY. Three of those are still on roster, and while they are no TY Hilton, I think we all know what TY had that those three have not...
He picked an edge rusher that did absolutely nothing. Guess what? Ballard picked a 1st round edge that at least has produced and still has opportunity to grow on this team. Again, Grigson didn't have to target the "right positions" because he already had them filled when he stepped into this role. In fact, I would argue that had anyone but Grigson been GM, we would have experienced much greater success. He was that bad... His first day on the job, he walked up to the best punter in the league and a fan favorite and told him right to his face he would cut him, but Irsay wouldn't allow it. Those are facts. He was bad and he was a *. It's a large reason why I cringe at the thought of firing Ballard and potentially hiring Ryan Grigson. He was awful. The only year that Ballard had Luck, he won a playoff game. That told me everything to know about Grigson's success... Free-rider on the coattails of #12. Sure, he tried. Man, did he try. He just sucked at it...
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1 minute ago, DougDew said:
Sure. He may be sold that AR is the savior and we are close this season. I don't think he thought that with Wentz or Ryan years though. He may have thought that with Rivers, when he signed Funchess.
He's never been opposed to bringing in players, IMO. But there hasn't been a real flurry like other teams have been doing lately. And I think the landscape has changed since 2018/2019. I expect him to make more splashes once AR shows to be the guy.
If AR shows to be the guy, I’m not sure they’ll change their approach at all. I really don’t know that it will happen. Maybe one splash at a key position, especially if it’s lacking. I just don’t see us engaging in “flurries” like you refer to. Regardless of who is general manager here. Irsay lived through being pushy on that once and it backfired.-
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8 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:
His big thing is that there’s a lot of misses and bad contracts handed out in FA, but you’re probably more likely to miss in the draft. We see 1st round picks flame out all the time
Considering our last gm couldn’t hit in either, I’m ok with our current route… I think people forget how bad some of the deals Grigson pulled were. He inherited Robert Mathis, Reggie Wayne, Castonzo, and the #1 no brainer Andrew Luck pick. That’s 4 positions that Ballard has struggled to replace. All inherited by the last gm. The free agency contracts he dished out to try and piece an o-line together (when he had the left tackle already set) and failed miserably. His drafts past 2012 were brutal. We think our secondary is bad now, go watch the home opener against Detroit 2016. I was there and it was embarrassing. Andrew Luck had nearly 400 yards and 4 touchdowns and we still lost. -
10 minutes ago, DougDew said:
Great post.
That's when you sign the FAs to put your team over the top during a window of opportunity. Despite what many have thought about the roster I don't think Ballard has ever believed the Colts were ever close enough to make that splash, and that's why he has never done it so far. Its not because its not in his DNA, as others boldly say. JMO.
Would you have considered Hunter to be a splash? because he certainly tried. I don’t know if it’s so much as not being close as not being able to bring them in… -
20 minutes ago, Indeee said:
Guys like you miss the point. You always do
yeah. I’m not sure you have a valid point… carry on -
15 minutes ago, Indeee said:
And you intentionally left out where I said it was purely subjective, meaning that there would always be a few, you included who will mention players you are biased towards. I will give you Luck as I clearly forgot to list him. So, 3 players in 8 years that would move the needle.
Newsflash. Nelson, Braden Smith or Glover is NOT recognized on a national front in the likes of the NFL elite. As an example, NOT once have I ever heard Smith's name outside of a local market or fan base forum.
Guys like you miss the point. You always do, so it's no surprise that what I say is considered a ramble. As you clearly did exactly what I said you would do and asked you not to in my ramble.
TAKE OUT THE BIAS AND EXCUSES. < I capped and bolded this as clearly you cannot or choose not to follow along as you used "shuffling of QBs" and players whom you are biased towards in your rebuttal.
Nelson isn’t rated as elite in the national front? LOL. He’s been all-pro far more than not (that’s the definition of elite brother). Braden Smith has drawn a top 15 (of all tackles) rating by pff. We actually scored a top 10 duo tackle rating last year prior to Smith’s lingering injury issues. Grover’s run stop win rate was ranked 3rd in the league. So I believe you are the own showing bias to keep pounding your narrative that doesn’t mean anything… -
7 minutes ago, Indeee said:
Sorry, that went over your head.
it didn’t go over my head at all.. I just said it was weird, because it is. -
8 minutes ago, Indeee said:
When speaking of this roster and NFL rosters in general, all are pretty good as the guys that make it to the NFL are elite players. The difference lies in the achievements by said players and when and how those achievements are listed or viewed by all in the NFL landscape.
This Colt's group as a whole has not consistently measured up over the last 8 years and that is the issue. This team will shine and beat teams that are perennial top dogs every season then turn around and lose to lesser opponents or to division rivals in key moments.
When speaking of the individual accolades, no player on this team outside of Taylor carries any Superstar Mantra in their resume and even his light has somewhat diminished. Leonard was heading there before he got hurt, but it was at a position that doesn't move the fan needle. Pittman is a very good, borderline great possession receiver; however, he gets lost in the likes of a Hill, Jefferson, etc. as his mantra doesn't move the needle.
Media and NFL fans gravitate to the big-name players and especially the ones who make HUGE NFL impact plays or whom are part of NFL teams that have had huge success which is wins/losses/championships. Indy has none of that for now 8 years.
Maybe 2 players that were considered Impact players, and maybe one if AR pans out. Think about that? In 8 years. Now that is subjective, however you have to take out the Colts bias that exists within this forum to do so. Nobody mentions these Colts players when speaking of the elite NFL players. No one outside of Indy and even then, it's hard-pressed.
Then throw in the team's success with winning reg season games/playoffs/championships. It's a barren cupboard and has been a middle of the road team stuck on average for that entire 8 years.
So, in conclusion ask yourself this: Taking the bias, small step analogies, and excuses out of the equation; Can you honestly look at this team under Ballard and say it has been successful in any facet to date? Success being measured in wins/losses and player talent recognized at the highest levels?
So here we are again within a "Ballard Off-Season". I'm siding with @Restinpeacesweetchloe on this one, even though she should be siding with me as I've been saying this now for years..Ha!! This roster is not good enough. Not now. Not in the last 8 years.
And I'm siding with all the others who are finally waking up to understanding that Ballard is a constant right lane tortoise with this Colts team. Slow and steady, taking in the sights while the rest of the league are hares who mostly speeds right by in the outer lanes. So far, this tortoise and hare story is very different from the one Ballard is clinging to I'm afraid and I firmly believe it is time to join the hares however doing do would mean we would have to change our driver.
You lost me entirely when you omitted Quenton Nelson as an impact player from your rambling.
By all accounts, Quenton, Braden Smith, JT, Grover all are towards the top of their positions and considered impact players. They have all been dramatically missed when not on the field. Pittman as well. What has been missing is consistent qb play. Ballard had 2 years of it with Andrew and Phil Rivers.
Yes, I can honestly say, without bias, when factoring in the quarterback shuffling, they have been relatively successful from a winning standpoint... Andrew Luck carried far worse rosters to a couple winning seasons... When teams led by Carson Wentz and Gardner Minshew are a play or two away from a division title/playoffs, it's a far better roster than you will ever give credit to.Your tortoise and hare talk is just weird.
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5 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:
11 will win the South.
it’s a race to 12 then. -
5 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:
Those players are on my list because they’re all up for contracts soon. Kelly’s in the last year of his deal. Nelson is a UFA in 2027, same for Pittman. Smith is a UFA in 2026. I know he brought everyone back this time but the question is will he be able to again? Especially if AR and Raiman work out. My point is what will this team look like in 2-3 years? How long does Kelly really want to play. Same with Nelson. We’ve seen players play for 9-10 years and then retire more frequently now.
In 2-3 years if we hit on AR and Rainman, this time will not be able to bring everyone back even if they want to stay. We could have needs at OL, corner, and Edge just like we did in 2017. This is a team that could be rebuilding in a few years. Even if AR works out, say in 2027 you’ve extended him and Raiman. Who will really be left who is likely to still be playing at a high level? And would Irsay trust Ballard for another “rebuild” even if we have the QB and LT this time? I think so but only if he’s made and won a few playoff games. Basically he needs to be Mike Tomlin.
in 2-3 years if we hit on AR and Raimann, we’re going to have a few very expensive players to pay… Which puts an even greater emphasis on drafting well and not making mistakes with large free agent contracts. There has to be talent coming through the pipeline on a consistent basis. Stacking drafts, per se. Ballard has drafted o-line and d-line every single draft since he’s been here. That won’t stop.
also- Mike Tomlin is a coach…
and I’m not sure why people are still so obsessed with Tomlin. The Steelers have had “winning seasons” since he’s been there, but most of their fans will tell you how frustrating the last decade has been. They are 3-8 in the playoffs since losing the Super Bowl in the 2010 season. 5 straight losses.
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14 hours ago, DougDew said:
Ballard said before that he didn't want to drop below an ability to get an elite player...by trading down to even 12 in 2018...so he has a view that there could be bright lines in the talent pool. (Even if he was talking about just one player, there is still a bright line between him and the others), Other pundits. maybe even last year, said there was a drop off at about pick 20 and the talent was basically the same until pick 40. Other years they say that there may not be 32 first round quality guys in the draft, and other years it runs into the mid thirties. I'm less of a junior GM than many here, and just going by what I read, there are many pundits over many years who seem to strike bight lines.
This season, if the talent pool strikes a line at about pick 12 or 13, I'd hate to be at pick 15. I'd rather be at 25 or 8
a lot of people don’t seem to know this or never read that comment by Ballard. He called them “premium players,” and in 2018 they identified 8 non-qb players as premium. His definition of a premium player was something like a player that teams were game planning against on Monday and Tuesday…so if there are roughly 8 non qb premium players each draft, then you are right about wanting to not be at 15. And I would put my money on a trade back at this point knowing this. I don’t see him trading up, at all. I may be entirely wrong on that, but it seems like they are doing due diligence on certain players projected top 10 in the event they fall to us (Odunze specifically), but also well represented at pro-days of players like Adonai Mitchell in the later part of the 1st round. When I do a mock draft, I rarely sit put at 15, just to see what kind of picks are thrown out and options it leads to (even though I know the mocks are not accurate.)
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1 minute ago, New Zealands #1 Colts Fan said:
smug poo
smug who? -
28 minutes ago, ColtStrong2013 said:
Hence the first sentence and second to last sentence of my post… You said the roster is good aside from the secondary, no? I asked if the secondary is improved, both in additions and more development from the current group, and this team has success this fall, will you say the process is not working?
you have a wild way of side-stepping questions…
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7 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:
If you had actually read what I said I also the secondary is so bad it might not matter how good the offense is.
Hence the first sentence and second to last sentence of my post… You said the roster is good aside from the secondary, no? I asked if the secondary is improved, both in additions and more development from the current group, and this team has success this fall, will you say the process is not working?
you have a wild way of side-stepping questions…
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Colts offseason discussion / Ballard Grievances (merge)
in Colts Football
Posted
And what continues to be the big elephant in the room? The one you downplayed in the prior post? who was under center… Grigson had pressure to build a Super Bowl caliber team around Andrew luck and he failed miserably. I don’t think it’s far off to say the 2019-2021 roster with Andrew Luck under center could have been Super Bowl caliber. They were a hell of a lot better than what he had under Grigson.