[Reminder: We beat the Chiefs this year.]

It only means on any given Sunday, any team can win.  10-6 Giants beat the 18-0 Patriots in SB.

[Is it too soon?]

I know he came in with a great deal of fanfare, but has Chris Ballard been a significant upgrade from Grigson? Just asking.

[The total picture: Where are the Colts lacking]

10 hours ago, Four2itus said:

It's hard to be objective, when so many things are going wrong. Each thing that goes wrong, can affect other aspects of the game. As we all know, lack of front four pressure affects the back seven...and so on. 

 

It is obvious that the Colts are playing poorly in many facets of their game. Also, different facets have let the team down at different times during the season.  There is much wrong. There is also a great deal of depth being forced into play and could be quite beneficial down the road. 

 

So, here is a list.........and have a go at discussing the order of what is struggling the worst currently...

 

QB

Special teams returning

Special teams kicking

offensive line

Defensive line

Secondary

WR's

TE's

RB's

Offensive playcalling

Defensive playcalling

 

 

[Colts rebuild finish is still a couple of years away]

Rebuilding in the era of free agency is never finished.

[Moving on Is Jacoby a temporary fix? Are do we search for a new franchise QB for the future?]

 I think JB will be a serviceable if not above average replacement.  I also think that Frank Reich will get as much out of him as can be expected. My concern is the defense. It’s interesting that the loss of Luck will put more strain on the defense than the offense.

[Colts fans, a prayer for the less fortunate]

Best quote that ever was and will be on this site.

[Credit To The Jags Defense Today/Humbled (merge)]

I have a suggestion for Reich and staff. Instead of reviewing film of this game, look at film of Patriots.

[How long until we have a legit defense?]

You can get all the horses (pun intended), but unless they can be effective in a system that leverages their skills, the search for a legit D will continue. Sorry, with few exceptions  Pats & Bellichik have consistently capitalized on the talent they draft or acquire.  They draft and acquire players who fit their schemes, and that makes them better players.

[I do not like Luck as receiver]

7 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I thought it was cool, hey we got a 1st down 

Great, do you get the risk/reward concept?

 

1 hour ago, csmopar said:

Oh yeah we are. Sorry but this is one of those situations where it's going to come up . Sending Luck out there is too much of a gamble

 

[Looks like the defense has regressed back to normal]

 The problem with the defense goes back further  than Pagano.   It feels just like the Peyton Manning years when it fell on the offense to cover the deficiencies of the defense. The reason we won the Super Bowl was our defense played way over their heads. The next year they settled into a run-of-the-mill defense and all those Peyton Manning years were wasted, with only one Super Bowl win to show. It’s starting to feel the same way with Luck.  How many teams can boast getting two such quality quarterbacks back to back? It would be criminal to look back over 21 plus years and have one SB win with those two QBs.

[Looks like the defense has regressed back to normal]

8 minutes ago, pgt_rob said:

The defense isn't great. It is a step up from Pagano years, though. It does seem like any QB can pass on our defense. We don't have any top tier players on defense at all except for maybe Leonard. We don't have a pass rush and we don't have a shutdown CB. That's a recipe for getting thrown on and allowing wide open receivers. 

 

[Too Many Holes]

I admire your optimism, I just don't share it.  Luck isn't anything close to what he once was, and if you recall, everyone, and I mean everyone including media, coach, GM and owner pinned their hope for success in 2018-19 on Luck's return.  Defense has no pass rush, was shredded again by  a rookie QB with no more than average receivers, and our receivers and backs cannot catch.  Sorry, I was, am and always will be a Colts fan, I just also need to be a realist.

[Too Many Holes]

Sorry but consistently "shooting yourself in the foot" is a euphemism for a bad football team with too many holes to fill.  Good teams don't shoot themselves in the foot, they shoot the other team's foot.

[Too Many Holes]

Your eyes did not deceive you.  The Colts are a bad football team that lost to another bad football team with a rookie QB.  The idea that we could be competitive simply with the return of Luck is now a myth.  There are simply too many holes to fill on this team and it will take years to fill them.  

[Frank Reich Wants Better Balance On Offense]

Memo to FR:  DEFENSE.

[Ho Hum]

Another long season of looking for the positives in games lost and games narrowly won.

[Irsay]

7 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

"What was he doing in the locker room?" Simple answer, he's the owner and is in the locker room after every home game.

I guess you just missed the point.  That's ok.  

[Irsay]

What was he doing in the locker room?  I've never been a Pagano fan but that was Pagano's moment.  Irsay was  vapid and unconvincing in his comments.  I'm guessing everyone in that room knew he was trying to come across as a caring owner but it just didn't work.  He detracted from the class and heart that Pagano showed.  Go with Godspeed Chuck, my fellow cancer survivor.

[Ready for what]

I've heard it all.  When asked why he did not have the team ready to play, Coach says "I don't know".  That said aside from "fighting and staying together" he had no answer to the most obvious and telling question he got.  I said it before, and I'll say it again, if I keep telling my boss it's my fault for any screw ups, how long would the boss keep me around? We are going on 3-4 years of the same routine.  Can't Blame Grigson or Ballard if Irsay is the boss willing to accept incompetence at this level.

[Luck will be practicing this week (merge)]

Just now, tfunky14 said:

Wake up ED, Luck is practicing this week.

I did wake up.  Practicing is not playing and what if he reports a problem? And what do you expect if he does get to play, a miraculous turn around?

[Luck will be practicing this week (merge)]

So here we are entering week 5 and still no clear indication of when or IF AL will return.  In the off season preparation you mean to tell me that with all the precautions Irsay was taking he didn't know the extent of Luck's incapacity?  Talking to the "docs" everyday?  So what happens predictably, in desperation Irsay pulls the trigger on deal to bring in Brisset one week before the start of the season! No knock on Brisset who may in the long term may be the answer to #2 behind AL, but why couldn't Pagano or our new "Genius" Ballard see Tolzien or Walker weren't  capable starters?  Walker had some good pre-season moments but the anointed starter Tolzien was awful.  It's plain to see now we don't have the Horses, but what's worse we don't have a competent  jockey or trainers either.

[Looking for answers]

Now there's an interesting  and novel excuse, dark blue uniforms contributed to the time of possession disadvantage.  Pagano would blame that on himself or would he blame the equipment manager?

[Looking for answers]

16 hours ago, Superman said:

 

Time of possession wasn't as bad as I thought it was, only 25/35. Any disadvantage hurts, of course, especially when you're wearing dark blue in 90 degree heat. 

 

They definitely failed to establish any rhythm, and something that's probably lost in the TOP stat is that the defense didn't get a chance to rest for very long, almost ever. Our offensive possessions were all so short, and then the Rams went up tempo at times, so the defense did get worn out more than the TOP indicates.

 

[Looking for answers]

Does anyone believe Luck's return will turn the ship around to the point we are in SB contention?

Was Sunday an anomaly or are we as bad as it looked?

Is it inferior talent or bad coaching/preparation on all levels? Both?

Since Pagano started, he pretty much blames every loss on himself.  How many of us would keep a job if with every mistake we make we freely admitted we were at fault?

Like me, was everyone fooled with an 11-5 team in 2012, thinking we had the talent to get to the next level?

 

 

[Mike & Mike Comments On The Colts First Game]

2 hours ago, King Colt said:

Greene: "The Colts are a high school team. "

              "They have the worst roster."   

              "We knew they would be awful."  

              "The issue is not the quarterback but the players around him."       

Golich:  "The Colts are the worst team in the NFL."

              "46 to 9 and it wasn't that close."

Jeff Saturday: "That was as ugly as I have seen. It could get really ugly if they don't find a way to stop somebody."

Louis Riddick: "Their defense has been inept for years. It is a remake of the previous regime. It's all on Luck's shoulders." 

 

I'll add Golich and Riddick did not rule out sitting Luck for the season and I have advocated this as well. As long as the Colts are dazed and confused keep Luck out and go for a high draft pick next year 

So here we go. Is it coaching or is it talent?  Half the team is made up of Ballard/Pagano  choices.  So let's say we preserve Luck from the debacle of a porous O-line and we get #1 next year, then what?  Is Ballard/Pagano going to clean house again and if so do we trust them?  Getting a little ahead of myself, but yesterday wasn't just  ugly.... it was amateurish.  Does anyone believe this game is an anomaly and that starting next week we will be competitive?  I don't.