Lawrence Owen
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Posts posted by Lawrence Owen
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2 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
That is what you wrote?
No, you didn’t.
You wrote that we owe thanks to Josh McDaniels for hiring ME as if JM knew who Eberflus was and wanted him. That’s not true. The truth is totally different. The thanks for ME belongs to Chris Ballard, not Josh McDaniels.
As for Frank Reich... I give credit to him for being smart enough not to reject those coaches the Colts had already hired. If Frank had insisted on hiring “his own guys” it likely would have led to not getting the head coaching job he long wanted. This was his best shot at a HC job and he grabbed it. I was glad when we hired FR and I’m even happier today. Reich’s been a great Ballard hire. But I don’t think he had much choice in those three hires. Reich played it smart. Props to him.
Here is my source.
"After speaking to and essentially getting hired by McDaniels, the former Cowboys assistant left Dallas for the defensive coordinator role in Indianapolis.
Then Eberflus was spurned along with the rest of the Colts franchise when the McDaniels made a last-minute decision to remain in Foxborough. There was no bitterness, Eberflus told Peter King of MMQB.com on Wednesday."
"Social media reports can hardly be taken as gospel, however this particular source is going to be hard to refute. First reported a month ago by 105.3 The Fan’s Mike Fisher, Matt Eberflus has been in line to be named defensive coordinator whenever and wherever Josh McDaniels landed as a head coach."
When i do research, I go beyond just the Colts circle. I go into other teams articles as well. It just seems more thorough.
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3 hours ago, throwing BBZ said:
A nice piece for anyone that hasn't followed the season.
A person could have followed the entire season and not been able to pick up on some things and put them together. That week 7 was what physicist's dealing in time/space would call a "Fixed moment in time". So many things converged at that point of the season, and the perfect time, to flip the script of the defense. Had they not had the meeting, had the schedule right after been the toughest stretch, Had they waited for the meeting until after week 9. It was as I said, fortuitous.
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26 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:
Seriously?
Week 16 and YOU STILL DONT KNOW THE STORY OF HOW WE HIRED MATT EBERFLUS? Really?
If I had one dollar for every time I’ve written this story I’d retire to Hawaii right now.
Again.......
The person who found Matt Eberflus was Chris Ballard. They met at some NFL event several years ago and CB was hugely impressed. They became good friends. Ballard said when he became a GM he wanted to hire ME as his DC.
Josh McDaniel couldn’t pick Matt Eberflus out of a police lineup! Hello!
When Ballard hired JM he told him about the type of defense he wanted and that he wanted to hire ME to run it. McDaniels didn’t care as much about that side of the ball and said great. As the head coach JM made the call to hire ME. But it was not because he knew him and wanted him... it’s because Ballard (his new boss) knew him and wanted him. So McDaniels made the call. A formality.
Is this really the first time you’ve read this story? Really?
That's a formality as you said. The fact that Josh hired him, and the other two, left the next day. Then when Reich was hired, he decided to keep all three and work with them IMO is the real story. No fuss, no muss. He walked in and decided he'd work with who Josh already hired, (all three) and fill in the staff around what was already there. He could have made a stinker about wanting 'his 'guys', but did not. He did research on them, after already knowing of them from his time the NFL, and decided to keep them that is IMO the biggest decision of import here. So that is what I wrote.
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4 hours ago, CR91 said:
Games with the pats or steelers always scare me for the obvious reasons, but trap games scare me the most and we've already fell victim to one (still can't believe we lost to Cody flipping Kessler
) This game in no means guarantees us anything, but a loss basically ends any chance we have left. We need to bury the giants quickly. We need to do what we've done the last two games, contain the run and force the QB to beat us. Eli is not like Watson and Prescott however. He is not going to move around. He is going to sit in the pocket so the key is to collapse it. We need to get to Eli early and often. As for offense, Giants run defense is ranked one of the worst, so I expect to see a lot of Mack in this game as well as hines working on their lackluster LB corp
Ogletree might be out, if he is that is great news. a very opportunistic linebacker. OBJ still has yet to practice this week. But Sheppard is a quality receiver as well. It all really does hinge on stopping Barkley. Eli is a slinger though. DB's will need to be watching him, because he'll throw into the tightest off spaces hoping his WR wins the match-up. Could be some easy INT's there if our front 7 keeps constant pressure on him.
I didn't to a breakdown of this game, because the votes on twitter told me to do the defensive write-up.
FYI, i don't see this as a trap game. Trap games imply a game a team overlook's. They won't overlook because it is imperative they win out these last two games.
Elliot Harrison said it best:
"This could get gnarly awfully fast. ---- If Odell Beckham Jr. is absent again, Big Blue will be in 0-17 trouble again."
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Special Thank You to @Steamboat_Shaun for the edit.
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1 hour ago, Tsarquise said:
Pretty sure Mcdaniels didn't hire Sirianni
Good catch,...i would edit, but unable to now.
Mike Phair the DL coach was the 3rd. My apologies.
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15 minutes ago, DrLuck said:
Thanks for posting this. Just something I would like more of, not necessarily advice, but maybe focus on individual players and how they fit in the scheme and how they have grown etc.
I could have, but man this was already long..lol. Perhaps the next one I write will be more about player scheme fit.
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25 minutes ago, coltsfanej said:
Well written. I don't post a whole lot on the forum but I do come here daily to read some insights of fellow Colts fans. And I have found that some here can write and analyze football as good or better than many analysts that do it for a living.
Appreciate your words. It is a goal of mine to write about the Colts for a living. But being a small media market, and I don't have a lot of material to produce right now for a resume', it is more of a dream.
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Alright, so, normally at this time I would write about this upcoming game. But I posted a poll on Twitter asking which should I do this week.
#1 Do my normal breakdown this week of the game against the New York Giants?
#2 Breakdown the evolution of how this defense has turned around since week 7?
Seems right now there is a 60% lean towards #2, So here it is.The turn around on this defense has many parts, and it didn't start week 7. Nor did it start in the preseason, or even the draft. No this started when Cris Ballard signed Josh McDaniels. (Yeah him)
When Ballard sign McDaniels, The then current head coach for a day hired some assistants. Dave DeGuglielmo (Guj), Mike Phair, and Matt Eberflus, to name a few. The last one is one we're going to need to remember here.
The Very next day Josh McDaniels left Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts at the alter -so to speak- and retracted the engagement. Forcing Ballard to look elsewhere while having these coaches already on the payroll.
Ballard then hired Frank Reich, and in their combined wisdom decided to keep the previously hired assistants. This is a big deal down the stretch.
Now I'm not going to go into detail over the Free Agency, or the draft. That is a different story, but let's just say Ballard, Reich, and Eberflus got the guys for their scheme, and who fit the type of players on and off the field they wanted.
Through training camp and preseason, they got a look at how the scheme and the players worked together, but they never really got a great look because they were basically facing each other every day. Even preseason games were not often 1's vrs 1's. Mostly guys fighting to win a spot on the 53 man roster. Basically coaches weeding out guys who don't put enough effort in and don't fit their mold.Jump to the regular season.
To begin the season, the Colts now have fourteen 1st year players, 10 second year players, a rookie head coach, rookie offensive coordinater, and a rookie defensive co-ordinater. With an entirely new scheme, that this team (for the most part) has never used. And all these new players, and new coaches have yet to see play against real starting opponents an entire game. Needless to say, even though they had been around each other for a few months, they really did not know each others strength's and weakness' vs. another teams players/coaching.
The first couple weeks go by, and we saw this team perform at high and low's. There was obvious mistakes. Rookie mistakes, scheme mistakes, and coaching mistakes. A lot of this due to the fact that the new players and coaches had yet to really feel each other out.
The run defense up to this point was pretty good though. For the most part (other than 1 hiccup against New England) This defense was holding RB's to less than 4 YPC, and getting to the QB's with a lot of stunts, and other schemed play for the defensive line. But Eberflus was sticking to his guns about only wanting to rush 4. Being the least blitzing defense in the NFL to this point.
Then the Jet's game happened week 6. This defense made a rookie QB who had been struggling for the most part, up until then, look like a seasoned pro. He went 24/30 280 yards and 2 TD's. This was the last straw for the Colts leaders in the locker room.
The Colts leaders on the field, and the locker room, held a player's only meeting after that game. None of the players have came out and said exactly what was talked about, but it obviously had an effect on how this team has prepared and played the rest of the season.
The timing of this meeting was also fortuitous. Because, while the players were discussing how to be better professionals on the field, Matt Eberflus now had 6 weeks of watching game film and seeing his players at work. He had a better feel for the strength's and weakness' of his players, and could better scheme for them. And make play call's that would put his players into favorable positions. This also had given these rookies time now to adjust to the speed of the NFL. They were better equipped to react faster and with more confidence in their decisions.
The next week was the opening chapter for this new and improved defense,..and it showed. The Bills are not a powerhouse by any means, but to hold a season veteran QB (granted it was Derek Anderson) to 20/31 175 total yards, 3 int's and 0 TD's, is a good step to take.
Remember when I said the timing of the meeting was fortuitous? There was another reason for it. The next few weeks this team would be playing a couple of the weaker offenses in the NFL stat wise. This was absolutely imperative. This allowed the players to fully buy into the new scheme, get used to it, and just play on reaction rather than having to think. They kept doing well, gaining confidence after each win.
Then the first REAL test came for this new, confident defense. The Titans came to Indy. This is a team with a really good run game and a mobile QB. Eberflus also had noticed the previous couple games that his front 4 was not providing the pressure he wanted on a consistent basis He decided to go against his grain in this game, and bring a few more blitzes than normal to try to get pressure on Mariota. Boy did it work! And it worked two fold. Not only did the defense end that game with 5 sacks, they knocked Mariota out of the game. Making Gabbert finish at QB. The defense ended up allowing a measly total of 203 yards passing, 1 TD and 2 Ints. While the run D continued to do it's job, giving up just 71 yards to the RB's.
The blitzing not only allowed the defense to get pressure, but it allowed the DB's to jump on ball's. They did not have to watch their assigned receivers run entire routes. They could watch the QB now, knowing he was under pressure and wanted to dump it faster than he wanted. This allows DB's to watch and react, rather than follow their assignments all over the field, and tiring them out as the game went on. Because of the two fold bonus of the added blitzes, Eberflus has now penciled them in as a regular staple to his defensive scheme.
The games continued to get tough, and more demanding week to week. The Texans, then the Cowboys. But now Eberflus knew his players. Players bought into this new scheme.Together, he began calling plays, and they were executing these plays with the confidence in each other that was lacking at the beginning of the season.
They just capped off their last win with perhaps the best defensive game of the season,..blanking the hottest team in the NFL. Right before that, going to the hottest team prior, the 9-win streak Texans. Beating them in their own house.
The zone defensive scheme depends on that front seven's ability to create pressure on the QB, and stop the run. And through 9 months of a step by step process, and a few learning bumps on the way, they are now doing it. The Indianapolis Colts have became the #1 defense since that players meeting, after the Jets game week 6.(Special Thank You to my wonderful wife Kim. For proof-reading and editing for me)
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If they had know Luck, T.Y. Kelly, and the biggest IMO, Leonard would get snubbed for the probowl,..it may have been +20.
They going to leave The Giants on the field like :
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3 hours ago, richard pallo said:
Nick Siaranni just said that he saw a lot of talent in Marlon Mack. He said he reminded him a little bit of Jamaal Charles. Nice comp. for sure. But so far in year two he is no Jamaal Charles. One game does not make him a star RB.
Where do you get 1 game? He has played extremely well in 5 games this year. And against (at the time) 3 top 5 run defenses. (Jets, Bills, Cowboys)
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9 hours ago, aaron11 said:
the simplest way for me to put this is id like to see us higher than 20th in team rushing. mack isnt getting us there, someone like bell or another more consistent back could do that
Then you are blaming the wrong person. That is Reich calling more passing plays than running plays.
This makes no sense to think that having Bell will MAKE Reich call more running plays. He calls plays due to what the opposing defense is showing, and the current feel of the game. Not because of who is carrying the rock.
When called upon, Mack has delivered. There is no evidence anywhere that suggests Bell would carry the ball any better than Mack. The only argument you had was you thought Mack did not have the Durability to have more than 15 carries a game. The cowboys 27 carries proved that wrong. And as a matter of fact, When Mack has at-least 15 carries a game, the Colts are 5-0 this year.
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1 hour ago, braveheartcolt said:
Lawrence, I don't drive and I certainly don't have a truck, so I am puzzled at your response. Oh, and I never said we would win a play-off game, I inferred that if our fans want to see more respect from the media, that is what they need to do......
I am very pleased with progress this year, no matter how it ends. If the 'conceded' tie v the Texans stops us getting in, that will be my only real disappointment.
I'm sorry, if you're not American you may not know the idiom. It means hold on, you are getting ahead of yourself.
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2 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:
I did not realize Skip Bayless had a brother
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I just went and looked. Indy is 5-0 When Mack gets 15 or more carries in a game this year. That says a lot.
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2 hours ago, braveheartcolt said:
Kyle Brandt on GMFB is all over the Colts. Plenty respect if you look around. NFL Gameday are also generous in their praise. We need to cut out the 'poor little old us'.....and scoring 0 vs Jax quite righty made some analysts skeptical.
Win at least one play off game this season and we will get the respect some of you are expecting.
You might want to back your truck up just a little.
I like your enthusiasm, but we're not in the playoff's yet. It is quite possible we win out, go 10-6, and still not get in. I'm not betting the Steelers beat N.O. AND the Ravens beat the chargers, but it is possible.
Now, I still think If we win out we should have a ton of respect even if we don't make the playoffs...10-6 is a heck of a lot better than 4-12. And I would still Be pleased with the Colts, where they are and where they are heading if they even went 9-7. We are already past where 90% of the odd's makers said we'd be before the season started. And I've seen plenty to be very pleased and optimistic about the very near future of this team.
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22 minutes ago, jameszeigler834 said:
NFL is trying to cripple this defense they random drug tested Leonard after the game.
He's been drug tested multiple times this year
And to the topic,...yes he will. He already has more tackles than anyone from last year.
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1 minute ago, richard pallo said:
He can see the Jets cap space too. Also the Browns. He just wants to get paid what he's worth. Once he's a FA the market will dictate his worth and he will pick his team. Who knows maybe the Jets offer him 17m and we offer him 16m and he chooses us. Maybe we pay him 15m but with more guaranteed money than anyone else. It's not black and white you know. Everyone loves Ballard so let him work it out if he thinks Bell is the playmaker we need. He said himself any FA signing has to be a win for the player and the team. Trying to say that signing him is going to hurt our chances of building a SB team for years to come is just silly. I don't buy that reasoning at all. I think Ballard knows how to plan for the future.
Oh, i'm a Ballard truster. I just not sold he'll sign Bell for that kind of $$. Not with what he's preached. I think if Ballard brings him in, see's his character and works him out. (still need to do that after such a big drop in YPC his last year) and likes what he sees, He may give him a proposal. Whether Bell likes it or not, or if Ballard & Bell can come to an agreement on $$ remains to be seen.
I am just saying that I like Mack as our main RB. I think he's done pretty good considering. 8th in the NFL in yards /game, and 6th in YPC for RB's over 150 carries is good production.
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52 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:
We are actually getting alot of respect today from the media in general but it took a game like this to get everyone's attention. Alot of the talk is still what Dallas didn't do instead of what we did.
yeah, i've noticed that also. Not a lot of credit. It's like they are saying the Cowboys came to Indiana and took a 3 hour nap.
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Just now, BOTT said:
He should have hung up
I actually tweet Mack asking if he would answer or let it go to voice mail when Deion said he'd call him yesterday. I never got a reply....lol
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Deion Sanders gives Marlon Mack a call the day after Mack breaks loose on the Dallas Defense.
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1 minute ago, richard pallo said:
10-12 mil? He turned down more than that from the Steelers.
Exactly my point. I'd not spend 17+mil on any RB. Some people seem to think because of the interest he's shown in coming to the Colts, he settle for a lot less. I don't think so myself, I just think he see's our cap space and thinks he can cash in.
If he'd sign for 10-12 mil, then it would show he actually wants to be here, and not hurt the Colts build a team that has a chance to be super bowl contenders for years to come. (I just don't think he would).
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3 minutes ago, BOTT said:
The colts face a lot of 8 man boxes because they play more 2&3 tight end formations than anyone in the league.....so it's not really a "stacked box" Mack is facing.
Those are short yardage formations though. Not really meant to break big gains. So still to average that with those formation is impressive.
If we had a 2nd stud WR, we'd be able to spread the defense out more..have less big bodies on the defense and Mack would have more open space to run. Still say a big time WR is a better way to go.
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1 minute ago, aaron11 said:
bell could be that target, the free agent WR market never has anyone special
im not even worried about cap space when we have 120 million that has to be spent soon. there is plenty to bring in bell or anyone else
After all the resigning (and holding some back for next year's resigning on 3rd year players) ,there will be enough for maybe 3 big free agent signings. I just don't know if Ballard will even go big. I hope he can grab a couple with lower $$ than they want,..but it would be a good buy if he can. I', in on Bell if he can get him in the 10-12 mil range...but not more than that.
) This game in no means guarantees us anything, but a loss basically ends any chance we have left. We need to bury the giants quickly. We need to do what we've done the last two games, contain the run and force the QB to beat us. Eli is not like Watson and Prescott however. He is not going to move around. He is going to sit in the pocket so the key is to collapse it. We need to get to Eli early and often. As for offense, Giants run defense is ranked one of the worst, so I expect to see a lot of Mack in this game as well as hines working on their lackluster LB corp
Trading Jacoby Brissett in 2019
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I don't understand what the issue would be to offer him good back-up QB $. Let him make his own mind. I am pretty sure he sees what is going on here, and would probably like to be a part of it.
I read somewhere that he is really active in meeting also, giving insight, and suggestions. He might be willing to continue this role, and be a security blanket on the side for a fair wage.