[We need to fix the offensive line ASAP! (merge)]

I think now is the perfect time for the Colts to experiment.  What is the changes of the Colts losing every game and the Titans winning every game?  You can pretty much give the Colts the division.  So why not try to shake something up.  Because it stands right now, the Colts will get waxed by anyone the play in the playoffs.   So why not try Holmes at Center.  Give the ball to Rodgers more.  Maybe sign a veteran WR to use as a safety.  Right now they have to think how do they do well in the playoffs, not next week.

[DHB at RB (merge)]

I know this is far fetched.  It is too bad to waste such talent on a player, but DHB simply cannot catch footballs on a consistent basis.  I remember years ago the Chargers drafted a TE named Rod Bernstein in the first round.  He has a TE bust, but after some years they made him a RB and he was decent.  DHB is build like a RB.  It would be interesting to see if someone gave him a shot to run the ball.  His hand/eye coordination is just off.

[Andrew is holding onto the ball far too long.]

I completely agree.  The OLine is bad but Luck is holding the ball forever.  It seems rarely does he make a quick read and fire it. Now, maybe nobody is getting open in that time.  But he has to fire that ball out quicker.

[Ranting thread: Titans at Colts .]

What I think is funny is how if AC gives up a sack he is called a Right Tackle.  Almost like no tackle can ever give up a sack.  I think the expectation of our fans is Mathis gets 3 sacks a game but we never give up any.  The interior of the line is what gets me.  And Luck never getting rid of the ball.

[Ranting thread: Titans at Colts .]

Luck has the worst offensive line in NFL history.  But, in all fairness, Luck has to get rid of the ball.  He takes WAY too long to get rid of the ball.

[players I dont expect back next year]

The unfortunate thing with Brown is that if we don't resign him, I expect he will go to a team that has an offensive line and flourish.  If Andre Brown can do that in NY, imagine what Donald Brown could do.

[Colts uniform and/or logo change.]

This comes up about every two months.  I pray the Colts never change their uniforms.  I can't stand the Oregon uniforms.  What do you they have, 10 different versions?  I live in Boise where every year they uniform changes.  It is all about making money.  The teams start to look like billboards.

 

I love the Colts uniforms.  As long as Jim Irsay is owner I don't see that happening because he is a traditionalist.

[The reasons for the poor starts IMO]

I guess I would sum it up like this.  We can't run block, pass block, pass the ball, run the ball, stop the run, stop the pass, return kicks, or stop the other team from getting returns.  Our coaching staff making questionable calls.  Other than those things, we are all set.

[Chris Rainey will takeover Kick Return duties]

I hope for the best with Rainey, but we have to be honest.  If you look at the kickoffs Reed was getting, there were usually 3-4 defenders meeting him at the 15 yard line.  There is simply no running space.  I think Reed sucks overall, but I will be surprised if Rainey can do much better with the blocking he is getting.

[Fleener In Red Zone]

I'm surprised Fleener isn't used more, especially in the red zone.  I am not saying he is as good a TE, but he has about the same size as Gronkowski.  So when we are in the red zone, it would seem sending Fleener on a post up or the seems against a 5'11" safety/corner would be a good idea.  I think Fleener could dominate, especially long down the seem.  He has great straight ahead speed.

[Want to know why there's so much Da'Rick hype?]

I don't think it is fair to judge Rodgers because he was a UFA and cut by the Bills.  Once upon a time Cris Carter was cut by the Eagles.  Not saying he is anywhere near what Carter was, but being cut or not getting drafted isn't always a death sentence.  Clearly, Rodgers has ability.  If he can grow like Carter did, with Wayne to mentor him, then perhaps his physical skills will make him a solid receiver for us.  It would be a nice change to see the Colts with good, tall WR.  I think the last we had that was Raymond Butler. Sean Dawkins was so-so.

[Da'Rick Rogers Prediction vs. Titans]

3 Catches, 47 yards, TD on a fade.

[Does Anyone Miss Polian?]

Polian is one of the great talent evaluators in NFL history.  But I think just like longing for Peyton, we had to move forward.  I hope Grigson ends up being half the talent guy that Polian was.

 

I do wonder what effect it will have that Grigson is not the force Polian is.   I always got the feeling that Polian ran the team with an iron glove and he made things happen, where I think Grigson is more at the mercy of what Irsay says.  Polian probably told Irsay to shut up and stay out of his job.

[Can Anyone Explain our Defense to Me?]

We play a 3-4 defense with man coverage most of the time.  Man coverage is reliant on a pass rush to force the QB to throw the ball faster.   Also reliant on stopping the run.   We have almost no pass rush and can't stop the run.  So teams are just teeing off on the man coverage.  Our secondary is strong and build for run support but not so much speed.  So just getting burned too much.  Think of the Raven defense as a blueprint   They are always good against the run and had two good pass rushers which allowed their secondary to be elite.  But when they played the Colts with Manning, he would usually dice them because they couldn't get to him so therefore there was separation in pass coverage and he would exploit it.

 

I do think Manusky is a terrible defensive coordinator . He has been at every stop he's been on.  He was a second choice as DC.  He doesn't scheme very well.

[Terrible OL play [Merge]]

My biggest complaint with Grigson is on the offensive line.   Irsay seems to like to use the Patriots as a model.  Notice the Patriots always put a premium on protecting Brady.  Sometimes it seems like he has 10 seconds to throw the ball.  And the logic is if you have an elite QB with a good offensive line, he is going to find someone to get the ball to. And the running attack is going to be solid.   So I really wish Grigson would have went all in on the O-Line in the off season.  Satele and McGlynn are just horrible.  Thornton shows promise but has a ways to go.  I would have loved, instead of a guy like Walden, to have gotten another guard.  And another center.  Who cares if they already gave Satele bucks.    Having a good offensive line would have changed everything on offense.   Right now Richardson and Brown would be running much better and Luck would have more time to find the backup WRs.   Brady often plays with scrubs and still has 10 seconds to get them the ball.

 

I am not one to rip Richardson too much.    I blame the OLine and Hamilton for running him to the A gaps where the defense is killing us.

[Terrible OL play [Merge]]

Playing calling is horrible on both sides.  No excuse for defense to be this bad.  Sure, pass rush, outside of Mathis, is lacking.  But we have solid players across the board and we are playing like the Jaquars.  Offensively, obviously, we are missing many key players and the interior of the line is horrid.  But doesn't excuse unimaginative play calling. We don't have the horses to line up and do power running.  We can do better.

[Johnathan Martin To The Colts? [Merge]]

He's already been on the Colts, only he played under the name Tony Ugoh

[Da'Rick Rogers]

They might have also moved him to the active roster because Buffalo had some WR injuries and maybe they were concerned the Bills would take him off their PS.

[Pagano not ready to give Holmes a shot yet]

On another note, I am surprised the Grigson didn't do a bit more with the line in the off season. I know he signed Thomas and Cherius and drafted Holmes and Thornton.  But since Grigson is not a believer in rookie offensive lineman starting, that mean by default we would be stuck with McGlynn at RG.   I don't think Satele was going to get dumped because of his contract.  I don't mind Walden, but for the money he got, we could added one good olineman or two mid level lineman to help out.  I do hope in this off season that we can add another 3-4 solid players and weed out the weak sisters (Satele and McGlynn)

[Pagano not ready to give Holmes a shot yet]

Holmes didn't look that good to me in preseason, which was a bummer.  He often was too high and got knocked backwards.  Now, one could say that happens to Satele on every play   I don't believe, though, they they won't make a change.  Luck is getting killed and Irsay, Grigson, and Pagano have all said keeping him upright and running the ball are a priority.  So if Holmes is better than Satele at some point, he will play I believe.   I don't wish bad things on players, but I hope Holmes at least gets a chance this year.  Can't be any worse!

[Call up Da'Rick Rogers]

I get the post   The issue we have now is TY Hilton is the only real threat.  DHB can't seem to catch a ball.   Teams will double TY and what do we have then?  The question you have to ask is would Rogers be any worse then DHB?  I don't know if a wooden indian could be worse.

[O-Line problems [Merge]]

Just wanted to add that Castanzo is a poor man's Tony Ugoh.

 

Yeah, and that Jake Long is horrid too.  Giving up two sacks!!

[The Issues of Trent Richardson are Not his Fault...]

I do wonder when people call Richardson a bust if they actually ever watch football.  NO RUNNING BACK can gain yards when there is no blocking.  And it is unfair to compare him to Brown because Brown is getting the ball on draws in passing situations where there are holes.  Richardson is getting the ball in obvious running situations and getting crushed in the backfield.

 

Interesting, I saw Andre Brown ran for over 100 yards today for the Giants today.  We had him for a bit and he did nothing. 

 

All about blocking.

[Man Colts sucked today/ What has happened to the Colts?(merge)]

I don't understand how the inability for the interior of our oLine to block is Trent Richardsons fault?  Is it Lucks fault when he is being harassed on every play?  Lets not have a double standard.  

 

My one complain about what Grigson did in the off season is I think he could have brought in more line help. Satele is a terrible center.  I know we drafted Holmes, but Grigson has said being a rookie offensive lineman is tough.  So he had to know Satele and McGlynn would be the starters.  And that is a lethal combination as far as being BAD!

 

I also think we have to be realistic.  The Colts are a faulty team.  Bad oLine and weak at WR now that Wayne is out.  I don't see it getting better this year.   So I really am not surprised a team with a good DLine gives us problems.  Today was one of the those days where everything went wrong.  We will win the division and get into the playoffs.  

[Trent the next Marshawn Lynch?]

Without any holes, Adrian Peterson wouldn't gain yards behind our line.  

 

If you go back to the 1995 Colts, they were a really good run blocking team. So whether it was Faulk, Warren, Crockett, or Potts running the ball, they all did well.  And Faulk is the only one of that group that most people would recognized.  If you threw Donald Brown and Trent Richardson behind that line, they would excel too.  All about the blocking.  We have two good active RBs right now.