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Worst 11-5 Team in History?

OJl

By OJl
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OJl Walk On

OJl

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http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8812122/bill-barnwell-sunday-slate-nfl-playoff-games

 

Is this the worst 11-5 team ever?

 

Bill Barnwell has been ripping on the Colts in recent articles essentially calling the Colts lucky and possibly the worst 11-5 team ever.  To which I say, Yeah, SO?

 

What Barnwell doesn't get is most Colts fans don't disagree.  This Colts team has been a little lucky and they very well may be the worst 11-5 team EVER.  I think they are.  But the most exciting thing for fans is that this team is full of rookies, including a rookie QB with GOAT potential AND this team has not spent any real money yet.

 

We won 11 games without trying! 

 

Whatever happens in the playoffs is icing on the cake!  Wait until that $35+ million comes off the book and Grigson actually tries to build an offensive and defensive line next year.  We will be a legit Super Bowl contender in Year 2 of the Luck Era. 

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SilentHill Walk On

SilentHill

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http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8812122/bill-barnwell-sunday-slate-nfl-playoff-games

 

Is this the worst 11-5 team ever?

 

Bill Barnwell has been ripping on the Colts in recent articles essentially calling the Colts lucky and possibly the worst 11-5 team ever.  To which I say, Yeah, SO?

 

What Barnwell doesn't get is most Colts fans don't disagree.  This Colts team has been a little lucky and they very well may be the worst 11-5 team EVER.  I think they are.  But the most exciting thing for fans is that this team is full of rookies, including a rookie QB with GOAT potential AND this team has not spent any real money yet.

 

We won 11 games without trying! 

 

Whatever happens in the playoffs is icing on the cake!  Wait until that $35+ million comes off the book and Grigson actually tries to build an offensive and defensive line next year.  We will be a legit Super Bowl contender in Year 2 of the Luck Era. 

 

:facepalm:

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21isSuperman Walk On

21isSuperman

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I don't understand when people say things like this.  It's like when Keyshawn Johnson said our 2009 team was the worst 14-0 team in NFL history.  Gary Brackett replied with "How many 14-0 teams has Keyshawn been on?"  We are the worst 11-5 team in NFL history?  That doesn't make any sense to me.  It's like saying "you're the poorest billionaire in the world".  I don't get it.

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JimJaime Practice Squad

JimJaime

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REALLY!?!? I think the Colts could easily get to the divisional round this year. (I think most here agree beating a really lagging Ravens team be EASIER than beating either NE or Denver at their home fields.)

 

That said, lets not forget the Colts played a LAST place schedule this year, that will not be the case next year. Will the colts improve or regress? who knows but enjoy the ride now because NO ONE knows what next year will bring.

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Archer Hall of Famer

Archer

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Well said.  I think many writers are very upset that they missed the analysis on the Colts so badly.  Prisco predicted one win and claimed to have an AFC South scout who called the Colts the most talentless NFL team in the last five years or so.  So, ripping the Colts now is their way of saying, "We weren't wrong!  The Colts just got lucky!"  For the most part, the Colts have given people plenty of reasons to doubt them.  A couple of weeks ago they almost lost to KC (a terrible team).  They got killed by the Jets (not a good team).  They lost to Jacksonville.  And they won a lot of squeekers against poor teams (Jax, Tenn, Miami, Buff, Cleve, etc.)  I'm just happy that their most complete game was last week against a good team with everything to gain from a win.  That's a little momentum, even though every writer seems to be calling momentum a myth heading into the playoffs...

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FanFromtheWasteland Active Roster

FanFromtheWasteland

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Well said.  I think many writers are very upset that they missed the analysis on the Colts so badly.  Prisco predicted one win and claimed to have an AFC South scout who called the Colts the most talentless NFL team in the last five years or so.  So, ripping the Colts now is their way of saying, "We weren't wrong!  The Colts just got lucky!"  For the most part, the Colts have given people plenty of reasons to doubt them.  A couple of weeks ago they almost lost to KC (a terrible team).  They got killed by the Jets (not a good team).  They lost to Jacksonville.  And they won a lot of squeekers against poor teams (Jax, Tenn, Miami, Buff, Cleve, etc.)  I'm just happy that their most complete game was last week against a good team with everything to gain from a win.  That's a little momentum, even though every writer seems to be calling momentum a myth heading into the playoffs...

Only because we have it and with the exception of Denver the favorites dont

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NewColtsFan Ring of Honor

NewColtsFan

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First....   the story does NOT say "the worst 11-5 playoff team in history"  the key word he used is....  "AMONG the worst 11-5 playoff teams in history....

 

And, as unpopular as it may be....   he's right.     Either way, agree or disagree,  here's the meat of his argument...  it's one key paragraph...   not hard to follow...   I'm cutting and pasting.    By the way, while I don't know Grandland,  what it is is a website devoted to sports and the writers are known to be AMONG the best writers on the planet.

 

 

By just about any advanced measure I can find, the Colts rate out to be among the worst 11-5 teams and the worst playoff teams in league history.   Their point differential over 16 games was at minus-30, a figure that would more commonly be associated with a 7-9 team than an 11-5 one.   The Colts are the first team in league history to win 11 or more games with a negative point differential. They're 25th in DVOA, the Football Outsiders core statistic,2 and 24th per the Simple Rating System. They have 11 wins despite all that because they've played the league's easiest schedule (by virtually any definition you can imagine), gone 9-1 in games decided by one touchdown or less, and gotten brilliant work in the clutch from Andrew Luck.

 

 

I don't follow 'advanced metrics' much...   but the line in there that says the most to me...  our point differential is a minus-30...   more associated with a 7-9 team than an 11-5 team.    That says a lot to me.   A lot.

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JimJaime Practice Squad

JimJaime

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People HAVE to STOP with that "Easy Schedule" nonsense. Our ENTIRE Division plays the SAME TEAMS we do (aside from 2). So why is no one saying the Texans had it "Easy"????

 

They did, and they pooped the bed on almost every good team they faced. (and if they faced Denver later in the year they lost that one as well.)

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Superman Ring of Honor

Superman

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By the way, here's the meat of Barnwell's argument regarding the quality of this particular 11-5 team:

 

Their point differential over 16 games was at minus-30, a figure that would more commonly be associated with a 7-9 team than an 11-5 one. The Colts are the first team in league history to win 11 or more games with a negative point differential. They're 25th in DVOA, the Football Outsiders core statistic,2 and 24th per the Simple Rating System. They have 11 wins despite all that because they've played the league's easiest schedule (by virtually any definition you can imagine), gone 9-1 in games decided by one touchdown or less, and gotten brilliant work in the clutch from Andrew Luck.

 

Only seven teams since 1983, strike-shortened seasons aside, have made it to the playoffs with a point differential inferior to that of the Colts. The two teams at the top of that list made their way into the playoffs rather recently. The 2010 Seahawks were the first team in league history to win their division with a 7-9 record, and they marched their way into the playoffs with a -97 point differential. They were followed in 2011 by the Broncos, who rode Tebowmania to the AFC West crown despite a -81 point differential. Playoff teams with subpar point differentials are organizations that often got an automatic spot by virtue of winning the worst division in the NFL in a given year; it can be more difficult for a subpar team to put up the impressive win totals needed for a wild-card berth.

 

 

I kind of agree.

 

But again, I don't care. As he goes on to state, so-called "bad playoff teams" have won wild card games the past two seasons. Another thing is that, while the Seahawks and Broncos won bad divisions, we actually earned a wild card spot against the entire AFC field, which is why our record is four and three games better than those teams, respectively.

 

All that is fun to consider and ponder, but none of it matters. We have a one game season at this point: @ Baltimore. No one cares how we got here, especially if we find a way to win.

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JoKeR Walk On

JoKeR

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No one saying anything about the Pats schedule either. This article tells us nothing, we've watched every game, we know everything there is to know because of it. Just another piece trying to discount our 11-5 rec. why are we searching for some higher opinion when we know the most about our Colts?

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ConBro Walk On

ConBro

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Personally, I buy into the idea of a team winning makes them the best team "that day". That's the beauty of football.... any given Sunday. We beat the Packers who TROUNCED the Texans who beat us the first time we played. Whether we're the "worst" 11-5 team, we still have 11 wins.

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alawai Walk On

alawai

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I'd rather be the worst 11-5 team in the play-offs than the best 5-11team not in the play-offs!   I don't care if you're the worst 11-5 team with the worst coaches, worst cheerleaders, worst mascot, worst uniform and in the play-offs.  You're better than 20 other teams not in the ply-offs.  You could use stats and whatever to prove that we're the worst team but we're in the play-offs and c'mon stat man prove to me we are not in the play-offs.

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chad72 Ring of Honor

chad72

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Yeah, 9-7 Cardinals and Giants teams get to the SB with one of them winning, and the 8-8 Chargers took down the 12-4 Colts, just like the 8-8 Broncos took down the Steelers.

 

Everything is 0-0, come playoff time, end of discussion!!! The one who makes hay when the sun shines is who the glory will go to in the playoffs, as always!!! :)

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jskinnz Team Captain

jskinnz

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REALLY!?!? I think the Colts could easily get to the divisional round this year. (I think most here agree beating a really lagging Ravens team be EASIER than beating either NE or Denver at their home fields.)

 

That said, lets not forget the Colts played a LAST place schedule this year, that will not be the case next year. Will the colts improve or regress? who knows but enjoy the ride now because NO ONE knows what next year will bring.

 

 

The highlighted argument is mind-numbing to me.  First off, it is only the difference in 2 games.  But more importantly, you can only play who is on your schedule so who freaking cares.  The Pats have had the blessing of playing a consistently horrible AFC East for years. 

 

Speaking of schedules, does anyone realize that the Colts have beaten more playoff teams this year than the # 1 seeded Broncos?  The fact is you get to the playoffs and see where things fall after that.

 

Lastly, isn't being labled as the worst 11-5 team in playoff history a little like saying you are dating the ugliest Victoria Secret model?  I mean even if true, it is still pretty damn good.

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Fx Stryker Walk On

Fx Stryker

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So we're the best 11-5 team in Colts history too

 

Exactly.

 

Ok, we're the worse 11-5 team in history....

 

So....I guess last year we were the best 2-14 team in history.

 

Lol...

 

See '81. Unless you mean Indy history then yes, but I don't see them as different entities.

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Balzer40 Walk On

Balzer40

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I agree with others that are saying the "easy schedule" talk is nonsense. In that case the Texans had an easy schedule too. So did many other playoff teams. Like the Skins. The NFC east is the most over rated division in all of football. People's opinions of that division are based on reputation and not reality. They are easily one of the worst divisions in football. 

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JimJaime Practice Squad

JimJaime

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The highlighted argument is mind-numbing to me.  First off, it is only the difference in 2 games.  But more importantly, you can only play who is on your schedule so who freaking cares.  The Pats have had the blessing of playing a consistently horrible AFC East for years. 

 

Speaking of schedules, does anyone realize that the Colts have beaten more playoff teams this year than the # 1 seeded Broncos?  The fact is you get to the playoffs and see where things fall after that.

 

Lastly, isn't being labled as the worst 11-5 team in playoff history a little like saying you are dating the ugliest Victoria Secret model?  I mean even if true, it is still pretty damn good.

My point was simply don't ASSUME since you were 11-5 this year means your going be 11-5 or better NEXT year. Schedule be completly DIFFERENT! But more importantly to just sit back and enjoy the ride, No one knows the future so enjoy the NOW.

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Hendo12 Walk On

Hendo12

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The highlighted argument is mind-numbing to me. First off, it is only the difference in 2 games. But more importantly, you can only play who is on your schedule so who freaking cares. The Pats have had the blessing of playing a consistently horrible AFC East for years.

Speaking of schedules, does anyone realize that the Colts have beaten more playoff teams this year than the # 1 seeded Broncos? The fact is you get to the playoffs and see where things fall after that.

Lastly, isn't being labled as the worst 11-5 team in playoff history a little like saying you are dating the ugliest Victoria Secret model? I mean even if true, it is still pretty damn good.

This x 1,000

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BleedingBlue Walk On

BleedingBlue

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By the way, here's the meat of Barnwell's argument regarding the quality of this particular 11-5 team:

 

 

 

I kind of agree.

 

But again, I don't care. As he goes on to state, so-called "bad playoff teams" have won wild card games the past two seasons. Another thing is that, while the Seahawks and Broncos won bad divisions, we actually earned a wild card spot against the entire AFC field, which is why our record is four and three games better than those teams, respectively.

 

All that is fun to consider and ponder, but none of it matters. We have a one game season at this point: @ Baltimore. No one cares how we got here, especially if we find a way to win.

I said this about Denver last year. They were so bad on paper they had to have G.O.D. on their side.

The article didnt mention our TO differential which is the worst ever for a team with 11 wins.

Again, as someone else pointed out...11-5 is 11-5.

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