Hughes

[esmort]

The season is shot? After 1 game? You gotta be kidding or you're not a true fan. Defect to the Pats why don't you.

The "true fan" rebuttal again really? ... come on that's getting old. Take the blind homerism goggles off. Different organizations have different measuring sticks for what consitutes a successful season. What constitutes a successful(or at least acceptable) season for Detroit, 49ers, etc ...; does not equal a successful season for the Colts, Patriots, Steelers, etc ... As far as these teams go anything short of the playoffs is an unsuccessful season, and I would be willing to bet we do not make the playoffs unless Manning has a miracle recovery. So yes, not making the playoffs = season is shot for me(and many other fans) and if the season is shot we may as well make the best of a bad situation by trying things out we normally would not do, giving rookies/backups more playing time, etc ... If reality and wanting to use a down year to prepare for next season(when we have Peyton back) makes me "not a true fan" so be it!

[GoColts8818]

The "true fan" rebuttal again really? ... come on that's getting old. Take the blind homerism goggles off. Different organizations have different measuring sticks for what consitutes a successful season. What constitutes a successful(or at least acceptable) season for Detroit, 49ers, etc ...; does not equal a successful season for the Colts, Patriots, Steelers, etc ... As far as these teams go anything short of the playoffs is an unsuccessful season, and I would be willing to bet we do not make the playoffs unless Manning has a miracle recovery. So yes, not making the playoffs = season is shot for me(and many other fans) and if the season is shot we may as well make the best of a bad situation by trying things out we normally would not do, giving rookies/backups more playing time, etc ... If reality and wanting to use a down year to prepare for next season(when we have Peyton back) makes me "not a true fan" so be it!

I agree the true fan thing is getting old but so is jumping off the bandwagon after one game (not saying you are). I mean I don't know how far you have to go into the forum right now to find something that isn't someone complaining about something, talking about how we have no shot, how bad our coaching is, how overrated our GM is, how Kerry Collins was a mistake... I saw one post on the main page that wanted to talk about the Browns game but that was it, everything else is something negative or has been turned into something negative. Everything else is someone basicly saying this team is awful and has been awful for the past 10 years after one game. I understand Sunday was really bad but if you read some of this stuff you would think Sunday was an example of what has been going on the past 10 years when it's really the exception to the rule. I think what people are saying when people throw out the true fan line is that they are tired of seeing people do nothing but bash their team and frankly there is something to be said that if you are a fan you stand by your team when times are hard. Then the few people who do try to stand up for their team they get labeled as homers while the people being negative are being "realistic". That's getting just as old.

I am not saying people need to blindy go along with everything that happens but life as a whole for us as Colts fans hasn't been too bad lately. I know people wish we would have won more in the playoffs but you know it's not like we've been the Detroit Lions over the past 10 years either. Heck we haven't even been the Chargers, a team with a super star QB that owns something like one playoff win over a team not named the Colts and hasn't even been to a Super Bowl. Even if we do have a down year this year it would be first one in 10 years. That's pretty remarkable and rather than people agreeing with that they are acting like this team has stunk for the past 10 years and that act is getting just as old. No one likes losing, it's not fun and I am not saying people have to sit here and break out the pomp poms and say everything is wonderful in Colts land but we aren't nearly as bad or have been as bad as people have made it out to seem like this past week.

It's okay to point out faults but there is a point where people are going a little over board with it IMO. I understand people don't like Polian and Caldwell but the lengths people go to discredit anything good they have done and give all that credit to Peyton Manning is unreal. Yes Peyton's a huge part of it but I think if we just had Peyton Manning and 21 Jeff Linkenbauch's around him they wouldn't be that good either. Heck we have people going off on our owner because he tweets and in reality I don't know what else you want out of an owner than what Irsay has given us over the past 15 or so years (yes I am pre-dating Manning because this whole run really started with Harbaugh's crew with just a couple of down years in there). I mean think about it, since the 1995 season do you realize the Colts have only missed the playoffs three times? I am not sure there is another team in the NFL that can come close to saying something like that. 13 years out of 16 years in the playoffs isn't too bad. Yeah I know they could have won more but you know what it could be a heck of a lot worse than it has been and I think it would do us all some good to keep that in mind when start in on a rant about how awful something has been recently.

[esmort]

I agree the true fan thing is getting old but so is jumping off the bandwagon after one game (not saying you are). I mean I don't know how far you have to go into the forum right now to find something that isn't someone complaining about something, talking about how we have no shot, how bad our coaching is, how overrated our GM is, how Kerry Collins was a mistake... I saw one post on the main page that wanted to talk about the Browns game but that was it, everything else is something negative or has been turned into something negative. Everything else is someone basicly saying this team is awful and has been awful for the past 10 years after one game. I understand Sunday was really bad but if you read some of this stuff you would think Sunday was an example of what has been going on the past 10 years when it's really the exception to the rule. I think what people are saying when people throw out the true fan line is that they are tired of seeing people do nothing but bash their team and frankly there is something to be said that if you are a fan you stand by your team when times are hard. Then the few people who do try to stand up for their team they get labeled as homers while the people being negative are being "realistic". That's getting just as old.

I am not saying people need to blindy go along with everything that happens but life as a whole for us as Colts fans hasn't been too bad lately. I know people wish we would have won more in the playoffs but you know it's not like we've been the Detroit Lions over the past 10 years either. Heck we haven't even been the Chargers, a team with a super star QB that owns something like one playoff win over a team not named the Colts and hasn't even been to a Super Bowl. Even if we do have a down year this year it would be first one in 10 years. That's pretty remarkable and rather than people agreeing with that they are acting like this team has stunk for the past 10 years and that act is getting just as old. No one likes losing, it's not fun and I am not saying people have to sit here and break out the pomp poms and say everything is wonderful in Colts land but we aren't nearly as bad or have been as bad as people have made it out to seem like this past week.

It's okay to point out faults but there is a point where people are going a little over board with it IMO. I understand people don't like Polian and Caldwell but the lengths people go to discredit anything good they have done and give all that credit to Peyton Manning is unreal. Yes Peyton's a huge part of it but I think if we just had Peyton Manning and 21 Jeff Linkenbauch's around him they wouldn't be that good either. Heck we have people going off on our owner because he tweets and in reality I don't know what else you want out of an owner than what Irsay has given us over the past 15 or so years (yes I am pre-dating Manning because this whole run really started with Harbaugh's crew with just a couple of down years in there). I mean think about it, since the 1995 season do you realize the Colts have only missed the playoffs three times? I am not sure there is another team in the NFL that can come close to saying something like that. 13 years out of 16 years in the playoffs isn't too bad. Yeah I know they could have won more but you know what it could be a heck of a lot worse than it has been and I think it would do us all some good to keep that in mind when start in on a rant about how awful something has been recently.

Your points about how consistently good the Colts have been over the last 10+ years, and how many times we have made the playoffs and the super bowl is exactly my point. It sets "the bar" so high that anything short of the playoffs is an unsuccessful season, much like the Pats and Steelers. Whether holding them to this standard is fair or not is a different discussion entirely, but as long as they considered one of "the elite" teams that is the standard by which they will be judged. And good or bad this is how many fans including myself view the team. I won't stop supporting them, but anything short of the playoffs is an unsuccessful season in my mind; and if we are going to miss the playoffs we may as well use the season for experimentation and to get some players in there who don't normally play and see if we have any overlooked diamonds in the rough. I would rather see all the pieces in place around a 100% healthy Peyton Manning next season then win an extra 2-3 games this season.

As far as being a Polian hater, I would say if anything I fall on the other side of the fence. I am a big Polian supporter and I am probably guilty of overlooking his occasional shortcomings. As far a Caldwell is concerned I am not a hater, but definitely not a fan and believe this year will show whether he is good coach or not.

[BProland85]

This is the perfect time to try Hughes out at LB as well as other experiments ... move some players around, give the rookies more playing time, and try out some new plays. We may find some diamonds in the rough or maybe there is some slim chance Hughes can play LB ... who knows. This season is shot anyway we may as well get something positive out of it, who cares if we only win 2 games instead of 4 or 5 ... thats a better chance at the #1 draft pick.

Completely agree. This would be a perfect week to start him at SSLB with Angerer at MLB and Conner at WSLB. Use Hughes as a pash rushing LB kinda how Terrel Suggs is used.

This season should be used as a season to try things out that we dont normally do. Try different defenses, different play callings, different players at different positions like Hughes at pass rushing LB, Angerer at his natural MLB position.

I would be completely fine with doing this and hopefully getting a consilation prize at the end by getting the #1 pick somehow and drafting Luck. Either that or get a top 10 pick and get CB Dre Kirkpatrick round 1 and QB Kirk Cousins round 2.

[Robin]

might wanna switch him with Lacey, no way he can play crappier then him

[274ridge]

im pretty sure he was a 3-4 outside linebacker in colloege

[Jason_]

im pretty sure he was a 3-4 outside linebacker in colloege

http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/profile_display.cfm?prospect_id=1772

some important quotes from that page:

Hughes is an explosive, athletic defensive end/linebacker type similar to Baltimore's Terrell Suggs

Hughes will not fit into every NFL system. It has become quite clear that he is a linebacker who was an end in college.

These both indicate to me that he is a LB "type" but did not actually play LB in college.

Every other scouting report has indicated that he is ideal for a 3-4 OLB but none specifically say that he did in fact play that position in college. However even if that were true, the responsibilities of a 3-4 pass rushing OLB are far different from a cover-2 4-3 OLB.

Now maybe, MAYBE and I can't emphasize enough how much emphasis I'm putting on that maybe, we could deal him to a 3-4 team before the trade deadline for a late round draft pick if they were to have one of their premiere OLB pass rushers go down with an injury. It'd be far, far more unlikely to happen on draft day because....why spend a draft pick on a player who appears to have no experience at the position when you could simply look to the draft to find one that does.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Completely agree. This would be a perfect week to start him at SSLB with Angerer at MLB and Conner at WSLB. Use Hughes as a pash rushing LB kinda how Terrel Suggs is used.

This season should be used as a season to try things out that we dont normally do. Try different defenses, different play callings, different players at different positions like Hughes at pass rushing LB, Angerer at his natural MLB position.

I would be completely fine with doing this and hopefully getting a consilation prize at the end by getting the #1 pick somehow and drafting Luck. Either that or get a top 10 pick and get CB Dre Kirkpatrick round 1 and QB Kirk Cousins round 2.

he played linebacker in college, at least use him to mix it up in maybe 50% will they run spots

[Jason_]

he played linebacker in college, at least use him to mix it up in maybe 50% will they run spots

I'm not sure exactly what you mean at the end there but if you're saying to put him in on running downs because of his size then I'd counter with this...every scouting report I checked said his biggest weakness was in run support and it was a significant weakness. Maybe you could argue that that was from a DE position and that might be fair. However if his weakness is against the run then he's not really the one to put in.

People need to understand that when these reports say he could plan an OLB in a 3-4 they're talking about as a pass rusher. Our LB's are used primarily in pass coverage. We seldom blitz the LB's and if we brought Hughes in on those downs then we'd really be telegraphing the blitz.

[OLD FAN MAN]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean at the end there but if you're saying to put him in on running downs because of his size then I'd counter with this...every scouting report I checked said his biggest weakness was in run support and it was a significant weakness. Maybe you could argue that that was from a DE position and that might be fair. However if his weakness is against the run then he's not really the one to put in.

People need to understand that when these reports say he could plan an OLB in a 3-4 they're talking about as a pass rusher. Our LB's are used primarily in pass coverage. We seldom blitz the LB's and if we brought Hughes in on those downs then we'd really be telegraphing the blitz.

dont worry if we cut him the pats will pick him up and use his talent like it should be used

[MAC]

Bumping this old thread because I haven't seen any comments about the fact that Hughes actually dressed against Cleveland!

I spotted him making a TD saving tackle on special teams (for all I know he was out of position and allowed the run back in the first place - I didn't back it up), and he was at right DE when Wheeler caused the fumble (saw him pursuing the loose ball).

Not commenting on the quality of his performance, just the fact that his not dressing last week prompted numerous "bust" posts as at least two Hughes threads festered.

Anyone have any follow-up comments now that he saw the field?

[GoColts8818]

Bumping this old thread because I haven't seen any comments about the fact that Hughes actually dressed against Cleveland!

I spotted him making a TD saving tackle on special teams (for all I know he was out of position and allowed the run back in the first place - I didn't back it up), and he was at right DE when Wheeler caused the fumble (saw him pursuing the loose ball).

Not commenting on the quality of his performance, just the fact that his not dressing last week prompted numerous "bust" posts as at least two Hughes threads festered.

Anyone have any follow-up comments now that he saw the field?

No he made a play on special teams and I mean made the play he did exactly what he was supposed to! It's a start right?

Other than that he didn't do much. He got some plays at end. No real presure but didn't give up any big runs either. He was just sorta there. Not good or bad. Also I think he dressed this week because he was a healthy scratch last week and now that we had hurt guys (Simms and Bracket) we could dress him.

[GoColts8818]

Your points about how consistently good the Colts have been over the last 10+ years, and how many times we have made the playoffs and the super bowl is exactly my point. It sets "the bar" so high that anything short of the playoffs is an unsuccessful season, much like the Pats and Steelers. Whether holding them to this standard is fair or not is a different discussion entirely, but as long as they considered one of "the elite" teams that is the standard by which they will be judged. And good or bad this is how many fans including myself view the team. I won't stop supporting them, but anything short of the playoffs is an unsuccessful season in my mind; and if we are going to miss the playoffs we may as well use the season for experimentation and to get some players in there who don't normally play and see if we have any overlooked diamonds in the rough. I would rather see all the pieces in place around a 100% healthy Peyton Manning next season then win an extra 2-3 games this season.

As far as being a Polian hater, I would say if anything I fall on the other side of the fence. I am a big Polian supporter and I am probably guilty of overlooking his occasional shortcomings. As far a Caldwell is concerned I am not a hater, but definitely not a fan and believe this year will show whether he is good coach or not.

First of all I wasn't trying to label you as a Polian Hater, I am sorry if you took it that way.

I just kinda went on a rant in general not exactly directed all at you. I do agree missing the playoffs is not a good season. Now with that said I think there is a difference in a bad season with Peyton Manning and a bad season without Peyton Manning.

Also I think it's important to point out both the Pats and Steelers have had more unsuccesful seasons than the Colts have in the past 13 years. It was going to happen at some point it happens to every team in the NFL at some point, even the elite ones. Those teams didn't panic and throw out the people who built those succesful seasons because they had a bad year with them. It would behove some Colts fans (again not saying you) to look at that.