When Do We Stop With The Excuses?

[Jason_]

If you are referring to him throwing timing routes, such as out patterns, he is not going to get that down in just two weeks of regular season football. It takes more than just knowing when to release the ball, it also takes confidence in your receivers. QB's like Brady have no problem throwing to a "spot" because he knows his receivers are going to be there. I just don't think Collins can have that confidence yet.

I fully agree...I never said he should have the timing down already, just that that is the biggest obstacle yet for him to overcome. It's definitely unreasonable to expect him to have that kind of timing down already. If he'd have had a full offseason and preseason to work with then he very well could have that timing down by now but he didn't so he doesn't.

[number28]

Steeler fan here and I really am enjoying your forum. As far as having a new QB on the field, I can relate to this with Ben taking over in 2004. Maybe what the Colts should do with Collins is what the Steelers did with Ben. In 2004 when Maddox went out with an injury and Ben took over, he was pretty much a game manager. The Steelers through out the play book and just went with a base offense. As Ben became more comfortable, they would add a little more of the book. It worked beautifully. The Steelers went 15-1 that year and by 2005 Ben led them to the Super Bowl, and the rest as they say is history.

So maybe the Colts should do the same with Collins. Just a thought.

agreed. we should go with the base offense and throw out the playbook. Collins is not gonna be here long to be learning our playbook.

[manningstheman]

this was a 8-8 or 9-7 team at best with a Healthy Peyton, without you are looking 1 or 2 or maybe 3 wins. The excuse is we are just not that good. We have been good to great for how long? At somepoint that goes away and yo have to rebuild.

whatever, before u knew he was hurt u would have said this was a superbowl team. Sick and tied of peeps acting like they knew how bad this team was before Peyton was not a part of it.

[ruksak]

whatever, before u knew he was hurt u would have said this was a superbowl team. Sick and tied of peeps acting like they knew how bad this team was before Peyton was not a part of it.

Last year, with Manning, we barely won 10 games. Not that I think 10 games was bad, but thats only 1 more than what dn4192 said he'd think we'd be with Manning this year. So.....so how you gonna logically dispute that by actin like he's a hater?

I think he's dead right on one thing, with Manning, this team struggles to get into the playoffs yet again.

This whole mess with Manning being out and the way we have been exposed as inept is going to pay off huge for Manning's final years here. If we continue to fail to the point where we draw a top 5 draft pick, we will be that much stronger going into Manning's last stretch.

I think many of you need to figure the difference between excuses and reasons, there are reasons for everything, just like there are reasons why the Colts lose 1 man and suddenly drop like a hot rock.

[OLD FAN MAN]

agreed. we should go with the base offense and throw out the playbook. Collins is not gonna be here long to be learning our playbook.

caldwell has it going this week, he made some adjustments, colts to win big

[JoKeR]

You keep saying that Jim. Adjustment on the Oline? Other than that the offense just needs to execute.

[Blue Horseshoe]

Collie, Angerer, Garcon, Powers, McAfee, Conner, Moala say other wise and that's just looking at draft picks.

The only potential Pro Bowl player in that group is Collie and he is a pretty iffy Pro Bowl prospect.

[Moose Of Woe]

caldwell has it going this week, he made some adjustments, colts to win big

lol

[Wiggles]

caldwell has it going this week, he made some adjustments, colts to win big

No offense, but it is still the Steelers defense and it is still Dick Lebeau and they are still playing angry.

[Jason_]

You keep saying that Jim. Adjustment on the Oline? Other than that the offense just needs to execute.

No offense, but it is still the Steelers defense and it is still Dick Lebeau and they are still playing angry.

Guys...about 99% of Jim's posts sound like something Caldwell would say at a press conference. IMO Jim is simply upset that the Colts FO doesn't throw specific players or coaches under the bus and they (correctly) give vague answers like "we will isolate areas of improvement and focus on correcting those areas" instead of "yeah we know Linkenbach and Lacey suck". He, and many others, take this to mean that Caldwell either doesn't care or he has no clue about how to improve the team, neither of which are true. I could be way off base, but I take Jim's posts as a reflection of his contempt with the coaching staff. Just my $0.02

[Moose Of Woe]

Just remember guys - it's a marathon, not a sprint.

....

[Balzer40]

Just remember guys - it's a marathon, not a sprint.

....

That has definitely been the company line this season. I wonder at what point it becomes a "sprint, not a marathon".

[Moose Of Woe]

That has definitely been the company line this season. I wonder at what point it becomes a "sprint, not a marathon".

It's not a marathon, it's a jog.

It's not a jog, it's a fun run.

[LBandant21]

With healthy Peyton 8-8? 9-7?

do you live under a rock?

we have been SB contenders every single year for the last decade. We would have been 10-6 or 12-4 with him this year. Like we are every year.

THIS. NO freakin way the Colts would have only been 8-8 or 9-7 WITH Peyton. At worst 10-6, more likley 12-4 with him. Peyton changes EVERYTHING from how defenses play us to what offenses have to do in response.

Yes, things look bleak for the team right now. We're used to winning. At the very least, used to being competitive every year. Right now we're not. I think Peyton will be back next year. Some fundamental things need to change with the team. But its asinine to think that we wouldn't have been a significantly better team than 8-8 or 9-7 w/ Peyton.

[Steagles]

Peyton makes EVERYONE better.

[ruksak]

THIS. NO freakin way the Colts would have only been 8-8 or 9-7 WITH Peyton. At worst 10-6, more likley 12-4 with him. Peyton changes EVERYTHING from how defenses play us to what offenses have to do in response.

Yes, things look bleak for the team right now. We're used to winning. At the very least, used to being competitive every year. Right now we're not. I think Peyton will be back next year. Some fundamental things need to change with the team. But its asinine to think that we wouldn't have been a significantly better team than 8-8 or 9-7 w/ Peyton.

What is it you're not understanding?

We went 10-6 last year WITH Peyton. Barely. As well, 1 and done in the playoffs, handing the game away due to inept special teams and porous defense.

[Jason_]

What is it you're not understanding?

We went 10-6 last year WITH Peyton. Barely. As well, 1 and done in the playoffs, handing the game away due to inept special teams and porous defense.

Because that record last year was with half our starters on IR and before bringing in rookies like Castonzo, Nevis and Carter with Ijalana waiting in the wings, and contributing FA's in Anderson and Brayton. Yes there would have been some growing pains just like we're currently seeing, but overall this year's team is much better than the 10-6 team that lost in the playoffs last year.

[ruksak]

Because that record last year was with half our starters on IR and before bringing in rookies like Castonzo, Nevis and Carter with Ijalana waiting in the wings, and contributing FA's in Anderson and Brayton. Yes there would have been some growing pains just like we're currently seeing, but overall this year's team is much better than the 10-6 team that lost in the playoffs last year.

Thats assuming we don't accumulate many injuries through this year. A differential of 1-2 games doesn't deserve a description, as LBandant21 put it, "No FREAKING WAY the Colts would have only been 8-8 or 9-7 WITH Peyton".

Given our issues this year, I think it is entirely possible that Peyton would be fighting to keep the Colts relevant.