Colts RBs

[Albaby]

I share the same sentiment as most people on the forum when it comes to Vick Ballard and Donald Brown.  I like them both and I think they are both more than serviceable as RBs.  I would like to say that I am one of the few that really likes Carter as well.  I thought that he has some impressive moves and is a very under-utilized back. 

 

I know that he has had some fumbling issues.  Isn't that something that can be worked on?  I don't know, maybe if he wore stickier gloves or walked around training camp holding on to a ball or something.  I don't claim to be an expert.

 

It's just that I read a lot of threads that people post and no one seems to even consider him.  I think that if he improves on his ball carrying skills, he could be something special. 

 

Thoughts?

[atapcl]

Ballard has a problem staying healthy as well. Havili might make Ballard expendable.

I share the same sentiment as most people on the forum when it comes to Vick Ballard and Donald Brown.  I like them both and I think they are both more than serviceable as RBs.  I would like to say that I am one of the few that really likes Carter as well.  I thought that he has some impressive moves and is a very under-utilized back. 

 

I know that he has had some fumbling issues.  Isn't that something that can be worked on?  I don't know, maybe if he wore stickier gloves or walked around training camp holding on to a ball or something.  I don't claim to be an expert.

 

It's just that I read a lot of threads that people post and no one seems to even consider him.  I think that if he improves on his ball carrying skills, he could be something special. 

 

Thoughts?

[In Luck We Trust]

I like our RB group, it really came together last year after Ballard got his first start. Ballard and Brown are the 1,2 punch we def. needed and Carter i think should be used more on 3rd and inches plays and help on Goal line running plays. i mean adding one more RB wouldn't hurt but i like our group especially now that we acquired a full time FB, expect a 1,000 yard rusher in 2013. 

[Tyler Shaw]

Injurys have plagued our running backs, reason we brought in Moore late in the season. Getting a young healthy durable back in 3-7 rounds would do nothing but help depth at that position. But if all could stay healthy then we have some decent backs.

[Tyler Shaw]

Ballard has a problem staying healthy as well. Havili might make Ballard expendable.

A fullback is going to make a halfback expendable...how ?

[In Luck We Trust]

Ballard has a problem staying healthy as well. Havili might make Ballard expendable.

Ballard has a problem staying healthy?? since when??  he # 2 on the depth chart the first 4 games of last year, and after that he started every game and took off. 814 yards in just 12 games isn't to bad considering he only had one 100 yard game. I dont remember one game he was not apart of in 2012. even looking at his stats he was playing in every game 

[In Luck We Trust]

A fullback is going to make a halfback expendable...how ?

i didnt understand that one either lol

[Tyler Shaw]

i didnt understand that one either lol

I'm still scratching my head trying to figure it out...but u get good laughs from these forums. Not going to lie...

[ColtsLegacy]

Ballard has a problem staying healthy as well. Havili might make Ballard expendable.

What in the Sam Hill are you talking about? I assume you meant Carter and not Ballard.

[james_zeigler1994]

In all the games that I saw Ballard play I don't think he was ever one time injured it might make Brown expendable thoughts?.

[GoColts8818]

I think he meant Carter and not Ballard and the logic would be Carter is a short yardage back who has issues staying healthy. He seems to be suggesting they could use the new fullback in that role making Carter expendable I don't know if they will do that or not but there have been much more crazy ideas thrown out there on this forum than this.

[Smonroe]

I'm still scratching my head trying to figure it out...but u get good laughs from these forums. Not going to lie...

I'm guessing he means the FB will open up some holes, meaning the RB won't be getting creamed by the DTs?

[atapcl]

I think he meant Carter and not Ballard and the logic would be Carter is a short yardage back who has issues staying healthy. He seems to be suggesting they could use the new fullback in that role making Carter expendable I don't know if they will do that or not but there have been much more crazy ideas thrown out there on this forum than this.

 

 

Thanks for catching the typo. I did mean Carter. I expect Ballard to start. Carter has injury problems.

Ballard has a problem staying healthy as well. Havili might make Ballard expendable.

[atapcl]

I meant Carter and not Ballard. Havili is a FB but he has vission and shiftiness like a tailback.

A fullback is going to make a halfback expendable...how ?

[smittywerb]

I really like Ballard. With his ability to truck, I think if given a hole he can become a good rb for us. He just needs to work on becoming faster.

[FlyLikeTY]

Imagine if we picked up Marcus Lattimore in one of the later rounds.

 

I'd be happier than the Pillsbury Dough-Boy at a TSA check. 

[Greenoughrunner]

I think that if stephen taylor is there in the 3rd or mabye 4th round that we should take him. I feel like he would be good for our new offnce. Which is run alot and Ballard who im a fan of is a hard runner so is carter. Brown i like if healthy but if stephen taylor is there late take him.

[Tyler Shaw]

I meant Carter and not Ballard. Havili is a FB but he has vission and shiftiness like a tailback.

to that I agree. I hope he stays healthy. He runs hard and has shown some flashes but it could possibly make him expendable...your right

[In Luck We Trust]

Imagine if we picked up Marcus Lattimore in one of the later rounds.

 

I'd be happier than the Pillsbury Dough-Boy at a TSA check. 

i kinda like that kid from stoney brook college. i think he will be a sleeper, him, ballard and brown could make a good tandem 

[Narcosys]

Whoa whoa, you like brown? He's part of the 1-2 punch? The dude has no vision at all. He gets a few good runs here and there but other than that he doesn't get anywhere. Those random big runs is what bumps up his ypc. He had 1 td and 3.9 ypc. Had 2 games of 80 yards, 7 games under 50 and 3 were 26 or below. That article someone posted gave him the nickname "GD Donald" Brown for a reason. He's mildly fast in the open but is slow to turn and make cuts. He blindly runs straight into plugged gaps when he could have bounced out for some yardage numerous times. The dude is garbage. He's been around 4 years and only 1 above 500 year. There's no defending him. I was a staunch supporter of his but after last year I'm fine to cut and replace him.

[braveheartcolt]

Not another of these 'let's not count the good days Donald has' pieces of trash. 'But I'm surely going to count his bad days.......'

[Narcosys]

Not another of these 'let's not count the good days Donald has' pieces of trash. 'But I'm surely going to count his bad days.......'

 

What good days?  His bad days far outweigh his good days, if they even exist.  The only good days he has is when he gets that lucky long run.  Those are so few and far between that his lack of production the rest of the season eclipses anything he has done well.  Heck he cant even catch a ball, how many has he dropped.  He dropped tons when we were 2-14, i dont even think they passed any to him this year. 

 

If you were a business owner for a summer business and i had one good day of work and the rest of the season I sat around for the most part and only did half the work as everyone else, you would keep me cause of the that ONE good day?   

[MikeVander]

  I don't know, maybe if he wore stickier gloves or walked around training camp holding on to a ball or something.  

They used to put stick'em on their hands to catch those balls, but now they've got those gloves. -John Madden

[braveheartcolt]

What good days?  His bad days far outweigh his good days, if they even exist.  The only good days he has is when he gets that lucky long run.  Those are so few and far between that his lack of production the rest of the season eclipses anything he has done well.  Heck he cant even catch a ball, how many has he dropped.  He dropped tons when we were 2-14, i dont even think they passed any to him this year. 

 

If you were a business owner for a summer business and i had one good day of work and the rest of the season I sat around for the most part and only did half the work as everyone else, you would keep me cause of the that ONE good day?   

He has been more productive than Ballard over a longer period. His average (look it up) meant last year he got the same amount of yards per carry as Vick did. He fumbles less. He's a homerun threat with decent blocking. I'll be giving him a chance. I really like Ballard, but I'm not blind to others' talents. Your analogy is pathetic.

[Narcosys]

He has been more productive than Ballard over a longer period. His average (look it up) meant last year he got the same amount of yards per carry as Vick did. He fumbles less. He's a homerun threat with decent blocking. I'll be giving him a chance. I really like Ballard, but I'm not blind to others' talents. Your analogy is pathetic.

You can say whatever about the analogy but its true, you wouldnt keep someone who wasnt productive. It was Ballards rookie year and he ended up earning the majority of the carries by week 7. I never said anything about supporting Ballard, if he ends up being garbage like Brown then so be it. But you can't compare a 4 year player to a rookie and call them even. More productive over a longer period of time? After another 3 years we can revisit that statement and see who had the better first 4 years. But if you want to compare on an even scale. Lets look at Rookie seasons.

Brown: 78 attempts, 281 Rush yards, 3.6 ypc, longest 45, 3 TD, 1 Fum 0 Lost, 11 receptions for 169 yards, 21 First Downs - 14/7 rush/rec

Ballard: 211 attempts, 814 rush yards, 3.9 ypc, longest 26, 2 TD, 3 Fum 0 Lost, 17 receptions for 159 yards, 57 First Downs - 50/7 rush/rec

Rush wise ballard had the better Rookie year.

Brown has since had 3 more years to improve and hasnt. He had one good year where he averaged 4.8 in 2011, but take away that one 80 yard fluke run where Orlovsky saved him and it drops to 4.2. That puts him below 29 other RB's in the league for that year.

Now if i could find the stats that show how many of his runs were for a loss or no gain, im pretty sure he would be worse than ballard as well.

[braveheartcolt]

You can say whatever about the analogy but its true, you wouldnt keep someone who wasnt productive. It was Ballards rookie year and he ended up earning the majority of the carries by week 7. I never said anything about supporting Ballard, if he ends up being garbage like Brown then so be it. But you can't compare a 4 year player to a rookie and call them even. More productive over a longer period of time? After another 3 years we can revisit that statement and see who had the better first 4 years. But if you want to compare on an even scale. Lets look at Rookie seasons.

Brown: 78 attempts, 281 Rush yards, 3.6 ypc, longest 45, 3 TD, 1 Fum 0 Lost, 11 receptions for 169 yards, 21 First Downs - 14/7 rush/rec

Ballard: 211 attempts, 814 rush yards, 3.9 ypc, longest 26, 2 TD, 3 Fum 0 Lost, 17 receptions for 159 yards, 57 First Downs - 50/7 rush/rec

Rush wise ballard had the better Rookie year.

Brown has since had 3 more years to improve and hasnt. He had one good year where he averaged 4.8 in 2011, but take away that one 80 yard fluke run where Orlovsky saved him and it drops to 4.2. That puts him below 29 other RB's in the league for that year.

Now if i could find the stats that show how many of his runs were for a loss or no gain, im pretty sure he would be worse than ballard as well.

At no point did I say anything about who had the better rookie season. I'l also take a 80 yard run over 20 x 4 yard runs that take us from our 20 yard line to midfield and then we punt type scenarios. I cannot understand how discounting big plays is anything other than stupid. You see, if Peterson didn't have those 5 x 200 yard games, he'd be pretty average....  

 

I get why you prefer Ballard, and if he has another good year, I may well think him our best RB since Edge, but please don't insult my intelligence by manipulating the stats to support your biased views. 

[Narcosys]

At no point did I say anything about who had the better rookie season. I'l also take a 80 yard run over 20 x 4 yard runs that take us from our 20 yard line to midfield and then we punt type scenarios. I cannot understand how discounting big plays is anything other than stupid. You see, if Peterson didn't have those 5 x 200 yard games, he'd be pretty average....  

 

I get why you prefer Ballard, and if he has another good year, I may well think him our best RB since Edge, but please don't insult my intelligence by manipulating the stats to support your biased views. 

I discounted that one 80 yard play because it only happened once. He never had any other big plays like that.  AP had mulitple games with big yardage plays and the 5 games of plus 200.  That shows consistency.  Brown does not have that kind of consistency, he has the consistency of running into plugged gaps with an open sideline 3 feet to the left. 

 

I never said i supported ballard.  You brought him up. And how am i manipulating the stats.  I didnt change any numbers, I just put down what it is they both did for their rookie seasons and compared.  Thats it.  Not trying to "insult your intelligence", I dont even know how i did.  I was just trying to show you. 

[braveheartcolt]

I discounted that one 80 yard play because it only happened once. He never had any other big plays like that.  AP had mulitple games with big yardage plays and the 5 games of plus 200.  That shows consistency.  Brown does not have that kind of consistency, he has the consistency of running into plugged gaps with an open sideline 3 feet to the left. 

 

I never said i supported ballard.  You brought him up. And how am i manipulating the stats.  I didnt change any numbers, I just put down what it is they both did for their rookie seasons and compared.  Thats it.  Not trying to "insult your intelligence", I dont even know how i did.  I was just trying to show you. 

He had the same YPC has Ballard, but you slated him. As if big plays don't count. They do. Read what you wrote again if you can't see what you did. In fact this is going nowhere, lets leave it. No harm done.

[Narcosys]

He had the same YPC has Ballard, but you slated him. As if big plays don't count. They do. Read what you wrote again if you can't see what you did. In fact this is going nowhere, lets leave it. No harm done.

 

That slated ypc was for the 2011 season, his 3rd year.  His rookie stats remain unchanged.

[PrincetonTiger]

Ballard has a problem staying healthy as well. Havili might make Ballard expendable.

huh

 

do you mean Carter?

[PrincetonTiger]

I meant Carter and not Ballard. Havili is a FB but he has vission and shiftiness like a tailback.

never mind

[atapcl]

Imagine if we picked up Marcus Lattimore in one of the later rounds.

 

I'd be happier than the Pillsbury Dough-Boy at a TSA check. 

Injury prone in college so I dont see him holding up in the NFL.

[atapcl]

Taylor wouldn'f bring any talents that are not already on the roster.

I think that if stephen taylor is there in the 3rd or mabye 4th round that we should take him. I feel like he would be good for our new offnce. Which is run alot and Ballard who im a fan of is a hard runner so is carter. Brown i like if healthy but if stephen taylor is there late take him.

[Tark The Shark]

Ballard, Brown, and Carter are 1, 2, 3 on the depth chart and I don't see that changing anytime soon. 

[FlyLikeTY]

Injury prone in college so I dont see him holding up in the NFL.

This is why I say late round. Low risk, extremely high reward. Dude is a beast. 

[notlucktyballard]

I think Havilli will be used as tail back also.  We will see.

A fullback is going to make a halfback expendable...how ?

[ryano]

Ballard and Brown are both fine.  People who bag on Brown don't know what they're talking about.  He's better than Ballard as a receiver, and is faster.  I'd start Ballard, but if Brown outperforms him, let him start.

 

Some of you guys are clueless.  The poster that said some writer named him Gawd$*#$ Donald for a reason is one of these.  That stems from a busted play during which Manning said exactly that.  Brown was better than Addai, and should have started as a rookie. 

[Superman]

I could see us opening the season with two running backs and Havili, to be honest. He's definitely a guy you want to give touches to, one way or another. But if we're going to add to what we have, I'd like a scat back. A smaller, speedier guy who is a threat to go all the way every time he touches the ball, someone who can catch the ball in the passing game, who kind of demands the attention of the defense every down. A Darren Sproles kind of guy.

[NewEra]

Ballard and Brown are both fine. People who bag on Brown don't know what they're talking about. He's better than Ballard as a receiver, and is faster. I'd start Ballard, but if Brown outperforms him, let him start.

Some of you guys are clueless. The poster that said some writer named him Gawd$*#$ Donald for a reason is one of these. That stems from a busted play during which Manning said exactly that. Brown was better than Addai, and should have started as a rookie.

.

Brown is a good change of pace. He comes in with more speed. May not be the best blocker but he did look better and I think he will improve with a better line. I really like Ballard, brown, carter. I just hope getting Stanley doesn't mean we will lose carter

[#12]

I could see us opening the season with two running backs and Havili, to be honest. He's definitely a guy you want to give touches to, one way or another. But if we're going to add to what we have, I'd like a scat back. A smaller, speedier guy who is a threat to go all the way every time he touches the ball, someone who can catch the ball in the passing game, who kind of demands the attention of the defense every down. A Darren Sproles kind of guy.

Big plays in the running game were nonexistent.