Why we blame Manusky?

[alexpr]

The defense has not performed well the past 4 weeks and people has been blaming Manusky when I think we should start blaming Coach Pagano. Last year defense looked a lot like this one, and the team had less personnel for the Scheme and obviouslly Pagano was not there. This year we signed free agents for defense, the return of coach Pagano ( A supposedly defensive Guru) and the defense aside from the first 5 weeks looks totally the same. 

 

Is not Pagano supposed to be in charge of the defense and Manusky just helping him out?? If we blame Manusky for the defense and Pep for the offense what is Pagano doing? This is supposed to be Pagano's defense and the one that should turn it around.

 

If we want to blame someone for just being in man coverage, or having a vanilla play calling we should blame Pagano, and if the team (specially defense) still looks unprepared week by week the front office should be thinking of making some changes.

[Dustin]

Because Manusky is the defensive play-caller.

Im pretty sure Pagano doesn't call the plays.

[GoColts8818]

Personally I blame the players for not playing like they were at the start of the season.  People don't like to blame the players for whatever reason though. 

 

As for why Manusky because he's the guy calling the plays and the people who are blaming coaching are blaming the plays being called.  Yes Pagano is a defensive minded coach but he's not calling the plays from down-to-down.

[TKnight24]

I blame the players

[Dustin]

Personally I blame the players for not playing like they were at the start of the season. People don't like to blame the players for whatever reason though.

As for why Manusky because he's the guy calling the plays and the people who are blaming coaching are blaming the plays being called. Yes Pagano is a defensive minded coach but he's not calling the plays from down-to-down.

I blame the players, I equally blame the guy who has Pat Angerer and Freeman trying to cover WRs.

[ReMeDy]

Anyone know how I can write Manusky a letter telling him it's alright to double team Andre Johnson?

[Day at the Hilton]

For real it's on the players. We have potential to be a great defense just look at the broncos game. Idk all of moving pieces came in this year so it could have something to do with it. Continuity plays a much larger role than people think

[atapcl]

Manusky was the DC at SD and SF. Both teams let him go and it seems they did not like the performance of his defenses. I blame the players also but it seems strange that the defense plays badly in the first half and makes adjustments to play better in the second half. The defense should be better prepared to play in the first half. The players in some cases seem out of position and confused. All of the starters are veterans and have experience in this defense so there should not be that much confusion.

[atapcl]

For real it's on the players. We have potential to be a great defense just look at the broncos game. Idk all of moving pieces came in this year so it could have something to do with it. Continuity plays a much larger role than people think

Angerer was the only one who missed all of the OTAs and Landry missed all but the mandatory OTAs. Angerer was injured but Landry should have made all OTAs. All the other starters practiced from the beginning. Angerer did play some last year so he should have known all the defensive calls. We have the same DC and same playbook. Franklin and Francois had both played for Manusky before. There are fewer defensive plays than offensive plays and so defense usually becomes a cohesive unit faster than offense. The only excuse I see for the poor play would be the injuries. Even with the injuries we have not lost a defensive starter to IR like the offense. I thought this defense was going to be close to the monster we were looking for but I was counting on Chapman dominating at NT and he does not even start. I'm still not sure we can stop crossing patterns. We definitely need another pass rusher opposite Mathis.

[braveheartcolt]

It is either Bill Polian or Brad Wells or Chris Collingsworth or Jim Caldwell or Marshall Faulk or Ron Meeks or Bob Kravitz to blame.

[MaoBerry]

I blame manbearpig of course and its the only logical selection.

[ericnan]

I blame the players also but it seems strange that the defense plays badly in the first half and makes adjustments to play better in the second half. The defense should be better prepared to play in the first half. The players in some cases seem out of position and confused. All of the starters are veterans and have experience in this defense so there should not be that much confusion.

 

I just wonder if part of this is because of the lack of offensive production in the first half.  When you go into the half down by 20+ points, you know what the opponent is doing to you, and you know what your offense HAS to do to get back in the game.  It's almost as if the adjustment is just a default setting.  If you go into the half tied or close, then there is still quite a bit of strategery needed.  Wether it's to gamble for a big play, or stay conservative waiting for a break or whatever, I believe there are far more variables left in a game that is close at the half.  So the adjustments are maybe "obvious" when we are down 20+ points.  At the same time, how does our offense score in situations like this after the half?  Blows my mind!  Of course, that has stopped happening too.  As I write this, it only makes me think more and more the problem isn't the defense at all.  I'm sure 

some of you more intelligent fans see this as obvious.  I'm doing the best I can. LOL

[basketballsteve]

Was the question Why? Blame Manusky is the knee jerk, easy answer response to a complicated process that has many moving parts and therefore no easy answer.

[jbaron04]

Blame grigson manusky only can play with what he has , not his fault pat is slow and vaughn cant seem to relize u have to look for the football

[LockeDown]

I just wonder if part of this is because of the lack of offensive production in the first half.  When you go into the half down by 20+ points, you know what the opponent is doing to you, and you know what your offense HAS to do to get back in the game.  It's almost as if the adjustment is just a default setting.  If you go into the half tied or close, then there is still quite a bit of strategery needed.  Wether it's to gamble for a big play, or stay conservative waiting for a break or whatever, I believe there are far more variables left in a game that is close at the half.  So the adjustments are maybe "obvious" when we are down 20+ points.  At the same time, how does our offense score in situations like this after the half?  Blows my mind!  Of course, that has stopped happening too.  As I write this, it only makes me think more and more the problem isn't the defense at all.  I'm sure 

some of you more intelligent fans see this as obvious.  I'm doing the best I can. LOL

Did you use strategery for real or in reference to Will ferrell doing George Bush? That's one of my favorites.

[LockeDown]

Somehow we have the top pass rusher in the league and yet we don't appear to pressure the QB. Weird. Anywho, defensive pressure covers a lot of mistakes and would solve a lot of our woes.

[Smonroe]

Somehow we have the top pass rusher in the league and yet we don't appear to pressure the QB. Weird. Anywho, defensive pressure covers a lot of mistakes and would solve a lot of our woes.

Thats where not having Freeney is showing. Another decent pass rusher would free up the DB or ILB we have to send to create pressure. Werner is supposed to be that guy, maybe he will eventually.

Manusky plays the odds, not gambling until he has to when we get behind. Against the Niners and Broncos he gambled early and it paid off. Not having Toler does limit him somewhat but that's no excuse. Every team has injuries.

[Franklin County]

Its hard for an opposing QB to throw the ball when he is pressured. We all talked about it before season started. We need more pressure up front. Someone, anyone get to Fitz on Sunday before he has 5 seconds to throw the ball.

I think Chapman needs to start in the middle. He is collapsing the middle of the pocket when he's in.

Did Redding go on vacation this year, haven't seen anything out of him.

There's a lot of reasons why this defense is playing so bad. Players underperforming and passive play calling. This defense should be in the best physical shape of their lives, they are always out there. I would love to see our offense play longer than our defense in at least 1 game this year.

[atapcl]

I just wonder if part of this is because of the lack of offensive production in the first half.  When you go into the half down by 20+ points, you know what the opponent is doing to you, and you know what your offense HAS to do to get back in the game.  It's almost as if the adjustment is just a default setting.  If you go into the half tied or close, then there is still quite a bit of strategery needed.  Wether it's to gamble for a big play, or stay conservative waiting for a break or whatever, I believe there are far more variables left in a game that is close at the half.  So the adjustments are maybe "obvious" when we are down 20+ points.  At the same time, how does our offense score in situations like this after the half?  Blows my mind!  Of course, that has stopped happening too.  As I write this, it only makes me think more and more the problem isn't the defense at all.  I'm sure 

some of you more intelligent fans see this as obvious.  I'm doing the best I can. LOL

In my opinion the defense does not have an excuse. We have had several games when the opposition has scored on the first drive putting our offense in a hole to start the game. Defense should be committed to holding an NFL offense under 20 points a whole game let alone in a half. Redding says it is their goal to defend every blade of grass.

[ericnan]

In my opinion the defense does not have an excuse. We have had several games when the opposition has scored on the first drive putting our offense in a hole to start the game. Defense should be committed to holding an NFL offense under 20 points a whole game let alone in a half. Redding says it is their goal to defend every blade of grass.

Agreed.  I was just offering some other food for thought, but very good point.

[ericnan]

Somehow we have the top pass rusher in the league and yet we don't appear to pressure the QB. Weird. Anywho, defensive pressure covers a lot of mistakes and would solve a lot of our woes.

Could we have the top pass rusher in the league because he is the only one pressuring the QB?  LOL  One hand washes the other type thing.  I agree we need to get some QB's, that is for sure.  I love a defense that scares the pittle out of an offense.  Big, tough, physical and aggresive.  I have wanted this for us for a long time, since "back in the day" when we had Siragusa and a fairly tough linebacker corps, we ran the 3-4 then.  I'm drawing a blank on the linebackers of that time, that has a lot to do with little sleep and not enough coffee yet this morning.  I'll rattle them all off this afternoon. LOL  What Pagano preaches I do love.  Run hard, play solid defense, but all the pieces have to be there and we are a bit off. 

[Iancolts]

I blame the whole coaching staff we did better last year on Both sides of the ball and now we at horrible. Coaches can't blame we don't have the player to run their scheme cause Irsay unloaded the bank account this year!

[LockeDown]

I thought Francois, Redding and Chapman were going to get inside pressure, but I see no evidence of it this season.

[coltsfanatic24]

Both deserve some of the blame but Manusky has never been a great defensive coordinator even his days with the Chargers. With the Chargers they rarely blitzed and played base 3-4 even on passing downs. They were a read and react defense never really was aggressive. The reason they were so good at times was because of Jamal Williams, one of the greatest NT's to ever play.

 

At some point this year or next we are really going to have to consider switching back to the 4-3. Not the basic Dungy Tampa 2 with no creativity but more of a 4-3 under and over with various looks of man and zone coverage. Similar to what the Seahawks and Panthers are running now. I think Grigson had that in mind drafting Werner, if the 3-4 didn't work out we would switch to the 4-3 because clearly he's a 4-3 DE. Grigson has always been a 4-3 guy, with the Eagles Jimmie Johnson was one of the most aggressive and greatest defensive coordinators ever.

 

This team just doesn't have the personnel to play the 3-4. Without a dominate NT and great ILB's the 3-4 will not work. Mathis and Werner should never drop in coverage they are our best two pass rushers, they should have their hand in the dirt and rush at all times.

 

Having a NT on the team is really hurting the pass rush and giving the Qb's all day to throw the ball. The extra LB on the field would really help this team in coverage. RJF and Redding should move to DT and Mathis, Werner should play DE. Freeman and Walden should play OLB and Conner MLB. We could still send man and zone blitzes from either Walden or Freeman. We have to switch things up because we just can't play man coverage the entire game, teams have figured it out.

[sb2001]

It feels like the whole team is having a sophomore slump.

[Superman]

Was the question Why? Blame Manusky is the knee jerk, easy answer response to a complicated process that has many moving parts and therefore no easy answer.

 

It's pretty easy to identify who it is that has linebackers covering wideouts. 

 

Overall, I'm not that bothered by the defense. The past month has been bad, but it's been a lot of blown coverages by corners and safeties. I'm sure there are some scheme adjustments that could be made, but it's really been an issue of poor execution by the players. As annoying as it is to see Freeman or Angerer giving up catches to Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald, it's more annoying to see Cassius Vaughn and Antoine Bethea giving up long touchdowns.

 

The raw stats for run defense aren't great, but the run defense is doing okay. We're not giving up big gains, for the most part. We can get stops on third and short. I don't know why people are taking issue with the defensive schemes. We struggled earlier against some of the option plays, but we also installed some wrinkles to shut that down as time went on. We need better play at ILB, we need to cover better, and having another pass rusher would help (hopefully that's Werner).

 

The defense will be fine. I'm more worried about the offense, with no Reggie and no run game.

[masterlock]

I blame the players

If the players aren't playing to their capabilities then I would think that falls on the position coaches, for not effectively preparing them.

[USAFHoosier]

It been both the players and Manusky.  We have guys getting flat out beat on a lot of plays.  Manusky has not put the defense in the best position to succeed very often lately either.  Hoping to see an improvement this week cause they need one fast.

[1959Colts]

Vanilla defensive schemes.

[TKnight24]

It been both the players and Manusky. We have guys getting flat out beat on a lot of plays. Manusky has not put the defense in the best position to succeed very often lately either. Hoping to see an improvement this week cause they need one fast.

Cassius Vaughn is in the BEST position to succeed everytime they throw his way, he just doesn't turn his head around

He could easily be in the top 10 for interceptions if he would just turn his head around

[coming on strong]

Mankusky doesn't adjust when he is calling a game; putting linebackers on tightends ,and safteys in man on wrs.then  they are getting picked on and the colts are not generating a pass rush its time to adjust and mix in some zone plays.

[throwing BBZ]

The defense has not performed well the past 4 weeks and people has been blaming Manusky when I think we should start blaming Coach Pagano. Last year defense looked a lot like this one, and the team had less personnel for the Scheme and obviouslly Pagano was not there. This year we signed free agents for defense, the return of coach Pagano ( A supposedly defensive Guru) and the defense aside from the first 5 weeks looks totally the same. 

 

Is not Pagano supposed to be in charge of the defense and Manusky just helping him out?? If we blame Manusky for the defense and Pep for the offense what is Pagano doing? This is supposed to be Pagano's defense and the one that should turn it around.

 

If we want to blame someone for just being in man coverage, or having a vanilla play calling we should blame Pagano, and if the team (specially defense) still looks unprepared week by week the front office should be thinking of making some changes.

 

 Sorry but I think you are Wrong.

 It is a Manusky D to Coach and Co-ordinate and Pagano of course has gone over his own principles with all the Def. Coaches.

 Like i saw him working in training camp, I bet he jumps in when he can with individuals to work on their technique.

[throwing BBZ]

 For me it is hard to blame Manuskey unless he is responsible for Conner not being on the field more, or if he is responsible for (Moala, Mathews DUDS), and Sheppard being on the roster.

 Angerer in pass coverage with no pressure on the QB is a disaster.
 

 A lack of a pass rush is killing us. And Mathis is Always going to hurt the run D.
 About half his sacks were against backup LT`s with 3 against the Jags against a LT who quit on his team.

+ he had at least 2-3 Sacks that were coverage ones. Not sure any cov. sacks since Toler went out.

[gacoop1]

It's Manusky and Pep for the defense and offense respectively.  But Pagano is the head coach and should hold those two accountable.   It's time to stop babying these coaches and make them responsible for they're own task.....Pagano is too soft and should be more aggressive in dealing with his coaches.  His butt is on the line too...

[gacoop1]

Manusky and Pep doesn't appear to animated like the likes of a Rob Ryan John Pagano for the Sainst and Chargers.  Need to reb up their players and get into the game.  Otherwise fire him and Pep.....

[GoColts8818]

Cassius Vaughn is in the BEST position to succeed everytime they throw his way, he just doesn't turn his head around

He could easily be in the top 10 for interceptions if he would just turn his head around

Which is probably why he's still here.  Colts aren't ready to give up on him yet.  They can see the potential is there they just need him to develop. 

 

I think people often forget how young this team is.  This is what comes with young players the make mistakes and normally aren't great players out of the box. 

 

There was an article in the Star last week that talked about Grigson and Pagano's mistake was that they won way too much too soon.  It has produced some unrealistic expectations from our fans and if the team isn't meeting them our fan base is losing it's mind over it.  If I had told anyone in the middle of the 2-14 that we were going to cut Peyton Manning and there was no way around it but we would make the playoffs the following year and would be the leader for the division by multiple games with just five to play people would have signed up for it in a heart beat. 

 

Heck just look at the off-season a lot of people were predicting 9-7 or 10-6 for this team this year.  That's probably about where they are going to end up.  We won a lot of games at the start of the season against some really good teams that caused some to raise their expectations and many are now refusing to acknowledge that this team has had some major injuries this season that they just don't have the depth to over come because as much as people don't want to hear this they are only in year two of a total over haul of the roster. 

 

I've said before injuries explains the offense.  Defense you can look at little bit at injuries, not having Toler for so long has had an impact but it's not the only factor.  Also, I know it's not an injury but not having Walden hurt.  He has honestly played pretty well this year if you look at what he was brought here to do and not look at him as a replacement for Dwight Freeney which he was never meant to be.  When he plays well our run defense is normally pretty good. 

 

The biggest problem with the defense is that these guys just aren't making plays.  Think back to Sunday.  If Davis makes that pick early in the game it's probably a very different game.  That gives the offense a short field and momentum and gives the defense confidence.  The later are so important to football and frankly something that has been hard for the defense to come by as of late.  When I look at things I don't see our guys horribly out of position for the most part.  I see guys not doing what you brought up with Vaughn, just not making plays.  That goes on the players IMO not the coaches.

 

Have they gotten caught in some mismatches?  Sure, however keep in mind the other teams coaches get paid too.  Some of those mismatches are a result of good play calling from the other teams coaches. 

 

Am I happy with how the team has played since the bye week?  No.  Am I shocked by it?  Not really.  I knew losing Reggie was going to really hurt the offense.  All you had to do was look at Andrew Luck's QB rating without Reggie before the injury to know that.  As for the defense I thought they would play better than they have been but this team is still an offensive team first.  If the offense is struggling I don't think the defense is ready to carry the day. 

[GoColts8818]

Manusky and Pep doesn't appear to animated like the likes of a Rob Ryan John Pagano for the Sainst and Chargers.  Need to reb up their players and get into the game.  Otherwise fire him and Pep.....

  This again really?  Last time I checked BB and Tony Dungy are/were some of the least animated coaches in the league and both have won far more games and Super Bowls than Rob Ryan or John Pagano.  Being animated makes you a good coach as much as standing in a garage makes you a car. 

[superrep1967]

The defense has not performed well the past 4 weeks and people has been blaming Manusky when I think we should start blaming Coach Pagano. Last year defense looked a lot like this one, and the team had less personnel for the Scheme and obviouslly Pagano was not there. This year we signed free agents for defense, the return of coach Pagano ( A supposedly defensive Guru) and the defense aside from the first 5 weeks looks totally the same. 

 

Is not Pagano supposed to be in charge of the defense and Manusky just helping him out?? If we blame Manusky for the defense and Pep for the offense what is Pagano doing? This is supposed to be Pagano's defense and the one that should turn it around.

 

If we want to blame someone for just being in man coverage, or having a vanilla play calling we should blame Pagano, and if the team (specially defense) still looks unprepared week by week the front office should be thinking of making some changes.

It always falls on the head coach it's his team he's the one to blame. 

[Gavin]

Its not just one person to blame. Pagano deserves some blame for not cutting dead weight like Cassius Vaughn and , For seemingly not reigning Manusky in a bit with his comical playcalling......Manusky is to blame for the absurdity of even thinking about putting Linebackers that clearly cant cover well out on a wr(Im just waiting for the moment when he put Werner or Mathis in a situation where they are out on a wr.....its gonna happen)...Let alone actually doing it.....Grigson is to blame for bringing in guys like Vaughn......Not keeping guys like Lawrence Guy over Ricardo Matthews, still cant believe they cut Nevis over Matthews.....who was irrelavent up till the last game in pre season and has not been heard from since, The players for not stepping up, especially guys like Bethea and even Mathis for getting repeatedly whipped against the run (although he did make 1 real fine play on the ball carrier himself from watching the All 22 vs the Cardinals for a loss...because he thought run first...Play the rb first and then on the way pass rush if the QB does not hand off)

[Malakai432]

I blame the players, I equally blame the guy who has Pat Angerer and Freeman trying to cover WRs.

 

Wait wait wait, so you didn't like Angerers performance last week which was probably one of the worst of any linebacker I've ever seen in NFL history???????????  All I can remember is seeing him make play after play after play getting beat, dragged, not defending anyone, and making no plays.