Colts lead the league in fewest turnovers given up and fewest penalty yards/plays (merge)

[AllYouNeedIsLuck]

Call the coaching staff all you want, but we're a very disciplined football team. 

 

Credit that to Andrew Luck as well doing a great job at minimizing mistakes on offense. Huge improvement from last year. Gotta love the guy. 

 

One of the most important ways to win consistently is win the turnover battle (which we are 5th in overall) and get penalized as little as possible (near the top in all penalty statistics). Good job Colts. 

 

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-takeaway-giveaway-statistics/2013/

 

http://www.nflpenalties.com/

[Jason_]

well that can't be right.  Our coaches do a terrible job of getting the team ready to play.  these stats have to be wrong

 

 

/sarcasm

 

[open window]

I am not that crazy about Chuck and Pep, but the proof is in the pudding. They are getting better at their jobs, just like the rest of the team.

[Caleb3502]

We're good at forcing fumbles and not giving up fumbles on offense.  That plays a key part in our TO Differential.

[Caleb3502]

Freeman and Mathis combined have forced 12 fumbles

[bavanlan]

You could avoid turnovers all together simply by taking a knee every snap, but it's not going to win you any football games.  Where you want to be offensively isn't necessarily with the fewest turnovers, but where the risks you're taking outweigh the rewards.  I'm a big fan of looking at Points per Posession/Drive.

 

Offensively we're 15th and effectively tied with the Vikings.

 

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-points-per-drive-statistics/2013/

 

Awesome on the penalties, though.

[Valpo2004]

Andrew hasn't gotten much credit for the number of interceptions dropping like a rock.  

 

If he throws 1 TD against Jacksonville and no INT's he will tie the previous years number of TD passes while cutting the number of INT's in half.

 

His completion percentage is up by over 5% too despite us leading the league in drops. 

 

His fumbles have dropped from 9 to 5 assuming he doesn't have any against the Jags.  

 

Int rate has dropped from 2.87% last year to 1.69% this year.  

 

And all of this was done with DHB as his #2 WR for most of the season and Reggie Wayne out for half the season.  

[Superman]

You could avoid turnovers all together simply by taking a knee every snap, but it's not going to win you any football games.  Where you want to be offensively isn't necessarily with the fewest turnovers, but where the risks you're taking outweigh the rewards.  I'm a big fan of looking at Points per Posession/Drive.

 

Offensively we're 15th and effectively tied with the Vikings.

 

http://www.sportingcharts.com/nfl/stats/team-points-per-drive-statistics/2013/

 

Awesome on the penalties, though.

 

Points/possession is a different stat entirely. Has a bearing, but it doesn't really speak to ball security. Very important stat, though. Maybe the single most important if you want to grade an offense.

[SLILLINGTON10]

Andrew hasn't gotten much credit for the number of interceptions dropping like a rock.  

I think that is like 33.3% Luck and 66.6% Pep and the system he is currently in. BA was an air it out, high risk and high reward guy. Pep is a high % and accurate system based guy.

[Valpo2004]

I think that is like 33.3% Luck and 66.6% Pep and the system he is currently in. BA was an air it out, high risk and high reward guy. Pep is a high % and accurate system based guy.

 

Perhaps that's true, but that would also just go to show that Luck would have had much better stats (save for total yards) in a more conservative passing system.  

[AllYouNeedIsLuck]

I think that is like 33.3% Luck and 66.6% Pep and the system he is currently in. BA was an air it out, high risk and high reward guy. Pep is a high % and accurate system based guy.

Yep. I actually prefer it like it now, but would still like to take more chances and not stick to the damn "power running team" mantra

 

Btw, how about the Cardinals. Bruce Arians, the defense and co have done a great job this year. 

[Superman]

Perhaps that's true, but that would also just go to show that Luck would have had much better stats (save for total yards) in a more conservative passing system.  

 

More efficient, which is what we all hoped for. Higher completion percentage (could still stand to improve, but five points is a nice jump), higher TD percentage, lower INT percentage... I have no major complaints about Luck's development.

[Valpo2004]

Yep. I actually prefer it like it now, but would still like to take more chances and not stick to the damn "power running team" mantra

 

Btw, how about the Cardinals. Bruce Arians, the defense and co have done a great job this year. 

 

They are legit, they beat Seattle in Seattle.   They are 10 - 5 in the best division in the NFL.  

 

I told people that if they could get a decent QB in there they would be a good team.  

 

I think our power run game would probably work if it wasn't for the injuries up front, (Losing Donald Thomas really hurt) and the injuries to the RB's.  I think Trent will be good when he gets a full training camp with us as well.  

 

More efficient, which is what we all hoped for. Higher completion percentage (could still stand to improve, but five points is a nice jump), higher TD percentage, lower INT percentage... I have no major complaints about Luck's development.

 

Take out drops and I guarantee Luck's completion percentage is greater then 60%.

[Superman]

 

Take out drops and I guarantee Luck's completion percentage is greater then 60%.

 

No doubt. Every QB suffers from drops, of course.

 

But Luck is sometimes off target on throws that he really should make. I'm not trying to be critical, just pointing out that his completion percentage suffers from things that are in his control as well.

[Valpo2004]

No doubt. Every QB suffers from drops, of course.

 

But Luck is sometimes off target on throws that he really should make. I'm not trying to be critical, just pointing out that his completion percentage suffers from things that are in his control as well.

 

True but we lead the league in drops last I heard.

 

I agree he's sometimes off target but other QB's misfire on throws too.  As long as it's not a constant thing he'll be ok.  

[beavis]

Yep. I actually prefer it like it now, but would still like to take more chances and not stick to the damn "power running team" mantra

 

Btw, how about the Cardinals. Bruce Arians, the defense and co have done a great job this year. 

I find it sad the way they're playing and their record yet they may still miss the playoffs.

[basketballsteve]

Rogers drew a pass interference call yesterday on the Colt side of the field and immediately started to "dance" and was obviously saying something but before he could return to he huddle, Chuck grabbed him by the shoulder, drew him aside and started talking to Rogers. You could see Rogers head bobbing up and down. Chuck didn't seem to be yelling but just probably reminding and cautioning Rogers. A little later Poe gets a 15 yard after the play unsportman like penalty for taunting and Reid pulls him and starts yelling at him. You cannot have young, inexperienced, players like Rogers, Whalen, McNary, Adongo, Nixon, etc. get thrown in, survive and then get better without giving the coaching staff some credit for their growth in not making inexperience type mistakes. I think the Colts are well coached in this way.

[JoKeR]

Rogers drew a pass interference call yesterday on the Colt side of the field and immediately started to "dance" and was obviously saying something but before he could return to he huddle, Chuck grabbed him by the shoulder, drew him aside and started talking to Rogers. You could see Rogers head bobbing up and down. Chuck didn't seem to be yelling but just probably reminding and cautioning Rogers. A little later Poe gets a 15 yard after the play unsportman like penalty for taunting and Reid pulls him and starts yelling at him. You cannot have young, inexperienced, players like Rogers, Whalen, McNary, Adongo, Nixon, etc. get thrown in, survive and then get better without giving the coaching staff some credit for their growth in not making inexperience type mistakes. I think the Colts are well coached in this way.

All of that stood out to me as well. I didn't think Roger's dancing was all that smart but to his credit he didn't let the refs see it and the DB got all upset about it too

[SLILLINGTON10]

Yep. I actually prefer it like it now, but would still like to take more chances and not stick to the damn "power running team" mantra

 

Btw, how about the Cardinals. Bruce Arians, the defense and co have done a great job this year. 

we are starting to shy away from the "power" run part we are a more balanced team lately i think. whatever is working we go with it, and it has won us a couple games easily.  As for BA he should win coach of the year again, i think it is a toss up between him and Reid, but Reid got a bunch of pro bowl players when he talked in the door. BA pretty much molded that team from a bunch of nobodies. It is just so hard to believe he was never offered a HC job before this year.

[Tark The Shark]

I actually didn't know we were that good in TO margin, thanks OP.

 

And with our schedule, it has been brutal with all the injuries we have sustained. 

 

Give credit to the coaching staff and players for not only creating turnovers, but minimizing turnovers and penalties.

[basketballsteve]

All of that stood out to me as well. I didn't think Roger's dancing was all that smart but to his credit he didn't let the refs see it and the DB got all upset about it too

I have a good feeling that Rogers has been handled the exact right way to this point and Chuck conned that pattern yesterday. y confidence in Chuck and his staff has grown these last few weeks.

[BPM_Colt]

Fewest turnovers and really don't commit a ton of penalties.. May not be the best coaching staff, but they have created a disciplined football team to this point

[The Fish]

Gotta give the Coaching staff at least some props for instilling that priority in the team.

[04DarkShadowGT]

I just laugh at those who question the coaches and front office.  We are on the verge of an 11-5 season with a very hard schedule and a ton of injuries.  Not sure what you were expecting, but I guarantee if you saw our schedule at the beginning of the year you would have taken 11 wins even without the injuries.

[BOTT]

Yep. I actually prefer it like it now, but would still like to take more chances and not stick to the damn "power running team" mantra

 

Btw, how about the Cardinals. Bruce Arians, the defense and co have done a great job this year.

I suspect Todd Bowles will be getting some interviews this off season.

[SOMDColtsfan]

Donald Brown. Does not fumble. Certainly helps the cause

[bap1331]

It was a very good season. I think that the games we lost were very much winnable. It could have been 15-1. Rams really outplayed us that game though in all aspects...

We just beat ourselves in most of our losses

[AllYouNeedIsLuck]

It was a very good season. I think that the games we lost were very much winnable. It could have been 15-1. Rams really outplayed us that game though in all aspects...

We just beat ourselves in most of our losses

Yep. Then again the games we won could've went the other way so it's not good to look at it that way. 

 

But yeah we've been in every game except STL and Arizona. Bengals we would have been down 7 without that missed call, Chargers we were in it the whole game until close to the end and Dolphins self explanatory how close we were

[NewColtsFan]

Indy leads both categories by pretty good margins....  

 

This is NOT a very talented team...   but this is one of the ways it keeps winning...  make fewer mistakes than the other guy.

 

Pagano is NOT a deer in the headlights coach as one thread recently suggested...

 

Nor is this a badly coached team as another recent thread suggested...

 

This is a middle of the pack talent that's been hammered by a terrible run of injuries...   it's winning because the team plays hard,  and the team plays smart....   having a franchise level quarterback doesn't hurt either....

 

Bottom line....   this is a very well coached team....   and the stats and the record say so....

 

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/indianapolis-colts/post/_/id/2945/low-turnovers-low-penalties-equals-colts-success

[King Colt]

You saw the Texans disgrace themselves with penalty after penalty against us last week this despite Wad Philips calling in official; to their practices to cut down on them. It is one thing to recognize the number of penalties but the bigger picture is how the team functions under the coaches. If the coaches don't get the players on the same train you have a wreck ,like the Texans. Belechik is the prime example of this. The dumbest animal on Earth is still too smart to walk backwards. 

[jameszeigler834]

Indy leads both categories by pretty good margins....  

 

This is NOT a very talented team...   but this is one of the ways it keeps winning...  make fewer mistakes than the other guy.

 

Pagano is NOT a deer in the headlights coach as one thread recently suggested...

 

Nor is this a badly coached team as another recent thread suggested...

 

This is a middle of the pack talent that's been hammered by a terrible run of injuries...   it's winning because the team plays hard,  and the team plays smart....   having a franchise level quarterback doesn't hurt either....

 

Bottom line....   this is a very well coached team....   and the stats and the record say so....

 

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/indianapolis-colts/post/_/id/2945/low-turnovers-low-penalties-equals-colts-success

imagine how good this team would be without all those good players being on IR.

[tahuyaman]

Every team has key players injured. Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL.

[superrep1967]

Andrew hasn't gotten much credit for the number of interceptions dropping like a rock.  

 

If he throws 1 TD against Jacksonville and no INT's he will tie the previous years number of TD passes while cutting the number of INT's in half.

 

His completion percentage is up by over 5% too despite us leading the league in drops. 

 

His fumbles have dropped from 9 to 5 assuming he doesn't have any against the Jags.  

 

Int rate has dropped from 2.87% last year to 1.69% this year.  

 

And all of this was done with DHB as his #2 WR for most of the season and Reggie Wayne out for half the season.  

Yes Luck has been very impressive and also considering our o-line has been terrible for most of the season.