Is It Realistic To Think We Can Turn This Around In The Off Season?

[bavanlan]

If it can get this bad in an offseason, it can get that good in an offseason.

Dunno if it will.

[Jaric]

I'm not sure that it has to be a good fit for what we're trying to do. I think we need a new coach with a new defensive style/philosophy/plan (whatever!). I think that what we've been trying to do no longer works. It's time for a change! I guess we'll see what who they come up with in the off season.

Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle......

Every personel decsion must be based around trying to achieve your goal. They MUST fit your system or it will not work.

Signing a big name free agent just to sign a big name free agent is how you become the Redskins. What successful teams do is sign players that fit the system they are trying to run. Assuming Caldwell and the coaching staff gets the axe, we don't know what our team is going to look like.

[mightisright]

agreed. But we need to sign some real talent to our Defense. Not big names but talent.

[smittywerb]

I think signing talent will make a difference, but it will not solve our problems. Talent will not make up for the 7-10 yds we play off the WR's. Times have changed, no matter how good of a pass rush we have, any QB (as you can see) in the nfl will chew our defense up with short passes. Now if we come up and play these WR's then I can see something happening. We don't even have to bump and run but at least look like we're sticking the guy.

Edited October 26, 2011 by smittywerb

[BOONE]

NO.....

[mightisright]

I think signing talent will make a difference, but it will not solve our problems. Talent will not make up for the 7-10 yds we play off the WR's. Times have changed, no matter how good of a pass rush we have, any QB (as you can see) in the nfl will chew our defense up with short passes. Now if we come up and play these WR's then I can see something happening. We don't even have to bump and run but at least look like we're sticking the guy.

I agree! We need a new scheme, which probably means new leadership!

[number28]

we need leadership that sees what NFL is all about these days. People that know how to analyze film and know how to adjust to the league. We don't need cover 2 anymore, Dungy is not here. This is Caldwells last season. If Polian hires another cover 2 coach then we should fire Polian as well. Get rid of Coyer and get rid of the entire defensive coaching staff. Find someone who will blitz on 3rd downs when needed, find someone that refuses to play soft prevent defense like we do now.

We need a coach that will take timeouts before 2nd quarter is over. Someone that will wanna get as much points as possible and will not play that content nonsense. Look at Bellichek. he will take timeouts and run the score up. We need people like this. Dungy and Caldwell are soft marshmallow coaches. The whole league laughs at them.

Yes Dungy idealogy won us a SB, but that doesn't work these days, and it's still questionable because without Manning, Dungy would have never won a SB.

As far as draft goes, we need Cb's. Plain and simple. we need 2 or 3 of them.

[mightisright]

Dungy inspired his people. he made game-time adjustments. He managed the game well. He hired the right personnel (Mudd and Moore) I think it's unfair to lump him and Caldwell together. He would not have taken his foot off the gas in the '09 SB. He would have our team prepared to play better this year. They are not the same people

[dn4192]

so it's just a coincidence that the colts can't win a game without manning?? imo the overall talent on this team has been overrated for a long time.....

We are not winning because a lack of Peyton is HUGE, our DB's are either not very good, very young or injuried so teams can beat us with the pass and our defensive scheme is old, outdated and built to play with a lead, not being behind. Of the 7 games we have played so far, we have been in 5 and blowout in 2. With a healthy Peyton we still don't beat Houston and NO in their parks. So we are talking 5 games here. This team does have issues, but it's not the Titanic that some people want to make it out to be.

[number28]

Dungy was genius but he was also SOFT and CONSRVATIVE.

[dn4192]

we need leadership that sees what NFL is all about these days. People that know how to analyze film and know how to adjust to the league. We don't need cover 2 anymore, Dungy is not here. This is Caldwells last season. If Polian hires another cover 2 coach then we should fire Polian as well. Get rid of Coyer and get rid of the entire defensive coaching staff. Find someone who will blitz on 3rd downs when needed, find someone that refuses to play soft prevent defense like we do now.

We need a coach that will take timeouts before 2nd quarter is over. Someone that will wanna get as much points as possible and will not play that content nonsense. Look at Bellichek. he will take timeouts and run the score up. We need people like this. Dungy and Caldwell are soft marshmallow coaches. The whole league laughs at them.

Yes Dungy idealogy won us a SB, but that doesn't work these days, and it's still questionable because without Manning, Dungy would have never won a SB.

As far as draft goes, we need Cb's. Plain and simple. we need 2 or 3 of them.

I highly doubt anyone with NFL cred looks at Duncgy as anything but an outstanding coach, mentor and person.

[Andy]

It's not realistic... we have to win every remaining game just to have a shot, and with the Pats, Ravens and Falcons on the schedule, it's not gonna happen. It's more realistic if PM comes back next week, but that won't happen.

[number28]

It's not realistic... we have to win every remaining game just to have a shot, and with the Pats, Ravens and Falcons on the schedule, it's not gonna happen. It's more realistic if PM comes back next week, but that won't happen.

this thread is talking about a turnaround in the off-season.

obviously we are done this year. no chance.

wait? are you talking playoffs?

[Smitto]

I believe it can be done and it will be, the colts know they havnet perfoemed well... chris polian isnt his farther and i believe this team is gonna be much better becasue of him... i dont like bill polian but it is nice to see as soon as chris is the gm he brings in tommie harris, brayton, anderson and sims...

I wouldnt be surprised if the colts push for a reconstruction with peytons contract...and if that happens that could easily bring the colts back under the salary cap

[mightisright]

What do you mean?

I believe it can be done and it will be, the colts know they havnet perfoemed well... chris polian isnt his farther and i believe this team is gonna be much better becasue of him... i dont like bill polian but it is nice to see as soon as chris is the gm he brings in tommie harris, brayton, anderson and sims...

I wouldnt be surprised if the colts push for a reconstruction with peytons contract...and if that happens that could easily bring the colts back under the salary cap

What do you mean? Renegotiate his contract so we have more room under the cap?

[icf]

^{Here's how I see it.....}

^{If -- and that's a BIG IF -- Manning comes back and performs at the level we are used to, then I think this team can win 10-12 games next year with minimal tweaking.}

^{Manning makes everyone -- on both O&D -- better. With him as the QB, the team scores a high # of points most games. That helps keep the D from being exposed when on the field too much and when they play with a lead and the other team is passing the pash rush suddenly improves. He also helps turn average (at best) receivers into productive NFL players.}

^{They will also have a top 3 pick (most likely) and play a much easier schedule than they are used to.}

^{The draft will be interesting to see. If they are in a position to draft "he who shall not be named" and take him -- to me that is a sign they are building for 3-4 years down the road or their are serious questions left about Mannings health.}

^{If they pass on "he who shall not be named" and trade that pick ....then that means they have faith (for better or worse) that Manning will be back healthy for the 2012 season...or if they just aren't in a position to take him.... they can then use the high pick(s) for LB, DB or perhaps a guy like Michael Floyd to be the 2nd receiver to Wayne. While they need lots of help on D -- they've never been afraid to use their 1st round pick on offensive guys to help out Manning. I wouldn't take Floyd in the top 3, but if they trade the #1 pick instead taking of HWSNBN and end up with another teams pick in the 8-10 range that would be about right for him to be drafted.}

[Smitto]

What do you mean?

What do you mean? Renegotiate his contract so we have more room under the cap?

Peyton is gonna be getting 28 mil in march next year.... for not playing, no one knows if he is or will be healthy, business is business so they are gonna push to get some of that money back.. cause right now the colts do not have room to make any big signings.

then again there is no guarantee they would do that

[doogansquest]

If we can go from a team that made the playoffs 9 years in a row, two Super Bowl appearances, and were basically too many injuries from defending our AFC crown last year... To what we are now...

Then yes. We can turn it back the other way. Keep in mind, a play here or there and this team is 5-2 without Manning. Suddenly, everyone would be praising Caldwell for stepping up without Manning, Polian for building a great team, etc. It's a fine line in the NFL, but there really aren't big differences from one team to the next.

[rockywoj]

Of course the team can turn it around, and assuming the return of a healthy Peyton Manning, I expect it.

As for adding players, this year's draft brought ...

OT Anthony Castonzo

OT Ben Ijilana

DT Drake Nevis

RB Delone Carter

All of whom should be top notch key contributors for years to come (barring continued injuries - yikes!?)

As well, I hold out hope for Joe Lefeged to emerge as a viable starter at SS.

Assuming the Colts finish as one of the three worst teams this year, then that puts them at or very near the top of the draft board for next year. That means that the Colts should be able to add another four to five more players via the draft this coming off season that would be expected to be even MORE of an impact than this year's top notch crop. Even if the Colts have the first pick overall and take Luck and then he mentors behind Peyton Manning, the team should still be able to add four other impact rookies.

With Manning next year the Colts will once again be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. If Manning does not return, then all best are off, even with Luck.

As for coaching changes, I don't think that changes what I have said, one way or the other, though I at the very least expect a new defensive coordinator and special teams coach.

Edited October 26, 2011 by rockywoj

[SanAntonioColt]

So all those Pro Bowl honors and such don't mean anything? All the high reviews of a number of our players by other experts were wrong? Basically all the winning was done by Peyton? He scored all those points, he blocked and tackled folk. Basically Polian got 1 pick right in his entire career and everyone else are just role players....

Yep and the last two seasons are evidence that he is the straw that stirs the Colts' drink.

Edited October 26, 2011 by SanAntonioColt

[dn4192]

Yep and the last two seasons are evidence that he is the straw that stirs the Colts' drink.

Well okay then I think all we need to do then is release everyone on the roster and work hard on getting Peyton healthy and we are good to go. think of the money we will save....

[Jaric]

Well okay then I think all we need to do then is release everyone on the roster and work hard on getting Peyton healthy and we are good to go. think of the money we will save....

Do you know what a strawman is?

[utall]

So all those Pro Bowl honors and such don't mean anything? All the high reviews of a number of our players by other experts were wrong? Basically all the winning was done by Peyton? He scored all those points, he blocked and tackled folk. Basically Polian got 1 pick right in his entire career and everyone else are just role players....

Yeah and that one was a no brainer

[BOTT]

Dungy inspired his people. he made game-time adjustments. He managed the game well. He hired the right personnel (Mudd and Moore) I think it's unfair to lump him and Caldwell together. He would not have taken his foot off the gas in the '09 SB. He would have our team prepared to play better this year. They are not the same people

i think mudd and moore were already here. dungy brought clyde, the awful special teams coach that caldwell fired, ron meeks, and teerlick....i think...i'm too lazy to look it up.