The Colts Coaching Staff [Mega-merge]

[Balzer40]

I can't believe I keep seeing Brian Billicks name pop up from the fans. 1st of all, he is a offensive coach and unless we get rid of Manning, I don't think there is anyway we are going to bring an overrated egomaniac offensive coach here to implement his philosophy. Secondly, part of the problem with Billick in Baltimore, was that he was an egomaniac and that kind of coach don't jive with the Polians.

[dn4192]

How do you know they can't play that style, it hasn't even been tried?!?!?!?! As a coach you have to make adjustments when something isn't working. It is not hard to knock somebody off their route. You mess it up for one second and they have to readjust. It's Football 101. Our DEs are good enough to make plays if we don't allow the QB to play backyard catch with his receivers.

You and others don't believe they have thought or tried in practice to change things up, I don't know what they have done. Since the Colts coaches know so much more then any Joe Fan here does, I am willing to go with them over Joe Fan in knowing what the Colt players can or can't do. The Colts coaches may not be the best, or that good, but they still have more knowledge and ability then anyone on this forum.

[Superman]

And when said defenders get blown away because they can't play that style you will wine and complain.....Our defense is what it is this year, you can't change them to play a style they are not able to play.

If we make a change to our defense, and the change doesn't work, I'd expect us to make another change. Until we find something that works better. And if nothing works, then that means our players suck, and that's on Bill Polian and Co.

Your statement also paints a picture of a defense that isn't already getting blown away. We're last in points allowed. We give up a first down on two of every three pass attempts. We give up a higher completion percentage and passer rating than any other team in the league. We've given up the 4th most passing touchdowns. How much worse can it get?

However, I'm NOT asking us to play bump and run. I'm not asking them to play a different style. We're still talking about a conservative shell defense with zone coverage across the field. I'm just talking about playing our defensive backs closer to the receivers, giving them a little push when they take off, slowing their route down, and keeping them from getting open as quickly. I'm talking about not dropping our middle linebacker into the deep third every play; we can play Cover 3 with two safeties and a corner, and it would have the same shell coverage. The difference would be that we'd have smaller zones underneath, and the opposing quarterbacks wouldn't have such high percentage throws to go to every down.

This simple tweak would allow our defensive line to get more pressure on the quarterback. More pressures (maybe more sacks) speeds the decision making up, and that forces a mistake. What Polian said last week about hoping a quarterback makes a mistake in the red zone only works if you can get pressure on the quarterback. We can't get pressure if we allow receivers to get open as quickly as we do.

This is not rocket science. I'm not asking for man coverage. I'm not asking for anything aggressive. I'm talking about a simple tweak that should help. If it doesn't help, try something else. But you don't just send your defense out there to get torched every week and do NOTHING to try and improve. You're acting like the defense is working. It's not. It sucks.

[Ramblinwreck7]

Those are some good ideas, but can our offensive line do it? Our line is banged up and young and you asking alot of them to do things that are tough to do.

None of those things are tough to do for an O-line, they actually help them out and make their jobs easier. They keep the O-line from having to straight up block a D-line on a passing play.

I don't see what you think is so hard about them?

Play action bootleg passes are misdirection fakes which, if executed properly, allow the QB to have a ton of time to throw the ball while the O-line is blocking in the opposite direction. Screen passes let the D-lineman run freely to the quarterback leaving the O-lineman to block LB's, CB's, and S's. WR's bubble screens get the ball out quick which keeps pressure off the O-line. Throwing the ball downfield will require better pass protection, but that is where the playaction and bootleg playaction plays are useful. WR reverses are misdirection plays which catch the D-line and linebackers pursuing the RB in the opposite direction.

And no one should argue that we shouldn't do a halfback pass from Joseph Addai. Most of the time these plays work, or at least they seem to work. Addai can make the throw I think, we just have to have the courage to call the play. Our players would love it and it would give us a ton of momentum.

[GoColts8818]

Chicago had bad breaks losing Cutler and Forte so closely together and so deep into the season... obviously they are going to struggle.

Both Miami and KC have lost their starting QBs and KC lost their best offensive playmaker. They both have adjusted and have multiple wins. The Colts have had 14 weeks to figure out how to adjust and win and have failed to do it. In no way did I have delusions that the Colts would be a playoff team this year without Manning because of the points you are making. I also didn't think we would be 0-13...

Polian said himself that the defense was not meant to play with a lead (e.g., built for Manning)...the Bears run essentially the same D, and have a lot of success with it. 2007 was the last time the Colts had a top 5 defense. We have been drafting players to continue that scheme, and have apparently failed miserably. I'm not one to trash the Polians, but your point is invalid because if you look at the historic numbers of the defense, the FO and/or coaching staff has failed to bring in the talent needed to field a respectable unit. Obviously what we are doing now isn't working, and we are not successfully bringing in players to fit our scheme, so what the heck does it hurt to put some wrinkles in? Case and point: look at NE...they have struggled all year and D and are tweaking it each week to try and figure out something that works. Since we fired Coyer, we are essentially running a prevent defense for all four quarters. There is not a starting QB in the NFL that would not be able to drive the ball up and down the field on the Colts.

So losing Peyton Manning the day of final cuts right before the start of the season isn't a bad break? Then losing Bullitt and Brackett in the first game of the year for the season aren't more bad breaks?

The Colts have had their fair share of bad breaks too.

We were going to run the same defense when we fired Coyer. We promoted a guy to get us threw the season, not be the new DC going forward. Also our personal is based on that defense. They aren't going to make major changes this late in the season which is part of the arguement against firing a coach in the middle of the season. I do think there are going to be major changes made this off-season which is when real changes take place.

This team needs more than tweeking here or there which is about the most you can ask for in the middle of the season. This team just doesn't have enough talent, namely at the QB spot.

[mark_dk]

I just had an epiphany. Polian is actually joking with us and just saying those things to rile his critics. There is no way a competent GM would say and do the things he does so it has to be a joke.

Or maybe he's simply not a competent GM. Period.

[GoColts8818]

• A caller asked Polian if Caldwell will be fired . Polian responded, 'My fervent hope is that Jim's job is not in jeopardy because my fervent hope is that we don't go 0-16, and we're doing everything we can to try and avoid that.'
  
• 
  
• Polian then said the coaches made the decision to bench Painter. For Polian, Painter's play was 'really pretty good' in his first four games
  
• 
  
• Polian said the Colts were planning to draft T.J. Yates in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. TheTexans took him earlier. Polian said that the Colts should have taken Yates earlier. Ironically, Houston drafted Yates in the 5th Round using the draft pick the Colts sent to the Washington Redskins in the trade for Ben Ijalana. Ijalana has bee out since Week Four with a knee injury
  
• 
  
• Polian: It makes me feel bad that good players and good coaches are suffering on the Colts because of decisions we made in the front office..
  
• 
  
• Polian said that if the Colts draft a QB in the first round next year, and that QB plays, the Colts 'will struggle.' ( like we arent now )
  

• Drake Nevis might be 'keystone' to build defensive line around, said Polian.
  
• 
  
  • As part of the 'what needs to improve,' Polian singled out punter Pat McAfee and said he must get better as a directional and strategic punter. ( HE IS A PRO BOWLER TO ME of all players to take a shot at )
    
  • 
    

  [*]SEE ARTICLE for other notes

http://www.stampedeb...ow-week-14-2011

In fairness to the pont about McAfee, McAfee himself said earlier this year on the radio that kicking the ball out of bounds is really hard and is something he is working on. So I think he himself is admiting that is an area he needs to improve on.

[jskinnz]

I would call firing him after 62-7 rash and reactionary. Firing him at 0-13? A measured response.

I understand what you are saying but my larger point is firing him now because Miami and the Chiefs let go of their coaches would be knee jerk. You are a smart guy - you want the Colts to act in that manner?

[jskinnz]

and 1 superbowl, good thing it was against Grossman.

Which means what exactly?

[Superman]

I can't believe I keep seeing Brian Billicks name pop up from the fans. 1st of all, he is a offensive coach and unless we get rid of Manning, I don't think there is anyway we are going to bring an overrated egomaniac offensive coach here to implement his philosophy. Secondly, part of the problem with Billick in Baltimore, was that he was an egomaniac and that kind of coach don't jive with the Polians.

The world doesn't revolve around Peyton Manning. Just because Billick is an offensive-minded head coach doesn't mean that he can't co-exist with Manning, and maybe even help Manning play better. The man won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer playing quarterback, and went to the playoffs several times with Elvis Grbac, Kyle Boller, and a shell of Steve McNair.

If you think he's overrated, that's a matter of opinion. If you think he's an egomaniac, you'll have to provide some sort of history to support that claim. All I saw was a coach who's owner was torn about firing him, and who's team supported him after his firing. I don't know that he'd be the right choice here. But he has credentials. I can't understand not interviewing him.

[LUVTHESHOE]

In fairness to the pont about McAfee, McAfee himself said earlier this year on the radio that kicking the ball out of bounds is really hard and is something he is working on. So I think he himself is admiting that is an area he needs to improve on.

In others words our S/T are so horrible and we don't know how to fix them(going on ten years now) so just punt the ball out of bounds. What next, I know Polians new s/t plan since we cant cover kicks or punts and our pro bowl kicker/best tackler can't punt the darn ball out of bounds, in order to cut down on the massive return yards we give up, I BP HAVE DECIDED TO JUST HAVE THE OFFENSE GO FOR IT EVERYTIME,thus we will not be giving up said return yards, I am brilliant!

[21isSuperman]

Which means what exactly?

Apparently, it doesn't matter at all that we beat a good defense outdoors (Ravens) that everyone said we couldn't do. It doesn't matter that we beat a good running team (Chiefs) that everyone said we couldn't do. It doesn't matter that we had a huge comeback against the Pats. It doesn't matter that the Bears were one of the top defenses in the league that year. It doesn't matter that we played good defense and stuffed the run, which everyone said we couldn't do. All that matters is that Rex Grossman was playing QB...

[Larry Horseman]

So losing Peyton Manning the day of final cuts right before the start of the season isn't a bad break? Then losing Bullitt and Brackett in the first game of the year for the season aren't more bad breaks?

We were going to run the same defense when we fired Coyer. We promoted a guy to get us threw the season, not be the new DC going forward. Also our personal is based on that defense. They aren't going to make major changes this late in the season which is part of the arguement against firing a coach in the middle of the season. I do think there are going to be major changes made this off-season which is when real changes take place.

This team needs more than tweeking here or there which is about the most you can ask for in the middle of the season. This team just doesn't have enough talent, namely at the QB spot.

The Colts have obviously had bad breaks...all I was doing was pointing out that other teams have bad breaks too and they can adjust and win a game (I believe the Bears are yet to win w/o Cutler but I guarantee they will win another game this season). Losing Bullitt and Bracket hardly equate to losing Manning. In fact, Bullitt was flat terrible last year and this year before he was put on IR (I'm on record saying we should not have signed him back) and has zero impact in the win column. Bracket is a great leader and solid player, but has a marginal impact in the win column.

I was not saying we should completely change our defense or I thought we would after firing Coyer...we could make tweaks and be more aggressive and that would make a difference either positively or negatively. As a fan, I want to see signs of trying. The way it looks now, the players play hard but the staff is not trying to change things so we can win. Obviously we are out-manned, thus we should try something schematically to compensate for that.

[mark_dk]

In fairness to the pont about McAfee, McAfee himself said earlier this year on the radio that kicking the ball out of bounds is really hard and is something he is working on. So I think he himself is admiting that is an area he needs to improve on.

Still, if Polian wishes to bash someone for their in-game performance do it to Caldwell or the special teams instead

[Superman]

I understand what you are saying but my larger point is firing him now because Miami and the Chiefs let go of their coaches would be knee jerk. You are a smart guy - you want the Colts to act in that manner?

Nope. I stated in another thread that what other teams are doing shouldn't dictate what the Colts do. In this thread, someone said that Caldwell would have been fired a long time ago if Daddy Irsay were still running the team, which I said I think is evidence that Jim is a better owner than his dad was. I don't want them to be knee jerk.

But it's not knee jerk at this point to fire a coach who hasn't been able to get his team to win a game, who can't make adjustments to be more competitive on a weekly basis (we've actually gone backward this season), etc. There's really no benefit to holding on to Jim Caldwell for another three weeks. I think it's pretty clear that he's just not the guy we need him to be. And honestly, we could be 0-13 and I could possibly feel differently, if the team were playing better, if we were making sensible adjustments, etc. It's just been a sad performance so far this season. Whatever happens these next three weeks isn't going to change that.

[The Peytonator]

You and others don't believe they have thought or tried in practice to change things up, I don't know what they have done. Since the Colts coaches know so much more then any Joe Fan here does, I am willing to go with them over Joe Fan in knowing what the Colt players can or can't do. The Colts coaches may not be the best, or that good, but they still have more knowledge and ability then anyone on this forum.

You are so thick dude. All Superman and myself are saying, is to change it up in the game. Play closer to the LOS in coverage. Knock the guys off their routes. Okay, maybe they've tried in practice. But practice rarely consists of 11 on 11. Practice is all about practicing routes, running drills, basic stuff. The fact of the matter is, they don't try what we're saying in the games. What reason do they have for not at least trying it? What we might lose a game? Big *' deal. We're 0-13!!!! You have to shake things up when your team can't win a single game.

You only further my belief that you are in fact Bill Polian with your lack of ability to understand this concept. When your team sucks, try something different. Did you miss 1st grade? Because that's one of life's first lessons. When you fail, time and time again, maybe you need to make an adjustment.

[GoColts8818]

In others words our S/T are so horrible and we don't know how to fix them(going on ten years now) so just punt the ball out of bounds. What next, I know Polians new s/t plan since we cant cover kicks or punts and our pro bowl kicker/best tackler can't punt the darn ball out of bounds, in order to cut down on the massive return yards we give up, I BP HAVE DECIDED TO JUST HAVE THE OFFENSE GO FOR IT EVERYTIME,thus we will not be giving up said return yards, I am brilliant!

I didn't say that at all. In fact if you read some of my post this year I have been very hard on our special teams. All I was saying is that even McAfee has admitted that kicking the ball out of bounds was something he needed to work on. Nothing wrong with having to get better, every player can and the great ones who are really good do work to get better.

With that said no question the rest of the Special Teams unit is a joke.

[Superman]

In others words our S/T are so horrible and we don't know how to fix them(going on ten years now) so just punt the ball out of bounds.

Directional kicking is a huge part of most teams' punt game. If you can kick the ball out of bounds inside the 10, you completely eliminate the risk of a return or a touchback. Has nothing to do with how well you cover returns.

[LUVTHESHOE]

I didn't say that at all. In fact if you read some of my post this year I have been very hard on our special teams. All I was saying is that even McAfee has admitted that kicking the ball out of bounds was something he needed to work on. Nothing wrong with having to get better, every player can and the great ones who are really good do work to get better.

With that said no question the rest of the Special Teams unit is a joke.

Yea sorry did'nt mean to send that as a response to your post.

[Balzer40]

The world doesn't revolve around Peyton Manning. Just because Billick is an offensive-minded head coach doesn't mean that he can't co-exist with Manning, and maybe even help Manning play better. The man won a Super Bowl with Trent Dilfer playing quarterback, and went to the playoffs several times with Elvis Grbac, Kyle Boller, and a shell of Steve McNair.

If you think he's overrated, that's a matter of opinion. If you think he's an egomaniac, you'll have to provide some sort of history to support that claim. All I saw was a coach who's owner was torn about firing him, and who's team supported him after his firing. I don't know that he'd be the right choice here. But he has credentials. I can't understand not interviewing him.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/headlines/20101022-Todd-Archer-Brian-Billick-s-1412.ece

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/30/billick-says-hes-too-old-expensive-for-jags-job/

http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=1234551

Quote from 3rd article.

"Hard Knocks" kicks off with footage of Ravens coach Brian Billick celebrating after last year's Super Bowl. Since Billick's ego is roughly the size of Rhode Island, I'm guessing this won't be his last appearance during the show."

These sort of touch on why I say he's an egomaniac.

[LUVTHESHOE]

Directional kicking is a huge part of most teams' punt game. If you can kick the ball out of bounds inside the 10, you completely eliminate the risk of a return or a touchback. Has nothing to do with how well you cover returns.

Yes I relize that. All I am saying is with all the problems we have I found it pointless to call out Pat. He is no worse at directional punting than anyone else we have ever had. We hav'nt cover well on punts since Pat was in pampers, so I don't think that goes all on him. S/t have cost this team numerous playoff loses and a super bowl and is still never addressed.

[GoColts8818]

The Colts have obviously had bad breaks...all I was doing was pointing out that other teams have bad breaks too and they can adjust and win a game (I believe the Bears are yet to win w/o Cutler but I guarantee they will win another game this season). Losing Bullitt and Bracket hardly equate to losing Manning. In fact, Bullitt was flat terrible last year and this year before he was put on IR (I'm on record saying we should not have signed him back) and has zero impact in the win column. Bracket is a great leader and solid player, but has a marginal impact in the win column.

I was not saying we should completely change our defense or I thought we would after firing Coyer...we could make tweaks and be more aggressive and that would make a difference either positively or negatively. As a fan, I want to see signs of trying. The way it looks now, the players play hard but the staff is not trying to change things so we can win. Obviously we are out-manned, thus we should try something schematically to compensate for that.

I didn't say they were equal to it, but they were added to losing Peyton Manning. None of those other players those other teams have lost equals losing a Peyton Manning either.

Bullitt has not been terriable he has had more game winning INTs than any other player on the team. Is he the best Safety in the league far from it. Is he better than anyone else we've thrown out there at safety since he's gone down? Yes.

What does everyone complian about Angerer? He's getting exposed in pass defense. That is what Brackett did well is exactly what I said we were going to miss from Gary when he went down. What do you know we are missing his pass defense skills. Not to say Angerer's run skills aren't better than Gary's but the reason Brackett worked so well in our defense is what we ask our MLB to do in our cover-2 system. If we change to another system next year Gary might very not be back next year because I am not sure Gary is good enough to play MLB in a system that isn't a cover-2 but in a cover-2 he is more than good enough so yes not having him is having an impact.

I just think people think we fired Coyer okay we are going to have changes on defense. I just don't think that is going to be the case because frankly Murphy has been coaching in that system and that is still what we have player to do. I didn't think we would have many if any changes at all which is why I am against firing a coach in the middle of the seaosn I don't think there is much of a point to it and I don't think it helps much other than you have a new voice giving the message which is why I think Coyer got fired. The day before we fired him Polian made a big deal out of the fact that we practiced to cover the option all week vs. the Panthers and the first three times they ran it we didn't cover it and that it was clear the message wasn't getting threw. They then fired Coyer which tells me that they had more of an issue with how Coyer was delievering the message more than what the message was trying to be delievered.

[Dtman513]

Here's what Polian had to say about McAfee

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/31854/pat-mcafee-shouldnt-be-a-bill-polian-target

[Smitto]

The ticket sales this year are cheap and in some cases free are on tickets being resold. The Colts sold out their tickets a long time ago so the people taking it on the chin are the people trying to resell their tickets. The Tickets the Colts put up for sale are the ones returned by the other team.

Also if Peyton Manning comes back and we are winning again next season the place will be sold out regardless of who the head coach is. People care about winning not who the head coach is.

Yes the key point is they sold out a long time ago but i doubt that is for next season and i dont think they will be sold out for next season, thats true fans care about winning but it wont take a scientist that whatever happens in the offseason it will have an effect on how much money the colts make in the upcoming season which is what i said about calwell staying on with most of his coaching staff or little changes.. that will have an impact on how much the colts make so i think they will lose money.

[Superman]

http://www.dallasnew...lick-s-1412.ece

http://profootballta...e-for-jags-job/

http://proxy.espn.go...tory?id=1234551

Quote from 3rd article.

These sort of touch on why I say he's an egomaniac.

It's one thing to have an ego (I think any head coach has an ego, he kind of has to in that position). It's another to be an egomaniac. You could find articles like that on some of the best and worst coaches in the NFL. Ever heard horror stories about Bill Belichick? Best coach in the NFL though, right?

I'm just saying that the idea that he'd come in and mess with Peyton's sacred offense isn't a reason not to hire him. Might be a good reason to think about hiring him. It's not going to be the Peyton Manning show forever. We should get that after this season.

[deedub75]

Since our special teams have been sorry for years, why didn't Polian just draft a kicker who could directional kick the ball out of bounds instead of drafting McAfee knowing the he is a hangtime long yardage punter who needs people who can cover. Well, at least he knows how to tackle!

[Balzer40]

It's one thing to have an ego (I think any head coach has an ego, he kind of has to in that position). It's another to be an egomaniac. You could find articles like that on some of the best and worst coaches in the NFL. Ever heard horror stories about Bill Belichick? Best coach in the NFL though, right?

I'm just saying that the idea that he'd come in and mess with Peyton's sacred offense isn't a reason not to hire him. Might be a good reason to think about hiring him. It's not going to be the Peyton Manning show forever. We should get that after this season.

I agree, but as long as the Polians are here, I don't see that happening. After this debacle of a season and seeing just how freakin terrible the Colts really are, I would be for a complete overhaul of the FO, coaching staff, and the team.

[Quantum88]

At this point this team is a 100% rutterless ship.

What is a rutterless ship?

[jskinnz]

Nope. I stated in another thread that what other teams are doing shouldn't dictate what the Colts do. In this thread, someone said that Caldwell would have been fired a long time ago if Daddy Irsay were still running the team, which I said I think is evidence that Jim is a better owner than his dad was. I don't want them to be knee jerk.

But it's not knee jerk at this point to fire a coach who hasn't been able to get his team to win a game, who can't make adjustments to be more competitive on a weekly basis (we've actually gone backward this season), etc. There's really no benefit to holding on to Jim Caldwell for another three weeks. I think it's pretty clear that he's just not the guy we need him to be. And honestly, we could be 0-13 and I could possibly feel differently, if the team were playing better, if we were making sensible adjustments, etc. It's just been a sad performance so far this season. Whatever happens these next three weeks isn't going to change that.

My goodness - we are saying the samething. I am just doing it more efficiently. If they are firing him for cause now I completely get it. If they are firing him because Miami and the Chiefs did the same yesterday, then that is pretty crappy way to run a team.

[Smitto]

At the end of the day BP doesnt have the say, if irsay wants caldwell gone he will get gone. as for fisher i think the colts can do better i never liked the fact that the titans took scraps from the colts.. the colts need a good defensive minded coach.

[jskinnz]

What is a rutterless ship?

It is a ship stuck in a rut.

[dn4192]

Nobody is saying he went from smart to dumb in one season!!!!

He has been in a downward spiral for a while now. People have been talking about how soft the defense is for the past 5 years. Even the 14-0 start we had two years ago, our defense was pretty friggin' soft. Remember that Miami game??? 45 minutes to our 15 in the time of possession battle. Good defenses don't stay on the field for 45 minutes!!!

Your defense is laughable.

Colts defense is soft because the Colts are built to out score you. I don't know the numbers off hand but I am willig to bet that the higher % of salary is on the offensive side of the ball. Then you add in what we were spending on Dwight, Bob and you will see why the defense was what it was. When you invest so highly in your offense then your defense is going to suffer.

[dn4192]

Yes the key point is they sold out a long time ago but i doubt that is for next season and i dont think they will be sold out for next season, thats true fans care about winning but it wont take a scientist that whatever happens in the offseason it will have an effect on how much money the colts make in the upcoming season which is what i said about calwell staying on with most of his coaching staff or little changes.. that will have an impact on how much the colts make so i think they will lose money.

The Colts can return the entire staff and it won't matter one bit if Peyton is back and playing at 100%. Winning is all that matters and we have seen that with Peyton behind center this team wins, and that is all that matters.

[deedub75]

Well, he's running out of people to blame every week. The only people left to blame are the concessions workers.

[Happy2BeHere]

Ehhh....McAfee is good, I think he's doing great. Can't say much for most of the fellow team mates...

[vitoaf27]

-They signed Kerry Collins -They wanted to draft Dalton -They wanted to draft Yates But there was no reason to suspect Peyton wouldn't be back? Funny how Bill has only mentioned he thought about drafting the 2 rookie QBs who happen to be playing right now. Cover that booty Billy boy, don't want to look like a fool now do we?

He only signed Collins after Manning's most recent surgery was scheduled to happen. He only said he would've drafted Dalton if he knew Manning would be out the whole year. Getting Yates wouldn't have replaced Manning, so that point is moot.

Bill Polian is not a fool. Some of the things he says on his show are just ramblings and to avoid the questions the fans ask and to generally hide whatever the Colts are actually doing. Once in awhile, like the day before he fired Coyer, he'll let things slip that actually imply what the Colts are going to do. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter what he says, it matters what he does. He is not a bad GM. He was unprepared for this year, clearly, and had admitted as much NUMEROUS times. What else do you guys want? Do you want him to wave a magical wand and fix everything?

There is definitely merit to arguing about key mistakes he has made throughout the years. However, it's all in hindsight. When we gave Clark, Freeney, and Sanders HUGE contracts, it was because they were playing at an outstanding level at the time. In hindsight, Sanders and Clark both were injured for much of their most recent contracts (Sanders obviously not on the team anymore), and Freeney's is arguable. Some would say it's justified, some would say he's just a situational pass-rusher. Those big contracts are what kept us from getting better depth than what we've been able to maintain. Couple that with our extraordinary amount of injuries, and you get this result. You get very bad special teams, you get very bad play in the secondary and offensive and defensive lines, you get poor depth, you get absolutely pathetic backup QBs, etc. Would he like to go back and change some decisions he's made? I'm 100% sure of it. But that doesn't make him a bad GM.

[Buck Showalter]

So sure they changed, but their offense didn't get better.

He's not losing them games, that is for sure...

[Quantum88]

It is a ship stuck in a rut.

I thought "rutterless" meant there are no ruts.

[LUVTHESHOE]

What is a rutterless ship?

A ship with no direction, i.e. going in circles.

[dn4192]

I appreciate class as much as anything, but I have to agree with this. The early bird gets the worm, you can show class in other ways, get rid of Caldwell now and try in order to be able to court the replacement of your choice. Don't wait until the best candidates have been taken.

The problem is that the "best" candidates wouldn't be hired no matter what. I am guessing you consider the best candidates as being like Bill Cower, Jon Gruden, Jeff Fisher and such. Those style of coaches will never be hired by Bill Polian, so with the Colts waiting till after the season won't matter.