Texans trying to catch up with the Colts...

[southwest1]

And the Colts continue to get pounded by New England, Pittsburgh, or any good team that has even a semblance of a running game. Even with Andrew at the helm.

I can't lie up til now that's been a very accurate statement. Pittsburgh & NE do seem to give INDY fits. A good observation QuizBoy. Harsh, but truthful. The Colts can handle Baltimore, but Le'Veon Bell inside 3 Rivers Stadium...Not so much. LOL! 

[Qwiz]

I can't lie up til now that's been a very accurate statement. Pittsburgh & NE do seem to give INDY fits. A good observation QuizBoy. Harsh, but truthful. The Colts can handle Baltimore, but Le'Veon Bell inside 3 Rivers Stadium...Not so much. LOL!

Le'Veon Bell is one monster the Colts (or any other team for that matter) don't want to get involved with lol.

[southwest1]

How many more would the Texans lose without Watt?

Ooh...dragging out the big guns like bringing a german tank to a knife fight. If Clowney is ready to go with JJ being moved around on the Texans defensive line, SW1 is more than a little nervous though jvan. 

 

I don't wanna see Chewbacca get sandwiched in between those 2 pass rushers. Yikes! I never under estimate Romeo Crennel as a DC either. Give that man QB killers on D & he will unleash armageddon on the opposing field general at will. 

 

Off topic: As an early Christmas list wish, please don't allow Philip Rivers to become the franchise QB for the Titans. Otherwise, the AFC South will get black & blue & very, very bloody.  

[Deathiltis]

I dont root for the texans but you have to admit they always give the colts a go, now with that dline I think its a toss up, They are going to be tuff on defense!

For sure. Wilfork is a good add. Bummer for them Clowney kept getting injured, didn't really show anything. But Colts added pieces too. Texans will make them earn games, but in my opinion Colts don't lose a game to the Texans this season and won't have any problem winning the division. Really think the Texans should have picked Bridgewater, that guy is a pretty solid young QB despite his small frame.

[basspapaw]

For sure. Wilfork is a good add. Bummer for them Clowney kept getting injured, didn't really show anything. But Colts added pieces too. Texans will make them earn games, but in my opinion Colts don't lose a game to the Texans this season and won't have any problem winning the division. Really think the Texans should have picked Bridgewater, that guy is a pretty solid young QB despite his small frame.

Watt is a monster and if he plays more offense it will be entertaining, I agree its not enough but the division will not be a push over this year.

[SteelDragon]

I like the Texans defense. Alot. I don't know what Arian Foster has left in the tank, but if they can be a middle-of-the-pack offense, they're going to be on our heals and will probably be a play-off team.

[amfootball]

No argument.  

 

The Colts have poured more resources toward offense than defense.   Considering we have Andrew Luck,  I'm OK with that.

 

But at some point,  we have to address that side of the ball.     The defense must be built.

 

We've bought some good, but older assets in free agency,  but I'm expecting some high picks as well in the draft.   An OK defense is not going to get the job done.

To your points here, Irsay has said he was going to build this team different than when he did with Manning and yet these moves still look like Polian.

[amfootball]

If you look at the last 3 SBs winnners - Ravens, Hawks, Pats - they were all physical teams on BOTH sides of the ball. In the end brawn will beat out finesse in football but you have to strike that uncanny balance and of course stay healthy.

[jvan1973]

To your points here, Irsay has said he was going to build this team different than when he did with Manning and yet these moves still look like Polian.

What moves look like polian?

[Dustin]

No. Defense wins games. If I could have the Seahawks defense, then I would be pretty confident sticking Ryan Fitzpatrick in at QB to manage games and letting Marshawn run the ball. In any case, Hoyer and Mallett are hardly "terrible".

 

Hoyer is very bad and he's still probably the 2nd or 3rd best QB in your teams history. 

[amfootball]

What moves look like polian?

Read NCF post that is what I was responding to.

[jvan1973]

Read NCF post that is what I was responding to.

I did, I'm asking you what moves look like Polian moves

[amfootball]

I did, I'm asking you what moves look like Polian moves

The offensive skill ones ... when your D is the main issue with the team.

[Dustin]

Read NCF post that is what I was responding to.

 

The Colts have more cap space tied up in defense than offense. 

[amfootball]

The Colts have more cap space tied up in defense than offense. 

They do? Then that begs the question if Grig knows how to build a defense.

[jvan1973]

The offensive skill ones ... when your D is the main issue with the team.

How about the high dollar corner, the first round olb, several FA defensive players in his first three years of being the GM. He and polian have taken much different approaches to team building

[Dustin]

They do? Then that begs the question if Grig knows how to build a defense.

 

Probably not. But our best (read only) pass rusher missed IR all of last season. 

[jvan1973]

They do? Then that begs the question if Grig knows how to build a defense.

Converting from a Tampa 2 defense to a 3-4 isn't a simple fix.

[amfootball]

How about the high dollar corner, the first round olb, several FA defensive players in his first three years of being the GM. He and polian have taken much different approaches to team building

I did not say you had no one on defense but def. not enough. Your offense was one of the tops in the league last year and that was with Trent as a bust and a non-effective Reggie. He really did not need to spend one dollar on O other than the line.

[amfootball]

Converting from a Tampa 2 defense to a 3-4 isn't a simple fix.

That is fair. It will take time.

[jvan1973]

I did not say you had no one on defense but def. not enough. Your offense was one of the tops in the league last year and that was with Trent as a bust and a non-effective Reggie. He really did not need to spend one dollar on O other than the line.

You certainly know very little about this roster.

[Dustin]

I did not say you had no one on defense but def. not enough. Your offense was one of the tops in the league last year and that was with Trent as a bust and a non-effective Reggie. He really did not need to spend one dollar on O other than the line.

 

which again isn't true. We didn't have a single possession receiver on the offense or a RB that could pass block or hold onto the ball. 

 

When your offense runs more 7-step drops than any team in the NFL, you need a back who can pass block. 

[amfootball]

which again isn't true. We didn't have a single possession receiver on the offense or a RB that could pass block or hold onto the ball. 

 

When your offense runs more 7-step drops than any team in the NFL, you need a back who can pass block. 

So you are happy with your offensive line?

[jvan1973]

So you are happy with your offensive line?

They signed Herreman from Philly. I'm guessing it will also be addressed some what in the draft

[Dustin]

So you are happy with your offensive line?

 

I'm fine with LT, LG, and RG. There weren't really any RTs on the market and we have a pair of young guys battling out for C. 

[jskinnz]

I did not say you had no one on defense but def. not enough. Your offense was one of the tops in the league last year and that was with Trent as a bust and a non-effective Reggie. He really did not need to spend one dollar on O other than the line.

 

That is categocial nonsense.

[amfootball]

They signed Herreman from Philly. I'm guessing it will also be addressed some what in the draft

yes. excellent signing.

[NewColtsFan]

To your points here, Irsay has said he was going to build this team different than when he did with Manning and yet these moves still look like Polian.

 

Agreed, but I don't expect this to continue.

 

The difference is Manning was with Indy 14 years (?)  and the approach didn't seem to change much.

 

We're only going into Luck's 4th year.    I understand completely surrounding him with talent to start with, but if this team is indeed serious about going further in the post-season,  that's only going to happen with an improved defense.

 

I'm expecting a serious commitment to defense in the upcoming draft.    Whether we get it or not is another story.....

[The Fish]

Dunno if this has been brought up, but if Phillip Rivers is really available, why wouldn't the Texans mortgage the future (how ever they could) to keep Tennessee from getting him? It the Titans pick him up, they'd leap frog the Texans or at worst be on par with them.

The Texans are a 9-7 team without a QB, with a QB they're a real problem for the Colts and the AFC.

[Superman]

They do? Then that begs the question if Grig knows how to build a defense.

 

No it doesn't. The amount of cap space on either side of the ball isn't an indication of the quality of the roster on either side of the ball.

[Qwiz]

Hoyer is very bad and he's still probably the 2nd or 3rd best QB in your teams history.

That's alright. Maybe Mallett will be the franchise guy we've been looking for.

[NFLfan]

That's alright. Maybe Mallett will be the franchise guy we've been looking for.

Hi Q, what do you think of Rivers playing for you (as suggested by The Fish above)?

[amfootball]

No it doesn't. The amount of cap space on either side of the ball isn't an indication of the quality of the roster on either side of the ball.

I never said it was.

[dw49]

Is this your prediction for this coming year? Because you went 11-5 last year, barely winning the division by the skin of your teeth, again, barely beating a team with "no QB".

 

 

As I said before  regarding your "skin of the teeth " comment. When we played Houston for the second time in 2014 , it was hardly a "must win" for the Colts. The fact that we had already clinched the tie breaker with Houston , we could lose that game and clinch the division with a week 17 win home against Tenn.. who looked to be the worst team in football at that time. Further more we really had nothing much to gain with that win as we were pretty much eliminated from getting a first round bye .

 

So while Houston was playing for their season , it was really just a game for the Colts. A win vs Tenn gives us a first round home game .

 

Also there's a bit of a difference of playing at Denver and home vs NE than there is playing Oakland and Buffalo who was playing EJ Manuel at that time. No last place schedule for Houston to enjoy this year. Anyway , it doesn't take a mathematician to figure out the Colts finished 4 games (plus the tie breaker) ahead of Houston when you compare the 14 games they played vs common opponents.

[Qwiz]

Hi Q, what do you think of Rivers playing for you (as suggested by The Fish above)?

I'd love it. I don't know if I would be happy about the price it would cost, as it for sure would be dear, but yeah, like Fish suggested we'd be AFC Super Bowl contenders no doubt. Plus Rivers is a great guy off the field, he gets his guys fired up, and if not for the lack of rings, he would be talked about as one of the elite QBs for sure.

[jskinnz]

Is this your prediction for this coming year? Because you went 11-5 last year, barely winning the division by the skin of your teeth, again, barely beating a team with "no QB".

 

You keep spewing this Colts won the division "by the skin of our teeth" nonsense and it is really nothing more than that - nonsense.  They won by two games - that is not really a close division race.  Plus they had the tiebreakers so even if Houston had won the 2nd game - Indy would still have won the division if both teams ended with a 10-6 record.

 

Further this "barely" beat a team with no QB is more nonsense.  A win is a win is a win.  There are no extra points for degree of difficulty in the NFL standings.

[NFLfan]

I'd love it. I don't know if I would be happy about the price it would cost, as it for sure would be dear, but yeah, like Fish suggested we'd be AFC Super Bowl contenders no doubt. Plus Rivers is a great guy off the field, he gets his guys fired up, and if not for the lack of rings, he would be talked about as one of the elite QBs for sure.

He is one of my favorite QBs. I think he is very underrated. He is a southern guy; so, you never know. It would make your team a lot more competitive. Give a call to Rick Smith.

[Qwiz]

He is one of my favorite QBs. I think he is very underrated. He is a southern guy; so, you never know. It would make your team a lot more competitive. Give a call to Rick Smith.

Yeah, maybe I can convince Rick to make a little southern magic happen

[Superman]

You keep spewing this Colts won the division "by the skin of our teeth" nonsense and it is really nothing more than that - nonsense.  They won by two games - that is not really a close division race.  Plus they had the tiebreakers so even if Houston had won the 2nd game - Indy would still have won the division if both teams ended with a 10-6 record.

 

Further this "barely" beat a team with no QB is more nonsense.  A win is a win is a win.  There are no extra points for degree of difficulty in the NFL standings.

 

The division was never really in question. The Colts took control in Week 6 and never looked back. Trying to make more out of that last game is really desperate.

[pgt_rob]

The offensive skill ones ... when your D is the main issue with the team.

 

Colts needed another WR (losing Reggie and playing hurt last year didn't help). Trent is a terrible running back and Ahmad Bradshaw seems to find a way to get hurt. Right Guard spot was a gaping hole as well. Those were all addressed for the time being. I wouldn't necessarily say our D was the main issue. Maybe as a Patriots fan because the Colts could never stop the run, but that wasn't even that bad against any other team except for the Patriots. So eh, it's whatever.