is 2016 our best shot at a title?

[bananabucket]

edit: I mean 2015-2016, obviously.

 

I keep thinking about all the holes we're going to have in the near future when we lose guys to either age or FA (Gore, AJ, Herremans, Cherilous, Mathis, Cole, Jackson, Toler, Adams, etc).  With all the key players who will need new contracts soon, will we have the cap room to fill these holes?  Will Grigson be able to draft well enough to prevent the problems before they occur?

 

This year, we have someone we should at minimum feel comfortable with at virtually every position.  We also have tons of talented vets who have enough in the tank for at least one more push.

 

 

I know it isn't "now or never" since we still have Andrew Luck, but is this coming season our best chance for the foreseeable future?

[C0lts088]

I think as Andrew gets more and more experience we'll have a better and better shot every year, that being said I think this is our best shot since #12 has came into the league

[Timo1]

Its the best shot since luck had been in Indy. Any players that are lost can be replaced. As long as luck stays and continues to improve. The next 10-13yrs is the Colts time.

[King Colt]

I  watched the Pats-Seahawks Super Bowl last night and how well polished they are stood out above all. Yes mistakes were made but all teams make mistakes.  It's like comparing the special forces to the regular forces to a lesser degree. Two very solid coaches that equate playing with winning and I am not convinced this holds true with all coaches. I'll compare the Colts overall to the Cowboys overall-two solid teams with money and insist on class but are one game short of the gold. One thing is for certain I will celebrate the day Brady retires and I wonder if Belichick will stay or just clean out his locker. 

[lollygagger8]

This is our best shot since Luck has been here. 

 

 

I have a strange feeling that this is our year. 

[SteelCityColt]

edit: I mean 2015-2016, obviously.

 

I keep thinking about all the holes we're going to have in the near future when we lose guys to either age or FA (Gore, AJ, Herremans, Cherilous, Mathis, Cole, Jackson, Toler, Adams, etc).  With all the key players who will need new contracts soon, will we have the cap room to fill these holes?  Will Grigson be able to draft well enough to prevent the problems before they occur?

 

This year, we have someone we should at minimum feel comfortable with at virtually every position.  We also have tons of talented vets who have enough in the tank for at least one more push.

 

 

I know it isn't "now or never" since we still have Andrew Luck, but is this coming season our best chance for the foreseeable future?

 

I don't think it's quite as do as die as you seem to suggest with your post. One thing Grigson has been very good at is cap management in both the long and short term so there should be enough to sign the 2012 class and have some room for manoeuvre.

 

They key as you say though is drafting well. If you can do that you pursue a GB type model of drafting well and keeping your own FAs. 

[Defjamz26]

I would say next year. One more solid draft which hopefully yields a solid defensive playmaker, plus all of our young guns with another year of experience should make us a real force.

The holes at ILB and NT are what's holding us back IMO

[MTC]

Unfortunately, yes.

[Restored]

I would say this year is the best shot. Next year's team will look different given that Fleener, Allen, Luck and T.Y + Castanzo are in the final year of their deal. Luck will probably have the 5th year option used but everyone else will be up.

[jskinnz]

edit: I mean 2015-2016, obviously.

 

I keep thinking about all the holes we're going to have in the near future when we lose guys to either age or FA (Gore, AJ, Herremans, Cherilous, Mathis, Cole, Jackson, Toler, Adams, etc).  With all the key players who will need new contracts soon, will we have the cap room to fill these holes?  Will Grigson be able to draft well enough to prevent the problems before they occur?

 

This year, we have someone we should at minimum feel comfortable with at virtually every position.  We also have tons of talented vets who have enough in the tank for at least one more push.

 

 

I know it isn't "now or never" since we still have Andrew Luck, but is this coming season our best chance for the foreseeable future?

 

I completely reject this premise.  It has been proven, time and again, that to win in the NFL you need to have a franchise level QB and the Colts have that in spades.  Since 2003, the only QB to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl have been Peyton, Brady and BIg Ben with Flacco as the single outlier.  I think Flacco is at least a near-elite player and the others, there is no doubt - first ballot HoF's. 

 

All those Super Bowl teams that franchise QB's play on have had to manage the salary cap and account for them taking up large percentages of financial resources but they have done it.  They have to be willing to let some players walk after their rookie deals which means drafting well is required but that is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

The Colts will be contenders for the next decade because of 12.

[jskinnz]

Unfortunately, yes.

 

Complete and utter nonsense.

[ProblChld32]

The way the offense is primed to look i would have to say yes!

[Restored]

I completely reject this premise.  It has been proven, time and again, that to win in the NFL you need to have a franchise level QB and the Colts have that in spades.  Since 2003, the only QB to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl have been Peyton, Brady and BIg Ben with Flacco as the single outlier.  I think Flacco is at least a near-elite player and the others, there is no doubt - first ballot HoF's. 

 

All those Super Bowl teams that franchise QB's play on have had to manage the salary cap and account for them taking up large percentages of financial resources but they have done it.  They have to be willing to let some players walk after their rookie deals which means drafting well is required but that is not an unreasonable expectation.

 

The Colts will be contenders for the next decade because of 12.

 

There's a difference between being a contender (ie. making the playoffs each year) and actually having a championship contending roster. The Chargers have had a franchise QB for quite some time now and have only made it to one AFC Championship game with him. If you don't have the right supporting cast, your QB, no matter how great, will only carry you so far. We saw this for years with Peyton when the team around him started to crumble. Same thing happened with Dan Marino.

 

But I will agree that the Colts should have no excuse once they have to pay Luck franchise QB money. Draft good and retain your own and give Luck a shot to win it all each year.

[BrentMc11]

This is our best shot since Luck has been here. 

 

 

I have a strange feeling that this is our year. 

I hope you are right.  I would not bet a bucket of bananas on it

[lollygagger8]

Complete and utter nonsense.

 

 

Your infinite wisdom astounds once again. 

[southwest1]

Unfortunately, yes.

Unfortunately yes? Care to elaborate on that statement MTC? I'm not challenging you. I'm just curious as to why your reply has a somber overtone to it. Luck is a young man still. It's not like he's nearing 40 in football years. If we protect him & get 4-6 yards per carry on the ground. The sky is the limit. 

 

I have a feeling that RB Vick Ballard is gonna be a freaking stud this season. He's definitely due man. 

[southwest1]

Your infinite wisdom astounds once again. 

You just made me spit pop all over my computer screen Lolly. I love that line. It's the politically correct way of saying that someone missed both the boat & harbor yet again. It was hysterical though. I can't lie. 

 

No disrespect intended toward jskinnz BTW. 

[southwest1]

There's a difference between being a contender (ie. making the playoffs each year) and actually having a championship contending roster. The Chargers have had a franchise QB for quite some time now and have only made it to one AFC Championship game with him. If you don't have the right supporting cast, your QB, no matter how great, will only carry you so far. We saw this for years with Peyton when the team around him started to crumble. Same thing happened with Dan Marino.

 

But I will agree that the Colts should have no excuse once they have to pay Luck franchise QB money. Draft good and retain your own and give Luck a shot to win it all each year.

Your Phillip Rivers comparison is a good one Restored. Rivers always has talent around him, usually plays well in the post season, & yet the Chargers have never made it to the Big Dance. Luck will win a Championship. It's only a matter of time. Phillip, on the other hand, has all the tools & pieces around him to pull it off. I just can't figure out what his final stumbling block is man. It baffles me. 

 

Oh yeah Peytonator, if you're right about Melvin Gordon & he's a franchise back in 3 years, I will give you your props & admit I was wrong. You have my word. WI doesn't produce stud NFL workhorses though; We just don't so I won't hold my breath. 

[Smonroe]

This is our best shot since Luck has been here. 

 

 

I have a strange feeling that this is our year. 

 

Nothing strange about it.  That's not to say we aren't poised to continue being in the mix as long as 12 is here.

 

Speaking of feelings, remember during the peak of the Manning years where we just wanted the season to be over? We knew we were in the playoffs, and no matter how much we dominated during the regular season we still had that apprehension of not knowing if we could win in the playoffs?

 

It's kind of nice not to feel that way now.  I don't know if we'll dominate in the regular season, nor do I care.  But I know that if we get to the playoffs, we'll be as good as we were in the regular season.

[jskinnz]

Your infinite wisdom astounds once again. 

 

Dear God...

 

Did you even read the extended thought I provided in the previous post?

[Restored]

Your Phillip Rivers comparison is a good one Restored. Rivers always has talent around him, usually plays well in the post season, & yet the Chargers have never made it to the Big Dance. Luck will win a Championship. It's only a matter of time. Phillip, on the other hand, has all the tools & pieces around him to pull it off. I just can't figure out what his final stumbling block is man. It baffles me. 

 

Oh yeah Peytonator, if you're right about Melvin Gordon & he's a franchise back in 3 years, I will give you your props & admit I was wrong. You have my word. WI doesn't produce stud NFL workhorses though; We just don't so I won't hold my breath. 

 

Thanks, SW. There were some years where Rivers had a solid cast around (2006-2007) but they always seemed to underperform outside of those years. The Chargers team(s) he was apart of just weren't as well-constructed to win continuously like the Pats, Steelers and Colts.

[dgambill]

Its impossible to know what this team will look like by the playoffs this year much less in two to five years. I will say that this is the first team since like 2010 that I feel going into the season that the Colts are one of those top five favorites to win it all. Its not a SB or bust or anything but I expect us to look like a SB caliber team. I don't know what will happen....what injuries or if we have any dissappointments with players but on paper we should be able to compete with anyone. Time to see that play out on the field. I don't think the window will close...it could close in the preseason if Luck goes down....but nobobdy knows what the future will be..but I think we should be right there this year knocking on that door and with Luck....just like Peyton I look for us to always be a playoff team even if we aren't great....and if a special team comes along and we find the magic at the right time....we can win it all! 

[dgambill]

Thanks, SW. There were some years where Rivers had a solid cast around (2006-2007) but they always seemed to underperform outside of those years. The Chargers team(s) he was apart of just weren't as well-constructed to win continuously like the Pats, Steelers and Colts.

Same thing that it was for Peyton for many of those early years.....THE PATRIOTS...lol

 

 

 

Sorry...my posts got screwed up....meant for just one lol.

[dgambill]

Your Phillip Rivers comparison is a good one Restored. Rivers always has talent around him, usually plays well in the post season, & yet the Chargers have never made it to the Big Dance. Luck will win a Championship. It's only a matter of time. Phillip, on the other hand, has all the tools & pieces around him to pull it off. I just can't figure out what his final stumbling block is man. It baffles me. 

 

Oh yeah Peytonator, if you're right about Melvin Gordon & he's a franchise back in 3 years, I will give you your props & admit I was wrong. You have my word. WI doesn't produce stud NFL workhorses though; We just don't so I won't hold my breath. 

Same thing that happened to Peyton for many years....they are called the PATRIOTS and Tom and company has thwarted several good qbs and teams chances down through the years. Whether to go to the SB or just in the playoffs altogether.

[Superman]

There's a difference between being a contender (ie. making the playoffs each year) and actually having a championship contending roster. The Chargers have had a franchise QB for quite some time now and have only made it to one AFC Championship game with him. If you don't have the right supporting cast, your QB, no matter how great, will only carry you so far. We saw this for years with Peyton when the team around him started to crumble. Same thing happened with Dan Marino.

 

But I will agree that the Colts should have no excuse once they have to pay Luck franchise QB money. Draft good and retain your own and give Luck a shot to win it all each year.

 

The Chargers drafted poorly. The Colts began to draft poorly, and never used free agency. Obviously, you have to have the right supporting staff, but the point, as you mention, is that having a franchise QB with a big contract isn't an excuse for not having the right supporting staff. It makes it a little more difficult, but that's the job. I don't think anyone would rather be the Jets or Texans, teams with pretty good rosters but who can't find or keep a QB.

 

Also, while the salary cap has gone up dramatically, QB salaries haven't quite kept pace. In 2012, the highest paid QB accounted for 16.6% of the cap. This year, the highest paid QB accounts for 15.4% of the cap. And that's just average salary, not actual cap hit, which is easy to manipulate. Between the rookie wage scale and cap rollover, the salary cap is becoming much easier to navigate, even with a highly paid QB. 

[Restored]

The Chargers drafted poorly. The Colts began to draft poorly, and never used free agency. Obviously, you have to have the right supporting staff, but the point, as you mention, is that having a franchise QB with a big contract isn't an excuse for not having the right supporting staff. It makes it a little more difficult, but that's the job. I don't think anyone would rather be the Jets or Texans, teams with pretty good rosters but who can't find or keep a QB.

 

Also, while the salary cap has gone up dramatically, QB salaries haven't quite kept pace. In 2012, the highest paid QB accounted for 16.6% of the cap. This year, the highest paid QB accounts for 15.4% of the cap. And that's just average salary, not actual cap hit, which is easy to manipulate. Between the rookie wage scale and cap rollover, the salary cap is becoming much easier to navigate, even with a highly paid QB. 

 

Exactly. The Chargers had a few solid years where the roster was decent around Rivers but for the most part, it was him doing what he could to start to the season well before Norv Turner and co. found a way to sink the ship by the end of the season. I still think that was one of their biggest mistakes to this day in hiring him.

 

Good analysis on the salary cap percentages. Didn't realize that the cap rise was outpacing the QB salary rise.

[lollygagger8]

Dear God...

 

Did you even read the extended thought I provided in the previous post?

 

You need a new tag line, desperately. 

 

At least you capitalized God. 

[dgambill]

The Chargers drafted poorly. The Colts began to draft poorly, and never used free agency. Obviously, you have to have the right supporting staff, but the point, as you mention, is that having a franchise QB with a big contract isn't an excuse for not having the right supporting staff. It makes it a little more difficult, but that's the job. I don't think anyone would rather be the Jets or Texans, teams with pretty good rosters but who can't find or keep a QB.

 

Also, while the salary cap has gone up dramatically, QB salaries haven't quite kept pace. In 2012, the highest paid QB accounted for 16.6% of the cap. This year, the highest paid QB accounts for 15.4% of the cap. And that's just average salary, not actual cap hit, which is easy to manipulate. Between the rookie wage scale and cap rollover, the salary cap is becoming much easier to navigate, even with a highly paid QB. 

I think the Colts and Chargers have had closer teams than most think. We know the best team doesn't alway win...sometimes a team gets hot (Giants 2007/Ravens 2012). Sometimes you need a lucky break....maybe you need your defensive back to not run down the middle of the field right into a 270lb mostly immobile qb. Maybe you need the ref to rule a fumble an incomplete pass that leads to a rule change. (Maybe even spy lol) Maybe you need a team not to punt the ball inside the 10 like 5 times or have their tiny back up rb go off on a career changing game against ya. Point is I think the Colts have been very very close several times....like recovering an onside kick or not dropping a critical 3rd down pass before the half close as have some teams like San Diego who have had some key injuries in the playoffs affect them too.

 

Most of all though there has been typically one team standing in most of the AFC's way...and that is the best team of this generation the Patriots. But I don't think the margin from them to us or the Chargers have been very much imo.

[Superman]

I think the Colts and Chargers have had closer teams than most think. We know the best team doesn't alway win...sometimes a team gets hot (Giants 2007/Ravens 2012). Sometimes you need a lucky break....maybe you need your defensive back to not run down the middle of the field right into a 270lb mostly immobile qb. Maybe you need the ref to rule a fumble an incomplete pass that leads to a rule change. (Maybe even spy lol) Maybe you need a team not to punt the ball inside the 10 like 5 times or have their tiny back up rb go off on a career changing game against ya. Point is I think the Colts have been very very close several times....like recovering an onside kick or not dropping a critical 3rd down pass before the half close as have some teams like San Diego who have had some key injuries in the playoffs affect them too.

 

Most of all though there has been typically one team standing in most of the AFC's way...and that is the best team of this generation the Patriots. But I don't think the margin from them to us or the Chargers have been very much imo.

 

Yeah, sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. Scifres beat us in 2008, talk about the bounce of the ball. Or the onside kick in the SB. Etc. Like you said, there isn't some great chasm between the Pats and the Colts during the last decade. If there were, it would show in overall record, not just in the postseason where anything can happen.

 

Still, there were some critical issues with some of our rosters. We were four games better than the Chargers, and shouldn't have been in a one score game with them to begin with. Polian drafted a bunch of linemen that year, and none of them could play. He also kept Ryan Lilja instead of Jake Scott. When stuff like that starts piling up, it affects your team's performance right away (not converting at the end of regulation to run the clock out), and in the long term (by 2012, none of those guys were still here).

 

But none of that has to do with Manning being one of the highest paid players in the league. That's all my point was. Sometimes your roster has issues, but you can trace those back to drafting and poor free agency decisions. You don't feel sorry for yourself because you have a highly paid QB who guarantees you a +.500 record every season.

[MTC]

Unfortunately yes? Care to elaborate on that statement MTC? I'm not challenging you. I'm just curious as to why your reply has a somber overtone to it. Luck is a young man still. It's not like he's nearing 40 in football years. If we protect him & get 4-6 yards per carry on the ground. The sky is the limit. 

 

I have a feeling that RB Vick Ballard is gonna be a freaking stud this season. He's definitely due man. 

 

Luck is going to get paid a lot of money. This will change on how we spend on players in free agency. 

 

Who knows what will happen to Castonzo and Hilton in FA. 

[Warhorse]

Your infinite wisdom astounds once again. 

I though it was nonsense as well....as I do the premise of the thread. OUr best shot without having any idea of what the future brings is..well....extremely nonsensical. Skinz is one of the smarter posters here, but I wouldn't go as far as to say his wisdom is infinite. So it's ok to have an opinion, but not an opinion of an opinion? 

[dgambill]

Yeah, sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way. Scifres beat us in 2008, talk about the bounce of the ball. Or the onside kick in the SB. Etc. Like you said, there isn't some great chasm between the Pats and the Colts during the last decade. If there were, it would show in overall record, not just in the postseason where anything can happen.

 

Still, there were some critical issues with some of our rosters. We were four games better than the Chargers, and shouldn't have been in a one score game with them to begin with. Polian drafted a bunch of linemen that year, and none of them could play. He also kept Ryan Lilja instead of Jake Scott. When stuff like that starts piling up, it affects your team's performance right away (not converting at the end of regulation to run the clock out), and in the long term (by 2012, none of those guys were still here).

 

But none of that has to do with Manning being one of the highest paid players in the league. That's all my point was. Sometimes your roster has issues, but you can trace those back to drafting and poor free agency decisions. You don't feel sorry for yourself because you have a highly paid QB who guarantees you a +.500 record every season.

Yep...I agree 100%...that said EVERY team has weaknesses....you can't just put together a stacked team like the 49ers or Cowboys anymore. Even NE has had some weaknesses. Sometimes they get exploited when you play really good teams. Sometimes you just get out executed. Take that 2005 Pittsburg game. During the regular season we CRUSHED them!! I mean destroyed that team. However in the playoffs our OL missed assignments. Peyton wasn't sharp....we didn't execute or get after a rookie qb....but we still had a LOADED roster....best we may have ever fielded. It just happens....and I agree having a top paid qb is a blessing and didn't hinder us at all. I think overall we have been pretty consistant....we've missed in the draft and hit big. Sometimes an ill fated injury to a star rb or qb will end a run. We saw that with Gronk and the Pats or with LT and the Chargers or Rivers himself playing on 1 leg. I do think mistakes have been made in drafting and FAs...but so have the Patriots...so in the end it came down to the field and some teams just got outplayed at key moments. The Chargers did fall off because of those missed drafts as you stated and their decisions in FA so they weren't able to sustain it..as did we a bit at the end with Peyton too. One thing with having that great qb like you said....the blessing is that they almost always put you in a situation where you have a shot to win. Gives the team confidence that if they keep it close they will find a way...they can beat anyone. Its definately a blessing...that 2011 Colts team wasn't a playoff caliber team and Peyton basically carried us into those playoffs...I'd take that any day than having more money and a guy like Dalton that can't get it done.

[SteelDragon]

There will be better Colts teams in the near future than the one that will take the field in Sept. There's still a great deal of improvement that will be made through future drafts. However, we're right where we want to be just four years into a rebuild.

For sure, the Colts need to make every effort to win this year, but the window of opportunity is hardly closing. It's actually just starting to Crack open for us.

Enjoy the season. We're going to learn alot about this team and it's braintrust this season.

[bananabucket]

I though it was nonsense as well....as I do the premise of the thread. OUr best shot without having any idea of what the future brings is..well....extremely nonsensical. Skinz is one of the smarter posters here, but I wouldn't go as far as to say his wisdom is infinite. So it's ok to have an opinion, but not an opinion of an opinion? 

 

 

That's why I said "foreseeable" future.

 

Also, I didn't even state my position.  I was merely posing the question.

[Jay Kirk]

I hope you are right.  I would not bet a bucket of bananas on it

[GoColts8818]

With Luck to this point yes. It looks like the best team the Colts have had around him to this point. Is it the best shot for his career? Probsbly not. Manning's best chances all came on his second contract so you can build good teams with a superstar QB who is getting paid big bucks.

[crazycolt1]

Luck is going to get paid a lot of money. This will change on how we spend on players in free agency. 

 

Who knows what will happen to Castonzo and Hilton in FA. 

Castonzo and Hilton will never be free agents any time soon. They will be resigned IMO. You make it sound like signing Luck is going to hamper the Colts. Grigson has signed team friendly contracts and the Colts will be fine.

[lollygagger8]

I though it was nonsense as well....as I do the premise of the thread. OUr best shot without having any idea of what the future brings is..well....extremely nonsensical. Skinz is one of the smarter posters here, but I wouldn't go as far as to say his wisdom is infinite. So it's ok to have an opinion, but not an opinion of an opinion? 

 

Apparently we need a sarcasm font. 

[Dark_Indy]

I would say next year. One more solid draft which hopefully yields a solid defensive playmaker, plus all of our young guns with another year of experience should make us a real force.

The holes at ILB and NT are what's holding us back IMO

 

Irving, Freeman, Jackson.

 

What holes at ILB?

 

NT is coming along.... slowly.

[bananabucket]

Irving, Freeman, Jackson.

 

What holes at ILB?

 

NT is coming along.... slowly.

 

 

I really liked the Irving addition, but we still don't have anyone who can cover a TE.

 

 

All our NTs are unproven right now.  We need someone to step up.