Winners And Losers In The Bears Game.

[oldunclemark]

If no one got hurt..the Colts are the winners...

I juts didn't see anything significant again this week...we don't play the offense long enough to show anything..

...and we shouldnt

[Superman]

I almost forgot -- Andrew Luck was excellent.

 

He missed a checkdown on one of the early pressures he took. Other than that, he was the franchise QB carrying his team. On the drop to Hilton, they read the defense perfectly and carved it up. The next play, Luck looked off the safety perfectly, with just enough of a fake that way, which opened up the middle of the field, and Hilton did what he does. 

 

I loved how he pulled the ball down and ran for the TD. He didn't have any pressure, wasn't in trouble, but no one was open... except him. Tuck and run, 6 points. He was decisive, he didn't wait until he had to run, he was alert to the opportunity, and he cashed in. Great work. 

[Superman]

Your point on Moncrief I chalk up to a floated pass. Ideally, yes, he would go up and win it anyways, but he had to fully stop and come back (he had a good yard of separation on his man)

The difference with Robinson and Tipton is night and day. Gore I'm extremely excited about, but Robinson is looking like he could be a solid backup this year

 

Despite his tools, Moncrief isn't a 'go up and get it' kind of receiver. I don't think he had to fully stop and come back (maybe you're thinking of the deep out that wasn't deep enough; great play there by Moncrief, bad throw by Hasselbeck). The ball wasn't out in front where it should have been, but it's not like he didn't have time to adjust and get in position to make the play. If he had fully stopped -- stacked the DB so that he had position -- and then gone up for it, he probably would have made the catch or at least drawn a flag. But he misplayed the ball in the air, then got outjumped by a guy who is physically inferior in every way that matters. 

 

If Moncrief ever gets this figured out, he'll be unstoppable. If. 

[Smonroe]

Well honestly that pass luck was hurried and the ball was higher than anticipated I mean for Johnson it can be caught but at the same time it still wasn't on target to begin with

Yeah, I just watched it again. It looked like an easier catch at the game than on TV. Luck was rushed on the throw, but that's going to be a money play this season.

After watching our first team, it looks good on O and D. Some adjustments needed but not nearly as bad as some are saying.

I don't think I can bear to watch the subs. Hasselbecks passes may still be floating around today.

[will426]

Yeah, I just watched it again. It looked like an easier catch at the game than on TV. Luck was rushed on the throw, but that's going to be a money play this season.

After watching our first team, it looks good on O and D. Some adjustments needed but not nearly as bad as some are saying.

I don't think I can bear to watch the subs. Hasselbecks passes may still be floating around today.

Mh is playing like Rg3 without the pass rush

[Douzer]

I'm onboard with most of what's been mentioned, however here's my 2 cents...

 

The O-line pass blocking was one of the worst displays I've seen in some time, 1st, 2nd & 3rd team. A very alarming display. Both Hasselbeck and Bennett have taken a beating in this review, however that's one of the critiques I can't get behind. The O-line folded so fast and so easily, at all levels in pass blocking, that the timing of the pass offense was crippled. In both case the QB's made the right reads, but had to throw the ball way too early and under ridiculous pressure, and both had on target WR drops that made it look even worse. Lance Louis and Harrison get A's in pass blocking. Castonzo A-, Holmes B+, everyone else got tooled. The run blocking on the other hand was more productive. Special recognition again for Doyle, he gave another quality display of TE blocking. 

 

O-Line pass blocking was shockingly and astonishingly bad = D-

 

On D... No defender had a worse day than Cam Johnson. He followed up last weeks poor play with another even worse performance. His edge folded every time it was the point of attack, which was often, and Langford abused him repeatedly. The linebackers as a group get the week link of the game on award for the D. Werner only got a few snaps in the game and how he drew any hostile critiques is beyond me. Newsome was unprepared to work against the run and his film will be full of poor angles, poor recognition & poor tackling. Someone pointed it out earlier and I agree completely, more bull rushes are needed from the edge pass rushers. The outside angle rush generated nothing and only served to take themselves out of the play and leave gaping holes to run through or passing lanes to fire the ball through.

 

Lots of good stuff was to be seen from the D-line. Langford played well again, Parry is a gasher with power, but not a 1st down NT, Anderson can play with the big boys. Quarles, Hughes, Pendleton, Kerr all made their minutes count again late. Eric Patterson also deserves a thumbs up for any number of places that he showed up.

[JPFolks]

Rumor has it the Eagles will trade Matt Barkley. I'd look into it, and maybe even carry three QBs on the active roster this year. 

 

I had that thought but fear they'll want way too much for him.  MH's money...is that already guaranteed? And what would you trade for Barkley? 

[ColtsBlueFL]

To me MH was mailing it in.  Poor reads and throws all around.

 

Joseph 

 

He's done.  He turns 40 soon.  I predicted this before the draft.  The fall off of Matt and no winning type QB behind MH. Before our draft, I felt we should have went hard in round 4 or 5 for Sean Mannion or maybe Garret Grayson.  Too bad the Rams and Saints felt so good about those two they both went in round 3!!  Even Bryce Petty went in #4 and Brett Hundley in Round 5.  But this is the type of QB we need as a backup.  Luck doesn't need 'mentoring' from a vet, and someone young with talent, even if somewhat raw early, is what we need.  Especially at rookie contract pricing.  We should have addressed it this year, but I think folks will soon see, if they haven't already, it is the elephant in the room for 2015.

[JPFolks]

Just another comment: 

 

I have checked out bits of all the other Pre-Season games and I have yet to find another team with as many problems, fundamental weaknesses and lack of discipline as our team through 2 games.  Sure, some teams don't have the top end talent we have, but they all seem to have better coaching results for what they have to work with.  No one could watch the Colts and say we look like THE team to go all the way this year.  Unless we have a major injury free season, it just looks bad. 

[Smonroe]

Just another comment: 

 

I have checked out bits of all the other Pre-Season games and I have yet to find another team with as many problems, fundamental weaknesses and lack of discipline as our team through 2 games.  Sure, some teams don't have the top end talent we have, but they all seem to have better coaching results for what they have to work with.  No one could watch the Colts and say we look like THE team to go all the way this year.  Unless we have a major injury free season, it just looks bad.

You're reading way too much into preseason football IMO. If you try just looking at the first team play you see a few flaws, like the plays Mewhort and AC gave up. Remember, there's no gameplanning. The coaches want to see how they look on their own before adding chips and help if needed depending on who they're playing.

The first team O was a few dropped passes away from being in mid season form. The D didn't give up a TD.

The 2s and 3s will never play together as a team. Forget how they play as one now, it's meaningless. They'll fill in, next men up, and there's some decent talent.

Lastly, this preseason is no worse than the last 15 or so, right? Did they really predict the season?

[Superman]

I had that thought but fear they'll want way too much for him.  MH's money...is that already guaranteed? And what would you trade for Barkley? 

 

Only MH's $1m signing bonus was guaranteed, until Week 1. But my thinking is to foolishly keep Hasselbeck and Barkley, and carry three QBs with Bennett on practice squad. We can probably stop right there, because it's not going to happen, but I'd rather have Barkley as QB2 next year than Bennett, that's for sure.

 

I have no idea what they want for him. Rumor has it they're going to showcase him the rest of the season in order to entice a good offer for him.

[John Dee]

yep, after sleeeping for half the day and watching the Luck plays again...   Mewhort did calm down, but jury is still out.     It is pre season.    And Indy is simply NEVER any  good at games that don't count.    BUT dang Luck getting hit early in games that dont count bothers me.   

 

We shall see...     the skill positions are there...      Gotta figure it out at C and G.

I thought Montori Hughes played well, didn't he?

 

Mewhort, I will give him a pass. He settled down after the first series, IMO, though he did get some help with TE/RB chipping. If it starts hurting us, it may be time to put back our playoff O-line unit back with Reitz at RT.

[Superman]

Just another comment: ?

 

I have checked out bits of all the other Pre-Season games and I have yet to find another team with as many problems, fundamental weaknesses and lack of discipline as our team through 2 games.  Sure, some teams don't have the top end talent we have, but they all seem to have better coaching results for what they have to work with.  No one could watch the Colts and say we look like THE team to go all the way this year.  Unless we have a major injury free season, it just looks bad. 

 

How many of those teams had great preseasons last year and then went 6-10?

[wig]

Indy has won 11 pre season games in 11 years. I'll be concerned after week 1 if they look sloppy.

[GoColts8818]

How many of those teams had great preseasons last year and then went 6-10?

exactly, the year the Lions went 0-16 they went 4-0 in the pre-season that year. The goal of the pre-season is to get out healthy and take a look at guys to round out your roster. If you accomplish that it was a good pre-season regardless of score, record, or team performance.

[BPindy]

Despite his tools, Moncrief isn't a 'go up and get it' kind of receiver. I don't think he had to fully stop and come back (maybe you're thinking of the deep out that wasn't deep enough; great play there by Moncrief, bad throw by Hasselbeck). The ball wasn't out in front where it should have been, but it's not like he didn't have time to adjust and get in position to make the play. If he had fully stopped -- stacked the DB so that he had position -- and then gone up for it, he probably would have made the catch or at least drawn a flag. But he misplayed the ball in the air, then got outjumped by a guy who is physically inferior in every way that matters.

If Moncrief ever gets this figured out, he'll be unstoppable. If.

I was thinking of another play, my bad. After rewatching it, he definitely could have made a play. You're right though, his physical tools are a potent mix - he's just got to figure out how to use them. And now I'm going to go watch Luck's throw to him in the Bengals game.

[JPFolks]

How many of those teams had great preseasons last year and then went 6-10?

(this is also to Smonroe who said basically the same thing).  

 

Records mean nothing.  I didn't suggest the final score was relevant.  But tackling, blocking technique, penalties, terrible arm strength (Hasselbeck) etc. suggests that our depth is very weak or very poorly coached or some of both.  If our guys could do the fundamentals correctly and they lost, no biggie.  But the Colts just appear to be sloppier and less prepared fundamentally and certainly have demonstrated so terrible contain, edge setting, tackling, blocking and to a lesser extent catching the ball compared to most other teams this pre-season that I have seen.  Win loss has always been meaningless, the rest is very important, especially in the 2nd team players who will need to step up all season.  

[Superman]

(this is also to Smonroe who said basically the same thing).

Records mean nothing. I didn't suggest the final score was relevant. But tackling, blocking technique, penalties, terrible arm strength (Hasselbeck) etc. suggests that our depth is very weak or very poorly coached or some of both. If our guys could do the fundamentals correctly and they lost, no biggie. But the Colts just appear to be sloppier and less prepared fundamentally and certainly have demonstrated so terrible contain, edge setting, tackling, blocking and to a lesser extent catching the ball compared to most other teams this pre-season that I have seen. Win loss has always been meaningless, the rest is very important, especially in the 2nd team players who will need to step up all season.

I didn't say anything about records in the preseason. Using your own ideas about what a team should look like, how many teams had a good preseason last year, and still didn't have a good regular season?

I agree that some of the basic stuff has been lacking for the Colts through two games. That doesn't mean those deficiencies will carry into the season. I'd prefer to see the Colts play well in preseason and then we could talk about how people shouldn't get too excited, because it's only preseason. That would be a much better discussion, IMO. But at the end of the day, preseason isn't something to get too excited or upset about. There's too much debugging going on to take any of the results seriously.

As an example, I don't think McAfee will continue to outkick his coverage in the punt game. I think they're telling him to boom it because they want to see as much gunning and open field tackling as possible in the preseason. Just my assumption, nothing for sure. But fair catches don't really help the coaches evaluate who can cover punts, and they don't get guys like Geathers and Herrera more opportunities to work on live tackling. So while the punt coverage hasn't been great, I don't think that's really indicative of how we'll cover punts once the season starts. So we can freak out about how much better the Bears cover punts, or we can recognize that preseason isn't a great gauge for how any team will play in the regular season.

[jvan1973]

The winners were the Bears and the losers were the Colts...just check the scoreboard.

I don't think you understand preseason football

[ColtsBlueFL]

Only MH's $1m signing bonus was guaranteed, until Week 1. But my thinking is to foolishly keep Hasselbeck and Barkley, and carry three QBs with Bennett on practice squad. We can probably stop right there, because it's not going to happen, but I'd rather have Barkley as QB2 next year than Bennett, that's for sure.

 

I have no idea what they want for him. Rumor has it they're going to showcase him the rest of the season in order to entice a good offer for him.

 

Too bad that Halliday kid didn't work out...  I don't think Bennet can develop enough to be an NFL QB2.  Barkley can...

[HeSoColt]

Jerrell Freeman... He has been so disappointing. Bad in coverage, bad against the run!

[throwing BBZ]

Not sure why everyone is saying Johnson is a winner. Yes, he caught the Two pointer but dropped an easy pass. Average, at best.

TY is our #1, no question.

 

  easy pass.

[throwing BBZ]

Parry was getting blown off the ball, particularly when they doubled him. He can gap, and has some quickness and slipperiness that Chapman doesn't, and is better on passing downs, but he's not a true "man in the middle" nose tackle. 

 

Montori Hughes was good. He did good at 3 and 5 tech, and showed some ability to hold up on run plays. But he got pushed back at times, also. 

 

D'Qwell Jackson did a good job making blockers miss, and stack/shed a couple times also. He also missed tackles. 

 

Langford I thought was the best DL in the game.

 

We didn't get much pass rush. The Bears gameplanned us a little, keeping some blockers in, going with stacked 2x2 formations and getting rid of the ball quickly. Then when they pulled Freeman and the safety out to the stacked groupings, they started running the ball up the middle. I'm cautiously optimistic that we'd counter that scheme in a real game. I'm not sure why Freeman and Geathers gave up the big gain to Bennett; someone misread the situation.

 

Bad tackling. Geathers arrived at the ball with some authority (which is my sticking point with him), but he still didn't finish well. He got trucked and/or dragged a few times. Got the man down, but not until he gave up an extra 2-5 yards.

 

Eric Patterson looked good before he left. Probably the best tackler of the day, and has an aggressive pass breakup. 

 

OL was shaky in pass pro. I'm not overly concerned. Not only do I think there are multiple ways to gameplan protection, but we know we have a young RT. There are gonna be some mistakes, and really he just got beat by a good pass rusher. Happens to everyone. He was better after that. AC is a rock, and he got beat by a good pass rusher last night also. 

 

The run blocking was decent. The backs -- Gore and Robinson -- know how to find creases and finish runs. The production they had is what Tipton left on the field last week. Robinson was really good on the first drive of the third quarter.

 

Moncrief concerns me. He mistimed his jump, which happens sometimes, and maybe even was interfered with, but his physical ability means he should win those jump balls in the middle of the field. Great play by the DB, but Moncrief is bigger, taller, has longer arms and jumps higher. Go take what's yours. I think Dorsett would have made that play...

 

Speaking of Dorsett, he has a suddenness and shiftiness to him. Corners don't like when the ball comes to him. His simple shakes are deadly, like on the smoke he caught. And on the play where he got hurt, he showed veteran savvy in the route, patiently set his man up, then separated from him with ease. He's ready to play. Hope his knee is okay.

 

Holmes and Harrison were both good. They rotated a few possessions. On the TD drive, Harrison was in there. But the Robinson "four minute drill" to open the third quarter was Holmes; he won a couple of one-on-ones with Eddie Goldman. Both had good play in both phases.

 

Carter... I don't know. Might not make it...

 

Too many penalties, especially on special teams.

 

Lastly, when I watched Bryan Bennett's college tape, what little of it I could find, it was terrible. I'm not surprised that he's looked so bad in preseason. He has legs, and I think they'll keep him on the practice squad to run scout team -- we play Mariota twice, Tannehill, possibly EJ Manuel or Tyrod Taylor in the opener (both of whom can run), and Cam Newton. He'll be useful in practice. But even Hasselbeck hasn't been good. Rumor has it the Eagles will trade Matt Barkley. I'd look into it, and maybe even carry three QBs on the active roster this year. 

 

 I appreciate your honesty about Parry. If he plays much we are in Big trouble. Hughes and Kerr MUST get it going.  JMO. lol

Moncrief has no chance catching that ball once the defender got into his back. It happens.

I like the Barkely idea. ASAP!

 Even with a so so at best O-Line, Gore, Robinson and Boom will get their 4+YPC.

 Lots of 3rd and 2`s+3`s with Andrew ready to run it too.

 

 Losers: Pagano Manusky

 Looks like any team with a good QB is going to do just fine running and short to mid-range passing against their D. AGAIN!

 Jags & Titans are coming at that position so.... being cakewalks will end soon. Mr Irsay is watching and wondering!!!

 

[Jason_]

Parry was getting blown off the ball, particularly when they doubled him. He can gap, and has some quickness and slipperiness that Chapman doesn't, and is better on passing downs, but he's not a true "man in the middle" nose tackle. 

 

[ColtsLegacy]

Trent Coles bull rush leading to sack of cutler was beautiful. He did not get sack but was responsible for it. Hope we see more of that.

Trent Cole looked great. Very quick and strong. He was a handful for the Bears tackles. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned him.

[krunk]

Trent Cole looked great. Very quick and strong. He was a handful for the Bears tackles. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned him.

 

Sometimes he looked like Freeney though when he ran too far upfield.  I could definitely see the pressure though.

[krunk]

I thought Montori Hughes played well, didn't he?

 

Mewhort, I will give him a pass. He settled down after the first series, IMO, though he did get some help with TE/RB chipping. If it starts hurting us, it may be time to put back our playoff O-line unit back with Reitz at RT.

 

Some people may not agree with me, but I think Hughes is the one who should be the starting nose tackle.

[Smonroe]

  easy pass.

 

From where I was sitting it looked like a catchable ball.  I wrote the post before I re-watched it on TV.  I could see that it was a rushed throw.

 

Still catchable, but not easy.

[JPFolks]

 I appreciate your honesty about Parry. 

 

Seriously?  So everyone who saw it differently weren't simply incorrect, but they KNEW he played badly yet LIED about it?  Seriously man, your opinion is no more worthy or honest than anyone else's here.  Get a grip.