The sky is not falling, everyone relax [Mega-merge]

[Coltsince4]

My message to the forum today is, Congrats to one of my X Favorite Colt players!!! Cory Redding for winning today and beating my 

MOST hated football team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Old Newt Oilling (A) ints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GoColts8818]

Smh, no sense of urgency from fans like you whatsoever.

i don't see how it matters if fans do or not. We have zero control over what the Colts do.

[SteelDragon]

Like someone else said: it's not because it's week 1 of 2015. It's because it's week 1 of year 4. Same problems we had in 2012.

Yep. That's the fly in the ointment, isn't it? Every year, we have a few of those games where we're reminded that this team, the way it is constructed, is severely flawed.

On paper, the score today looks semi-respectable. But those of us that watched it know the Colts were manhandled and they made a journeyman QB look like a HOFer. This loss stings as much as the Pittsburgh, Dallas, St Louis, Arizona, and New England debacles of yesteryear.

We are not contenders. Let's enjoy our 11-5, AFC south crown and another second round play-off drubbing. We've gone as far as we're going to get under this regime.

[LockeDown]

The problem is that Buffalo has the kind of defense we wish we had but they will probably not go to the playoffs.  During the regular season teams will find a way to confuse and beat Tyrod Taylor.  The Colts, oth, will find a way to win enough regular season games to go far into the playoffs.  Bills fans are frustrated because they will never get the franchise QB they need and Colts fans are frustrated because they will never get the top 5 defense they need.  And the cycle continues..............btw, I still hold out for hope that one of those young guys on defense will rise up and be a great player and be the leader of that unit that we need.  A young Robert Mathis so to speak.

[BigQandTheManiac]

i don't see how it matters if fans do or not. We have zero control over what the Colts do.

True, but the point I was trynna make is...it don't matter if we get blown out just about every week. It will always be a fan or two on here telling ppl to "calm down....its not that deep." When it really is....especially going into the 4th season under Luck and still making the same mistakes as two seasons ago.

[AndrewQB1]

The Patriots got smashed by Buffalo on opening day 2003 and went on to win the Super Bowl, fingers crossed it's our time stay Coltstrong!!

[RealityIsLuck]

Nicely put. It's a long season and our problems are very correctable. We have too much talent to not finish at least 11-5. 

[King Colt]

I watched the game and I saw two (2) teams on the field (in Buffalo). My observation is the Bills played an outstanding game of defense against the pass and run, especially impressed by the very tight pass coverage. Billed as a big offense vs. a big defense the big defense won out a it often is the case. Another big defense in Houston proved to be a paper tiger in week one despite Watt celebrating himself every time he stood up. Difference is playing defense and talking defense. I think the Bills have Beady next week and I will be watching-let's see how the two teams compare against the very, very good D in Buffalo. 

[MTC]

Different era. 

[Gramz]

The Patriots got smashed by Buffalo on opening day 2003 and went on to win the Super Bowl, fingers crossed it's our time stay Coltstrong!!

I like your optimism.  

[COLTS449]

What makes me feel a little less embarrassed is Seattle getting beat too.

[ricker182]

What makes me feel a little less embarrassed is Seattle getting beat too.

They also lost to a good team like us.

[Flash7]

The Patriots got smashed by Buffalo on opening day 2003 and went on to win the Super Bowl, fingers crossed it's our time stay Coltstrong!!

Why do people keep using the Patriots as an example for what can happen to the Colts? This thread is a perfect example.

 

Another example all over the forum today after this loss: People wrote off the Patriots last year after a bad game vs. the Chiefs, but they came back and won the Super Bowl.

 

Great, but they're the Patriots! They have Brady (one of the best QBs all-time) and Belichick (Football mastermind). We are NOT the Patriots. We have a very good QB and a motivational coach, but not an X's and O's guy.

[GoColts8818]

True, but the point I was trynna make is...it don't matter if we get blown out just about every week. It will always be a fan or two on here telling ppl to "calm down....its not that deep." When it really is....especially going into the 4th season under Luck and still making the same mistakes as two seasons ago.

It's really not though, as I have said many times if the worst thing going on in your life is your favorite football team struggling you should be grateful. 

 

With that said I fully get why people are frustrated with today's game.  No one likes to watch your favorite team get their butts kicked.  I also know people are tired of the defense giving up yards on the ground and the o-line not playing well.  However, I do think we need to recognize a few things.  First the Bills were playing out of their minds today so I do think some credit needs to go to them.  I also think the Colts were in a hard spot.  Being an established team taking on a team who has a new coach who needs to prove something on the road in the first game is a hard spot to be in because they know you while you don't really know them.  Still doesn't excuse things today.  Pagano was clearly out coached and the Bills players out preformed the Colts players.  I don't think we are going to say that after too many games this season.  If we are trust me people will get what they want there will be a coaching change and maybe a GM change at the end of the season.  Until then though I am going to support them and think that they will be able to get some of these things figured out and turned around and the Colts will end up being a pretty good team before the season is over. 

[chad hugo]

They also lost to a good team like us.

 

yes but at least they kept the game close 

[GoColts8818]

What makes me feel better is that the Colts started 0-2 last year and then went 13-4 to finish the season and got to the AFCCG.  Despite what people are saying right now the season isn't over. 

[Malakai432]

I'm already over this loss, what I am disappointed at is how unprepared, stagnant and ugly the team as a whole looked.

[jchandler7]

Pagano/Pep...enough said!

I'm already over this loss, what I am disappointed at is how unprepared, stagnant and ugly the team as a whole looked.

[coltsfanatic24]

The Patriots had a great defense and o-line to help their young QB at the time in Brady. Luck doesn't have either. I had us losing this game and finishing 9-7.

[Colts_Fan12]

For the most part we don't want to fire Grigson.

But it would be nice to have Coach Chuck gone...like a breath of fresh air....and Chuck MUST take Pep with him.

ummm no can Grigs and the whole coaching staff too

[JWF]

The season obviously isn't over but we don't have a mastermind coach behind the scenes to correct that issues. I unfortunately don't think this will be the last time we are outmatched.

[Colttodd18]

It was a tuff opening game. Ryan is one of the best at motivating his team and whipping up a crowd into a frenzy. He had the Defense ready to play and they executed their game plan. Hopefully the worst is behind us. I just don't see much improvement with our line play over last year. But hopefully they will continue to grow.

[jchandler7]

For the most part we don't want to fire Grigson.

But it would be nice to have Coach Chuck gone...like a breath of fresh air....and Chuck MUST take Pep with him.

Agree 100% love the team and organization but Pagano and Pep need to go. I love Pagano as a person and motivater but do not believe he was ready to be a head coach. And Pep is just Pep...freakin boring same ole play calling, never change anything, if it doesnt work the first 3 times hey just try it for the fourth!

[AZColt11]

Good to see nobody is panicking (LOL).  I guess I need to remind the panickers that the Colts were 0-2 last year?  Yeah, maybe its more of the same in terms of stopping the run, protecting the QB, etc.  But they'll get it together and still have a good season and make the playoffs.  Of course they won't win the Superbowl until they fix the line issues, but they'll be in the hunt in January.  And stop acting like Buffalo is an also-ran.  I said we'd lose it and it went about as I expected in the final score.  They have a good coach now and have relatively few holes on that team.  If Taylor ends up preforming more like he did today then watch out....they may just rep the AFC in the Superbowl because they are stacked everywhere else.  It was a game at their place, home-opener, in crap weather.  No T.Y. or Gore for most of the 2nd half.

 

I'll take a page out of Aaron Rodgers' book.  R  E  L  A  X.

[Bubba]

I don't doubt that we are going to beat up on some lesser quality teams this year, but if we can't handle the Bills regardless of their defense we are in for a long year. Imagine what the Pats would have done to the Colts today. We were definitely out coached, out played and whatever else you want to add in there. I know that it's only the first game but the Colts were a dumpster fire. Thank goodness this was an away game or I would want my money back for that garbage play.

[AZColt11]

What makes me feel better is that the Colts started 0-2 last year and then went 13-4 to finish the season and got to the AFCCG.  Despite what people are saying right now the season isn't over. 

It doesn't make me feel GOOD necessarily, but it does give some hope.  They did it last year, they can (and will need to) do it again.  The bulk of the schedule is not that difficult, but this was one of their toughest 4 games IMHO, along with NE, Pitt, and Denver.  It went about as expected but now the pressure is on to be nearly perfect.  I think they will need to win 13 to get home-field.  Not sure they can do that.

[zibby43]

If we had confidence in our coaches like Patriot and Seahawk fans I would say you are right.  However, this team gets to a point in the season where they are good and then get slaughtered by really good teams.

 

I do agree with you re: coaching, especially as it pertains to scheme.  My patience with Pagano/Manusky/Pep is growing thin.

 

While they handle weaker competition with relative ease, they do struggle against elite teams.  They've beaten some great teams during their tenure (Packers, Seahawks, 49ers, Denver, etc.) but there are a few too many complete beatdowns for me to consider the beatdowns mere outliers.

[GoColts8818]

It doesn't make me feel GOOD necessarily, but it does give some hope.  They did it last year, they can (and will need to) do it again.  The bulk of the schedule is not that difficult, but this was one of their toughest 4 games IMHO, along with NE, Pitt, and Denver.  It went about as expected but now the pressure is on to be nearly perfect.  I think they will need to win 13 to get home-field.  Not sure they can do that.

They have a difficult stretch starting with the road Texans game through the Broncos game.  None of those games are "easy" but outside of that five game stretch the rest of the schedule should be manageable. 

[Pacergeek]

lets all calm down. its just week one. keep your fire grigs fire pags fire everyone t-shirts in the closet

Why should I calm down? I made a thread last week questioning this year's defense. Today's performance proved me correct. Grigson's defense is a disaster. No turnovers. No pass rush. Bad tackling. In four years, Grigson has gotten us one good player, Vontae Davis. One 

[Dark Superman]

I'll feel better once Lance Louis is no longer wearing a Colts uniform.

[Dark Superman]

The day Grigson signed Lance Louis and inserted him as our starting Guard was the day I question his knowledge for football talent.

[esmort]

What makes me feel a little less embarrassed is Seattle getting beat too.

 

Difference is they actually were in the game; even held the lead, and lost in overtime ... we were dominated pretty much the whole game outside the first couple drives. 

[ricker182]

yes but at least they kept the game close

Because they have a good defense

[bababooey]

They also got smashed by Kansas City last year to be 2-2.....except they have BB as their coach

[Chucklez]

And still made it to the AFC championship game....

It's one game and it might even be a good thing that it happened. This offense had heard all off-season how they were going to be the league leading unit and that they were going to be "the greatest shoe on earth"..... This will knock them back into reality and make them work their butts off.

The Pats were tipped to be on the downfall and Brady was supposedly washed up and done by week 4 last season.... In case you hadnt heard, they went on to win the SB....


If we get manhandled again by the Jets, then I might be seriously questioning this team, but after watching what went wrong from yesterdays game I think they bounce back.

[HungarianColtsFan]

Hey, we are fans, we have the right to freak out after a loss in season opener! :-))))))))))))))))))))))

 

Seriously, I'd wait until 4th or 5th game of the season, we will see by then if it had been a single meltdown or there should be serious concerns around the team.

Edited September 14, 2015 by HungarianColtsFan

[ThaCaliColt]

I remember the Colts announcers saying the last preseason game, "Hey, they weren't preparing for Philadelphia or Chicago. They were concentrating on being ready for Buffalo". Forget about strategically, was this team even mentally prepared for Buffalo Sunday? The miscues, muffed punts, missed tackles, poor reads, etc, etc. 

 

Chuck is a great guy and I understand the players love playing for him. Does he and does this coaching staff actually light a fire under these guys for performances such as the one we witnessed today? I think there's truth to this saying when it comes to football- it's better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both...

[Chucklez]

If we come out next week and win, how silly will you all feel?.... I mean come on, one game in and it's FIRE GRIGSON/PAGANO/PEP/MANUSKY!!!

 

If we win next week I bet everyone is like, oh man they game planned that one perfectly after what happened in Buffalo....

 

The moral of the story is.... chill out.

[Hammer]

If we come out next week and win, how silly will you all feel?.... I mean come on, one game in and it's FIRE GRIGSON/PAGANO/PEP/MANUSKY!!!

 

If we win next week I bet everyone is like, oh man they game planned that one perfectly after what happened in Buffalo....

 

The moral of the story is.... chill out.

 

Do you really think that the people calling for change up top are basing that on 1 game? 

Edited September 14, 2015 by Nadine
personal shot

[Stephen]

Nah we will always remember this beat down. Moving forward colts need to run the ball better, dorsett needs to learn to comeback to the ball, moncrief needs to play to his size, andre needs to remember how to catch, and we need a return guy.