Safe to Say: 4-3, 3-4, neither Works

[SteelDragon]

I crunched the numbers....

In the 10 games outside the division, the Colts gave up 284 or 28.4

And in the three playoff games -- the games that really count -- the Colts gave up 68 points. 22.7.

And that includes the blowout to NE.

We played a decimated Cincinnati team and a banged up Peyton Manning-led Broncos team in the play-offs. When we got to the AFCCG we showed that we really didn't belong there. The 22.7 average we gave up was more of a measure of good fortune in match ups than it was a measure of defensive improvement.

[will426]

We played a decimated Cincinnati team and a banged up Peyton Manning-led Broncos team in the play-offs. When we got to the AFCCG we showed that we really didn't belong there. The 22.7 average we gave up was more of a measure of good fortune in match ups than it was a measure of defensive improvement.

defense gave us two turnovers early that we did nothing with the defense was tired from the start

[SteelDragon]

It's not the system.

You can win with a 4-3. You can win with a 3-4.

It's the players and the coaches.

That said, try not to over react to one disappointing loss at this point. It's a long, long, LONG season.

The defense will get better.

The Colts are not an island. Everyone else on offense is going to improve for our defense to contend against.

All of the Colts apologists are going to get their hopes up when we get to the easy part of our schedule and point to beating up *s and cream puffs as proof of improvement! "See we told you!"

Then, we'll face a true contender and we'll get thunder punched in the face and the apologists will be like: "Everyone calm down!"

[NewColtsFan]

We played a decimated Cincinnati team and a banged up Peyton Manning-led Broncos team in the play-offs. When we got to the AFCCG we showed that we really didn't belong there. The 22.7 average we gave up was more of a measure of good fortune in match ups than it was a measure of defensive improvement.

 

Do all these "that doesn't count" moments....    does everyone else get the same treatment?

 

Or are we only judging the Colts by that standard?

[SteelDragon]

Do all these "that doesn't count" moments.... does everyone else get the same treatment?

Or are we only judging the Colts by that standard?

We get blown out alot by the upper echelon teams. Too much really to be just a statistical outlier.

The question at hand is: has the Colts defense improved? (Has it really improved at all since 2012?)

My point is, I'm not sure the two play-off wins last year presents the best evidence.

Is our defense the unit that shut down Denver and Cinci? Or is it the unit that got road - graded by New England, Dallas, and Pittsburgh? Would the real Colts defense please stand up?

[NewColtsFan]

We get blown out alot by the upper echelon teams. Too much really to be just a statistical outlier.

The question at hand is: has the Colts defense improved? (Has it really improved at all since 2012?)

My point is, I'm not sure the two play-off wins last year presents the best evidence.

Is our defense the unit that shut down Denver and Cinci? Or is it the unit that got road - graded by New England, Dallas, and Pittsburgh? Would the real Colts defense please stand up?

 

 

The Dallas game was an anomoly.

 

The Colts had just clinched the South and a win meant nothing.   Except for Dallas,  the win meant everything, a win for them would clinch the East.     Worst possible match-up.     The Colts had nothing to play for while Dallas had everything.    That's why Luck got pulled very early in that game.

 

Of course the Grigson/Pagano haters will always fail to mention that.    They'll just lump it in with other bad games.   So,  they'll discount all the good performances while playing up all the bad.     It's what they do.

 

At this point, I'm not referring to you.    You're knew and I don't know you well, so I don't know all your positions.   But I'm referring to another proud and loud hater of Grigson and Luck who plays fast and loose with numbers.

 

That's his stock in trade.

[JColts72]

exactly at least no 1 person went for 100 yds or 200 for that matter

 

Boy talk about looking through rose eye glasses. We were down 24 zip there at 1 point. Recall the bomb that was thrown, and so many missed tackles again.

[JColts72]

We get blown out alot by the upper echelon teams. Too much really to be just a statistical outlier.

The question at hand is: has the Colts defense improved? (Has it really improved at all since 2012?)

My point is, I'm not sure the two play-off wins last year presents the best evidence.

Is our defense the unit that shut down Denver and Cinci? Or is it the unit that got road - graded by New England, Dallas, and Pittsburgh? Would the real Colts defense please stand up?

 

Has the defense improved since the late 90's?

[will426]

Boy talk about looking through rose eye glasses. We were down 24 zip there at 1 point. Recall the bomb that was thrown, and so many missed tackles again.

offense got us into every hole

[JColts72]

offense got us into every hole

 

So did getting pinned by their punting game.

[mvbighead]

offense got us into every hole

 

 I would agree with this and the last comment about their punting.

 

We made TERRIBLE plays on special teams, fumbling the ball, taking it out and getting stopped short of the 5, and just plain bad field position.  Buffalo killed us there.

 

Our offense sputtered mostly.  Johnson didn't seem to be a factor.  Hilton was involved often, but was injured and out late in the game.  Moncrief missed several plays.  Dorsett wasn't a factor.  Fleener was not involved.  Allen did alright.

 

Long story short, this particular thread is a joke.  Our defense kept LESEAN MCCOY under 4 yards per carry.  The worst (IMO) that we did there was completely lose McCoy on those dump off passes.  Beyond that, our defense would have been adequate if we had maintained better field position.

 

I dunno, I get the idea of getting a spark from Dorsett on the return game, but we'd have been better with Whalen there (hind sight is 20/20 I know).  Dorsett should have been favored over Moncrief after Moncrief's 2nd/3rd mistake.

 

All in all, I just see it as opening game jitters.  I don't think it continues.  And when the offense figures it out, we ought to do exactly what teams thought we should on offense.  And the defense I think can surprise people once the offense puts it all together.

[GwinnettColt]

It would help if they could.....tackle.

[JColts72]

 I would agree with this and the last comment about their punting.

 

We made TERRIBLE plays on special teams, fumbling the ball, taking it out and getting stopped short of the 5, and just plain bad field position.  Buffalo killed us there.

 

Our offense sputtered mostly.  Johnson didn't seem to be a factor.  Hilton was involved often, but was injured and out late in the game.  Moncrief missed several plays.  Dorsett wasn't a factor.  Fleener was not involved.  Allen did alright.

 

Long story short, this particular thread is a joke.  Our defense kept LESEAN MCCOY under 4 yards per carry.  The worst (IMO) that we did there was completely lose McCoy on those dump off passes.  Beyond that, our defense would have been adequate if we had maintained better field position.

 

I dunno, I get the idea of getting a spark from Dorsett on the return game, but we'd have been better with Whalen there (hind sight is 20/20 I know).  Dorsett should have been favored over Moncrief after Moncrief's 2nd/3rd mistake.

 

All in all, I just see it as opening game jitters.  I don't think it continues.  And when the offense figures it out, we ought to do exactly what teams thought we should on offense.  And the defense I think can surprise people once the offense puts it all together.

Opening game jitters? then they should not be playing at all. This is not pee wee football. Maybe jitters for the coaching staff not being prepared. Preseason is time to work out things out to be prepared as Pro Players.

[mvbighead]

Opening game jitters? then they should not be playing at all. This is not pee wee football. Maybe jitters for the coaching staff not being prepared. Preseason is time to work out things out to be prepared as Pro Players.

 

I don't really care what you want to call it.  It happened to a NUMBER of teams.  Bonehead plays.  Players not completely sure of what their teammates are going to do.

 

The preseason is essentially garbage time to play reserves.  There is a reason they are looking at shortening the preseason.  The first game of the season is generally where teams have their 1s on the field for as much of the complete game as possible.  Prior to that, each has only played a few quarters together.

 

All I can say is, I watched countless games where announcers referred to a team just not jelling week 1.  It happens.  We should be better at it, but we're not.  We have new faces, and some return faces moving into bigger roles (Moncrief).  I have no doubt next week's game is better.  We all wish this game was, but the idea of throwing in the towel after a week one loss is beyond stupid.  And the sad thing is, this thread is suggesting that the one strength of our game on Sunday was what caused it.  I didn't see it that way at all.

[coltsfanatic24]

I prefer the 3-4 because of the different ways you can blitz but you need two ILB's to have a great 3-4. Freeman and Jackson are backups on most teams, starters on the Colts.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

We get blown out alot by the upper echelon teams. Too much really to be just a statistical outlier.

The question at hand is: has the Colts defense improved? (Has it really improved at all since 2012?)

My point is, I'm not sure the two play-off wins last year presents the best evidence.

Is our defense the unit that shut down Denver and Cinci? Or is it the unit that got road - graded by New England, Dallas, and Pittsburgh? Would the real Colts defense please stand up?

 

I'd say it has improved a lot. The only glaring weak spot right now is our linebacker corps. They flat out can't tackle, which is pretty much their primary job, and they continue to just look lost out there. Hopefully once Mathis returns, and Irving and Moore get plugged into the system, that changes.

[Narcosys]

I'm making a promise to myself to stay off of twitter and fan forums after a loss. I can't take it anymore.....