Actually there was some improvement in this game... seriously

[JPFolks]

I know people are in an "all is lost" mood, I am myself for the most part, but I actually saw some trends that worked. If you're in an understandably "hater" mood, you should stop now and read one of the "fire everyone" posts instead.  

 

1. The Offensive Line showed some positive progress.  Yes, they still gave up critical sacks, but compared to the rest of the season, it was inching better rather than worse.  Good's two drive killing penalties were the worst thing that happened and RG is clearly our worst position, just as it was going into the season, but Haeg showed improvement, Kelly played solid.  Castonzo gave up at least 1 sack, but has stopped the bleeding in his career a bit and Mewhort was solid as usual.  If we just had a stellar RG that stopped holding, I think we'd see much improvement.  Philbin seems to be making a little progress.  

 

2. Our defensive line was solid against the run (and Mathis even got a sack) before injuries thinned the herd and they wore out.  The Interior D Line however, was the best part of the D as we expected it would be, when we had most our guys healthy and playing.  Sadly, it didn't last long, but we got a little peak.  The OLB's let us down by not setting the edge all night and we all know they are all probably playing their last year for us.  Mathis won't be back, so enjoy whatever little thrills he can give us as his career ends.  

 

3. The Offensive Game Plan was working well.  What did they change?  Well, I have been screaming all season to use the TE's on short routes and guess what?  They did.  Of course Allen immediately got hurt, so we'll never know how much he could have added to the game plan, but Doyle and Swoope had good games.  In addition, I was saying all week that they should be putting Turbin in instead of Ferguson because he can't run and Turbin can run and catch and guess what?  It happened and it worked.  I would have liked to have seen a bit more carries for Turbin, but it was almost like they heard me.  Also, they included some runs by Luck who ran for first downs instead of passing for them when he had both options.  He's a great running weapon, he needs to keep that in his game.  If you play in fear, you're going to lose anyway, so play to win and take what comes.  I thought he was much improved in that regard.  At the end, when we all knew we'd be passing, they put Ferguson in, but didn't get him the ball that I remember.  And they ran Gore enough to finally get over the 100 yard mark, (though they tried hard to give it away at the end with that predictable run on 3rd down to draw out their last timeout). I wish they'd run a simple screen to get safely outside for a possible surprise first down, but alas....  With our receivers injured late, once again, when there's no personnel to play, you're not going to win.,  We ran out of bodies, and I don't blame the coaches or even the GM for that.  This has been a brutal injury year.  We could have had all pro's at every position, but if they are hurt, it doesn't matter.  

 

4. The defensive backfield played very well until everyone was hurt.  Davis was a stud against one of the best in the league, Melvin has shown me a lot this year, making some really good plays, even on the play that set up the win for Houston.  I think he's a keeper.  When you had our Safeties all in some level of injury by the end, there was really no hope that we could stop anyone.  Once Osweiler actually started making some throws, it was over.  But when they had a few healthy guys out there, they played really solid defense.  Our entire linebacking corps must be replaced, inside and outside.  It will take either 2 major signings (no idea what free agents may be available next year, but I'd sign at least one top notch pass rusher and one top notch inside backer if anyone is available.  This upcoming offseason is likely the one chance we have to make a splash in FA and I think those positions may be the most needy.  A Corner would help, but if Melvin keeps developing and we can move Robinson into the slot for the aging Butler (who played pretty well with his giant padded hand) we might have a serviceable DB corp for a couple years.  (Of course barring these non stop injuries).

 

5. Vinny and McAfee continue to be all world at their positions.  I was so disappointed they couldn't get Vinny in range to try and win the game for us.  Even a field goal would have put significantly more pressure on Osweiler in that final drive and then who knows? 

 

That's the most positive spin I can put on any of it. I could go on for a week about all the negatives, but I think at this point we're playing spoilers and trying somehow to salvage a non losing season.  It will be tough to pull off though.  Winning 6 of the next 10 is a tall order with what is left of our team.  If they do it, they may save their jobs again.  Otherwise I think it's time to break up the band so to speak.  

 

Did anyone else see some positives out of a soul crushing loss? 

 

 

[PeterBowman]

I agree, the D line and secondary is not a weakness on this team for the most part. It's the linebackers that are killing this D.  But I'm still miffed why they had Ferguson in during crunch time last night(the last drive during regulation) and not Gore or Turbin.

[Coffeedrinker]

Just now, PeterBowman said:

I agree, the D line and secondary is not a weakness on this team for the most part. It's the linebackers that are killing this D.  But I'm still miffed why they had Ferguson in during crunch time last night(the last drive during regulation) and not Gore or Turbin.

It's because they didn't put Turbin in for Ferg.  Ferg got all the snaps he would have normally received, they put Turbin in when Gore would have been in but needed a breather.

 

The online played better, the offensive executed better... not because they changed their game plan but because the oline was giving Luck some time to go through his progressions and then check down when nothing deep was open.

 

The LBers are horrible (I don't say things like this very often but McNary has to be the worst starting ILB in the league).  Houston had so little respect for Mathis their game plan was to block him with a running back.  When Mathis proved to still be more than a RB can handle they put a olineman on him and neutralized him for the rest of the game.  But the DC doesn't help, if the OLB are not getting pressure why not send an ILB on a blitz?  the DC seems to think he cannot blitz, it seems he sends the 3 downlineman and one OLB and that is it... he doesn't even try to overload one side of the line to give them a numerical advantage, they just line up and go.

 

Special teams played well.  DBs played well except for Adams launching himself at the TE rather than trying to make a solid tackle on the game tying TD.

 

There is a lot of good to take away from the game but the Colts are just not a good team this year.

[JColts72]

1 minute ago, Coffeedrinker said:

It's because they didn't put Turbin in for Ferg.  Ferg got all the snaps he would have normally received, they put Turbin in when Gore would have been in but needed a breather.

 

The online played better, the offensive executed better... not because they changed their game plan but because the oline was giving Luck some time to go through his progressions and then check down when nothing deep was open.

 

The LBers are horrible (I don't say things like this very often but McNary has to be the worst starting ILB in the league).  Houston had so little respect for Mathis their game plan was to block him with a running back.  When Mathis proved to still be more than a RB can handle they put a olineman on him and neutralized him for the rest of the game.  But the DC doesn't help, if the OLB are not getting pressure why not send an ILB on a blitz?  the DC seems to think he cannot blitz, it seems he sends the 3 downlineman and one OLB and that is it... he doesn't even try to overload one side of the line to give them a numerical advantage, they just line up and go.

 

Special teams played well.  DBs played well except for Adams launching himself at the TE rather than trying to make a solid tackle on the game tying TD.

 

There is a lot of good to take away from the game but the Colts are just not a good team this year.

Still a horrible loss. So much for the rose color sunshine report.

[Andrew Luck fan club]

We're the same bad team from 3 years ago. Wake up and smell the roses.

[JPFolks]

13 minutes ago, PeterBowman said:

I agree, the D line and secondary is not a weakness on this team for the most part. It's the linebackers that are killing this D.  But I'm still miffed why they had Ferguson in during crunch time last night(the last drive during regulation) and not Gore or Turbin.

He's our second leading receiver, they knew we were in pass mode. I too dislike Ferguson being in there ever, but if they were going to use him as a receiving option, then at least it could have been justified, but I don't think they used him, so is he really our best pass blocker?  Whoever that is is who should have been in there.  

[Coffeedrinker]

1 minute ago, JColts72 said:

Still a horrible loss. So much for the rose color sunshine report.

What " rose color sunshine report"?

[PeterBowman]

1 minute ago, Coffeedrinker said:

What " rose color sunshine report"?

you said something positive....those are not allowed apparently

[JPFolks]

4 minutes ago, 12to13 said:

We're the same bad team from 3 years ago. Wake up and smell the roses.

Wow... thanks, that really added a lot to the conversation... amazing original insight.  

[Andrew Luck fan club]

1 minute ago, JPFolks said:

Wow... thanks, that really added a lot to the conversation... amazing original insight.  

. Sorry, the truth hurts sometimes bud.

[JPFolks]

Just now, 12to13 said:

. Sorry, the truth hurts sometimes bud.

You're so right.. no one on this entire board has said that more than 10 million times, so thankfully we have you to repeat the obvious again.  Really made a difference guy, and well worth the time out of your life to say it.  Keep up the great work.  

[Myles]

There were some positives in the game, but the negatives were bigger.   Pagano seems to be the one consistent negative on this team.   Undisciplined play and poor coaching are obvious in every game.  

[OHColtfan]

Agree that there were some good parts- liked seeing Gore get free on runs, nice to see the play by Chester Rogers and I thought Doyle had a really nice play on the catch and run. Maybe a couple of things to look forward to, but it's just that the bad plays are soooo bad, you just can't overlook them and aside from spectacular plays at the end of a game, we haven't been able to overcome them.  Would be really encouraging if we could put a game together to see some of these things really influence a game in our favor and not have to rely on desperation plays to win a game.  

 

 

[Andrew Luck fan club]

4 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

You're so right.. no one on this entire board has said that more than 10 million times, so thankfully we have you to repeat the obvious again.  Really made a difference guy, and well worth the time out of your life to say it.  Keep up the great work.  

Sorry you're soo frustrated with my comment, guy. I think I'm gonna take a little more time out of my life and say it once more. This team sucks. 

Edited October 17, 2016 by Nadine
Personal shot

[Nadine]

no more personal back and forth please

[csmopar]

14 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

Wow... thanks, that really added a lot to the conversation... amazing original insight.  

out of likes 

[csmopar]

4 minutes ago, Nadine said:

no more personal back and forth please

i have a feeling youu're gonna have to copy and paste that in a lot of threads today...

[Nadine]

Just now, csmopar said:

i have a feeling youu're gonna have to copy and paste that in a lot of threads today...

lol, me too

[Andrew Luck fan club]

5 minutes ago, Nadine said:

no more personal back and forth please

Sorry

[Andrew Luck fan club]

1 minute ago, csmopar said:

out of likes 

That's a real shame.

[csmopar]

Just now, Nadine said:

lol, me too

im gonna go ahead an apologize now, because I know I'll probably do it myself at some point even though I'll try not too. 

[csmopar]

1 minute ago, 12to13 said:

That's a real shame.

im not disagreeing with your post either.  but i do agree, everyone on here should know that by now.

[Andrew Luck fan club]

3 minutes ago, csmopar said:

im not disagreeing with your post either.  but i do agree, everyone on here should know that by now.

Should know what?

[Fisticuffs111]

25 minutes ago, Myles said:

There were some positives in the game, but the negatives were bigger.   Pagano seems to be the one consistent negative on this team.   Undisciplined play and poor coaching are obvious in every game.  

Yeah, this is one of those games where it almost makes me depressed to think of the positives, because there were a lot of good things. Yet we still managed to lose in terribly embarassing fashion.

[coach kline]

Improvements came from playing a bad team. It's misleading.

[csmopar]

8 minutes ago, 12to13 said:

Should know what?

that this team has more holes than a screen door and has been that way.

[Andrew Luck fan club]

2 minutes ago, csmopar said:

that this team has more holes than a screen door and has been that way.

They do, and they have for years now. It's very irritating. 

[Ehrman.Dutton.Cook.Barnes]

Improvement, relative to what????  It's simply one of two things. We either do not have enough talent to get back to the SB (which is the only real goal of ANY team) or the talent we have is not being developed so that weaknesses are not consistently exposed.  The Holy Grail is New England where year after year, despite injuries, free agency losses, suspensions, they are competitive and in the hunt.  Bellichik in one sentence says more than Pagano says in entire presser.

[JColts72]

7 minutes ago, csmopar said:

that this team has more holes than a screen door and has been that way.

Seem as fans we know more about the holes on this team and last few years then Jimmy, Ryan and Chuck. 

[FanFromtheWasteland]

Its opinions like this that the owner and coaches seem to share, is the main reason why nothing ever changes. Burry your heads in the sand and keep singing kumbya atlround the campfire. Won't change the fact that this team is beyond BAAAAAAAAD

[FanFromtheWasteland]

1 hour ago, Ehrman.Dutton.Cook.Barnes said:

Improvement, relative to what????  It's simply one of two things. We either do not have enough talent to get back to the SB (which is the only real goal of ANY team) or the talent we have is not being developed so that weaknesses are not consistently exposed.  The Holy Grail is New England where year after year, despite injuries, free agency losses, suspensions, they are competitive and in the hunt.  Bellichik in one sentence says more than Pagano says in entire presser.

I would say in an entire career since we hear the same thing from Pagano over and over and over and over and over and over.............da da da da da

[krunk]

3 hours ago, Coffeedrinker said:

It's because they didn't put Turbin in for Ferg.  Ferg got all the snaps he would have normally received, they put Turbin in when Gore would have been in but needed a breather.

 

The online played better, the offensive executed better... not because they changed their game plan but because the oline was giving Luck some time to go through his progressions and then check down when nothing deep was open.

 

The LBers are horrible (I don't say things like this very often but McNary has to be the worst starting ILB in the league).  Houston had so little respect for Mathis their game plan was to block him with a running back.  When Mathis proved to still be more than a RB can handle they put a olineman on him and neutralized him for the rest of the game.  But the DC doesn't help, if the OLB are not getting pressure why not send an ILB on a blitz?  the DC seems to think he cannot blitz, it seems he sends the 3 downlineman and one OLB and that is it... he doesn't even try to overload one side of the line to give them a numerical advantage, they just line up and go.

 

Special teams played well.  DBs played well except for Adams launching himself at the TE rather than trying to make a solid tackle on the game tying TD.

 

There is a lot of good to take away from the game but the Colts are just not a good team this year.

Mcnary is hot garbage for real!  Can't take too many more snaps of that guy out there.  Problem is who else do you put there?  You doing worse with any other option outside of maybe Ayers.

[cbear]

4 hours ago, Coffeedrinker said:

 But the DC doesn't help, if the OLB are not getting pressure why not send an ILB on a blitz?  the DC seems to think he cannot blitz, it seems he sends the 3 downlineman and one OLB and that is it... he doesn't even try to overload one side of the line to give them a numerical advantage, they just line up and go.

 

 

I was thinking this exactly.  Manusky and now Machiano.  We have absolutely no creativity.  I can still pretty much predict what the D will do based on how they line up and I'm a dumb fan.  He's getting his players back, but the scheme is still as vanilla as it's always been.  

[Coffeedrinker]

14 minutes ago, krunk said:

Mcnary is hot garbage for real!  Can't take too many more snaps of that guy out there.  Problem is who else do you put there?  You doing worse with any other option outside of maybe Ayers.

I'm not a big Morrison fan but he cannot be any worse than McNary.

[cbear]

4 hours ago, PeterBowman said:

you said something positive....those are not allowed apparently

 

LOL.  Misery loves company, so it's to be expected this early after that kind of loss.   Not many can take the emotion out of it this early.  

 

There were positives, but a whole lot more negatives to be sure.  

[jseg18]

I was at the game. For some reason our run defense was solid to start game, the problem we had was setting the edge. I have to rewatch game, but whoever was supposed to attack outside didn't do a good job.

*

[digroute88]

The best part is that were going to get a high draft pick next year if we can keep this up . Didn't everyone kind of feel like we were going to lose this game somehow ?

[BleedBlu8792]

17 minutes ago, Coffeedrinker said:

I'm not a big Morrison fan but he cannot be any worse than McNary.

 

Worse.. no, slower.. yes. Honestly, putting Bates in at ILB wouldn't be a bad idea either. They were already testing him there in camp/preseason and they elevated him to the active roster I believe after Moore got cut. We are really at a crossroads where nothing is worse than having McNary out there.

[Somewhere ovr the Waynebow]

The offensive line played much much  better.  Castonzo struggled against Clowney and Haeg struggled at times with Mercilus.  But that's the key...they struggled at times.  They didn't continually get beat as in other games we've seen.  Also,  the run blocking was very good for the most part.  They took care of Houstons d line.  

 

Also,  kind of an aside,  but I can't quit raving about Kelly.  Dudes athleticism just stands out so much when he pulls.  He's got a ways to go in block but when he puts it together,  watch out.  

[bluephantom87]

4 hours ago, Coffeedrinker said:

It's because they didn't put Turbin in for Ferg.  Ferg got all the snaps he would have normally received, they put Turbin in when Gore would have been in but needed a breather.

 

The online played better, the offensive executed better... not because they changed their game plan but because the oline was giving Luck some time to go through his progressions and then check down when nothing deep was open.

 

The LBers are horrible (I don't say things like this very often but McNary has to be the worst starting ILB in the league).  Houston had so little respect for Mathis their game plan was to block him with a running back.  When Mathis proved to still be more than a RB can handle they put a olineman on him and neutralized him for the rest of the game.  But the DC doesn't help, if the OLB are not getting pressure why not send an ILB on a blitz?  the DC seems to think he cannot blitz, it seems he sends the 3 downlineman and one OLB and that is it... he doesn't even try to overload one side of the line to give them a numerical advantage, they just line up and go.

 

Special teams played well.  DBs played well except for Adams launching himself at the TE rather than trying to make a solid tackle on the game tying TD.

 

There is a lot of good to take away from the game but the Colts are just not a good team this year.

 

This.... WHY is Josh even on the field?! He is absolutely TERRIBLE!!!! He's turtle SLOW, a poor tackler and can't cover ANYONE but he's another one of Chuck's guys so HIS poor play will be swept under the rug because McNary keeps chopping wood!!!