The Perfect Off-Season From (1/29/12)

[BlueShoe]

In are Pagano, Arians, and Butler.

The Colts have moved in a new direction of the AFC North in the attempts to become a smash mouth play football type of football team. Run the ball and play great defense will be our philosophy.

Peyton, I love you but I think Irsay has made it clear that it is time for Peyton to retire. Obviously Irsay knows Peyton’s medical condition and out of loyalty and respect he is not disclosing that information directly to the media. It is just a matter of time before Peyton comes to grips with the reality that his career is over. It’s terrible as a Colts fan to see this happen to such a great player.

Enter Andrew Luck.

The new era will not be built around Andrew Luck. It will be built around playing great defense and a run first offense. Andrew Luck will benefit from this the same way Tom Brady and Ben Rothlisberger have benefited from being in their systems. That being said, Luck has far more upside than either of them. He might only throw the ball 20 to 25 times a game in his first few seasons. His completion percentage might not be among the best in the NFL because he will be throwing the ball on third and longs more than on first and ten. He might only pass for 3000 yards a season over his first few years. This is who we will be; however it is the same type of offensive mentality Luck comes from college to the NFL with. Stanford is a run first offense.

We need to franchise or re-sign Reggie Wayne. (LEADERSHIP!) We need a veteran wide receiver to help the younger players along. Without having to pay Peyton this season, we will have the money to bring Reggie back. Reggie will continue to be our possession receiver and be a huge asset to the Colts.

Enter Kendall Wright.

With our second pick if we could land the speedster from Baylor then we would have a replacement for Garcon, only Wright can catch the ball. His shake and bake will demand a double team and make play action a nightmare for teams.

Austin Collie is in his final year and can resume his duties as the slot receiver. Were it not for injuries in 2010 and weak quarterback play in 2011 then Austin would be among the top five receivers in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns over the past few years. He was leading the league or close to it in 2010 when he went down to injury.

Our running back situation is solid. Donald Brown could flourish in our new offense. Donald is under contract until the 2013 season. Joseph Addai is also under contract until the 2014 season. This one two punch will continue to be the leading ball carriers for the Colts. Delone Carter’s fumble issues might be too much to take a chance on as ball control offense cannot afford a running back putting the ball on the ground every game.

We have our tackles in place. Ijalana could move inside if needed, however Castonzo and Ijalana look to be our starting tackles moving into the 2012 season. We will need to address the middle of the offensive line; center and right guard.

Dallas Clark is under contract until the 2014 season; however he is weak in pass protection and run blocking. Cutting him is an option but I don’t see us doing that this season. Andrew Luck is great in utilizing his tight ends in the passing game. Lucks ability to find his tight ends at such a young age is one of the telling signs of just how NFL ready he is. Most quarterbacks do not start using their tight ends until they are at the elite status. Jacob Tamme is a free agent and he will get an offer to move on. Brody Eldridge is a great fit for the new run first mentality and might see the field as much or more than Clark because of his ability to block. If Eldridge can stay healthy he could become a star in the new offensive approach.

So why would we go offense with our first and second picks? The answer is pretty simple, in my opinion. We need to have balance and if we can’t move the ball then we should just throw balance out of the window. No defense can hold up in the modern NFL era if their offense struggles to score points and effectively move the ball.

Free agency could be big for us this season. With the new type of defense we will be running I expect for Moala and Nevis to become our starting defensive ends. We will need to address the nose tackle and defensive tackle spots so we can move from a 3-4 look to a 4-3 look. It is possible that Anthony Johnson could be the defense tackle in the 4-3 schemes and he is under contract until 2013. We will need to bring in a nose tackle or draft one. If Dontarie Poe is available when we draft our second pick them he would be a great move; however he is moving up the boards and will likely be a first round pick, especially with all of the 3-4 teams drafting later in the first round.

Our corners can’t play man to man. We will need to bring in a free agent corner or two.

We are in a good situation at linebacker. I think Simms, Wheeler, and Brackett will be out and we will retain Angerer, and Conner. It appears that we are going to try to plug Freeney in at the jack role and we are serious about re-signing Mathis. Those two seem pretty upbeat about their future in Indianapolis. Time will tell if it works.

At the safety position, Bethea will flourish in a defense that can actually stop plays before they get to Bethea. How many times did Bethea save a touchdown last season? It was like every other play it seemed. Allowing Bethea to play looser could make him into an Ed Reed type of player who can make game changing and winning plays instead of game saving plays. Bullit signed a three year deal last season so I would expect him to be our opening day strong safety as long as he can stay healthy. Again, with our safeties not having to make the majority of the run stops and saving tackles we might just be able to keep them both very healthy and allow for them to be much more productive.

Okay so we need a nose tackle, at least one (but likely) two man corners, depth at linebacker, re-sign (or franchise) Reggie Wayne, a speed receiver to stretch the field (Kendall Wright), a center to replace Saturday, a real right guard, and depth on the offensive line.

Do these moves indicate that we are certain to have a championship in 2012? Obviously not, but we will be in a good position to be a contender and build towards the future. I could see a 9-7 record with that team and we would be a team that no team wants to play down the stretch. We would be younger and also have Luck’s years from two to four be downright scary for the rest of the NFL.

[tfunky14]

Nice post but I'd rather re sign Garcon than Wright. Garcon is proven and still young. The 2nd ( I like your thinking somewhat) pick I would look for either OL, nose tackle or a cornerback. The Colts only need one other good DB because Lacey can cover man if need be.

I'm shooting for a 10-6 record in 2012...

[Captain Americolt]

No offense, but reading this made me sick. I hate the idea of run-first smashmouth football. If we want that then whats the point of selecting andrew luck first overall? He will just be a game manager....... I hope none of this really happens and we stick to some good ole pass happy play-calling..with a good defense. I can only hope we dont turn into a smashmouth team. Not only will it be boring to watch, but in a league where passing comes first, why would we wanna take a step back? We are not built to run down peoples throats at all and we dont even know if our defense will be ok-top notch..

[FireJimCaldwell]

No offense, but reading this made me sick. I hate the idea of run-first smashmouth football. If we want that then whats the point of selecting andrew luck first overall? He will just be a game manager....... I hope none of this really happens and we stick to some good ole pass happy play-calling..with a good defense. I can only hope we dont turn into a smashmouth team. Not only will it be boring to watch, but in a league where passing comes first, why would we wanna take a step back? We are not built to run down peoples throats at all and we dont even know if our defense will be ok-top notch..

With Arians Luck will be the center of the offense and there will only be a few years where his cap # will be considered a value. After that, it will be structured the same as it has been. Top dollar.

I don't see 87 staying around without 18, unless he is tagged.

[deedub75]

How can we have a run first offense with Addai and Brown. Neither one of them are built for that type of offense. Luck could be suited for a run first offense because his college offense was pretty much built on being able to successfully running the ball. Also, this has been far from a perfect offseason with Manning and Irsay going back and forth and March 8 looming large.

[Captain Americolt]

The whole idea just somehow irritates me.. If we do somehow become a smashmouth team why on earth will we drat andrew luck first overall? All he will be is a game manager.. I dont want our colts to be the 49ers... Gladly this is all from a fan and not the FO. I hope we stick with the offense we have always had. But with a new and improved defesne. Whats so wrong with that? No nead to change everything..

[BlueShoe]

Nice post but I'd rather re sign Garcon than Wright. Garcon is proven and still young. The 2nd ( I like your thinking somewhat) pick I would look for either OL, nose tackle or a cornerback. The Colts only need one other good DB because Lacey can cover man if need be.

I'm shooting for a 10-6 record in 2012...

That could happen. Drafting Poe in the second if he is there and bringing Garcon back could also work.

[FireJimCaldwell]

The whole idea just somehow irritates me.. If we do somehow become a smashmouth team why on earth will we drat andrew luck first overall? All he will be is a game manager.. I dont want our colts to be the 49ers... Gladly this is all from a fan and not the FO. I hope we stick with the offense we have always had. But with a new and improved defesne. Whats so wrong with that? No nead to change everything..

Plenty of reason to change. We would still be a play away from having a back up qb in a system that he likely can't run, if Luck can even run it himself. He might with time, but it's not going to be pretty early on. It won't be a Paintersque horror show but it's not going to be pretty.

If we want Luck to has as much success early on the West Coast Offense was the route to take but that isn't happening. It took Manning years to cultivate our offense into what it became and it would be the same for Luck, but nobody will be here to teach it completely, because the majority of what made it run efficiently was Peyton Manning, and his knowledge of it, and the time he and the receivers spent running it.

Keeping 18's offense for Luck will be a mistake.

[BlueShoe]

No offense, but reading this made me sick. I hate the idea of run-first smashmouth football. If we want that then whats the point of selecting andrew luck first overall? He will just be a game manager....... I hope none of this really happens and we stick to some good ole pass happy play-calling..with a good defense. I can only hope we dont turn into a smashmouth team. Not only will it be boring to watch, but in a league where passing comes first, why would we wanna take a step back? We are not built to run down peoples throats at all and we dont even know if our defense will be ok-top notch..

I hate to be the bearer of bad news for you then, but every sign points towards us becoming a run first football team.

You take Luck first overall no matter what type of offense you install.

[FireJimCaldwell]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news for you then, but every sign points towards us becoming a run first football team.

You take Luck first overall no matter what type of offense you install.

Not with Bruce Arians... He'll throw it as much as he can.

[BlueShoe]

How can we have a run first offense with Addai and Brown. Neither one of them are built for that type of offense. Luck could be suited for a run first offense because his college offense was pretty much built on being able to successfully running the ball. Also, this has been far from a perfect offseason with Manning and Irsay going back and forth and March 8 looming large.

I don't see why Brown and Addai couldn't do it. I am sure we will use more than two backs as well. Bring in another guy later in the draft or as a journeyman free agent. Darren Evans seemed to be a fan favorite and everyone was screaming to give him the ball. We just him back, I believe.

[UKCOLT17]

actually Arians is a pass first oc so i dont think we will be a run heavy offense

[Blue Horseshoe]

No offense, but reading this made me sick. I hate the idea of run-first smashmouth football. If we want that then whats the point of selecting andrew luck first overall? He will just be a game manager....... Work on the lines and wait to get a quarterback

I agree. Don't take him. Continue building the lines and setting the foundation for a complete team. There will be another media messiah quarterback next year and every year after that.

[ruksak]

I agree. Don't take him. Continue building the lines and setting the foundation for a complete team. There will be another media messiah quarterback next year and every year after that.

I am thoroughly against it, but the only sense that could be salvaged from tanking Manning is to draft the best QB prospect since Peyton. If they release Manning, they had better choose a successor. That way we can fight through a few more horrid seasons and maybe get back to championship form sometime in the future.

[Captain Americolt]

Im just happy this is all speculation from a fan. Also, I never meant for us to keep 18s offense. No one could master it like he did. I just think us with luck, being a pass first team will serve us better. We used a darn 1st ovr pick on him why not let him do what so many of us envision him to do. And just because we hired 34 coaches from pitt and balt doesnt mean we will go all in smashmouth ball and rely on our D and make sure our game manager(luck) doesnt do any mistakes.. I respect the time you used to make all this but dont you think its going a bit overboard? I think we will be a balanced offense (a bit more offensive) with a good running game and a good D. Youre making it sound like we have ed reed at fs and polamalu at ss. With the best front 7 in the nfl. We dont even know if our D will be good and we sure cant run the ball down anyones throat..

[ACollie17]

"The offense Arians ran in Pittsburgh was similar to the one the Colts have used since they drafted Peyton. It is extremely pass-heavy. Anyone wishing that Pagano was going to install a run-heavy offense just had had their hopes dynamited with C-4. Arians loves to throw, throw, and throw some more."

That's from an article on StampedeBlue.

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2012/1/28/2754887/report-colts-hire-former-steelers-coach-bruce-arians-as-their

If this is true, I would expect the same here with either QB. If our O-line plays up to potential and we pick up someone in free agency or draft who can make an immediate impact, I don't see why Arians wouldn't bring that pass first offense. Gives the passer more time than Ben had in Pittsburgh and, assuming Luck is starting, he's very mobile anyway. Arians made his money off a mobile QB.

[Balzer40]

I agree. Don't take him. Continue building the lines and setting the foundation for a complete team. There will be another media messiah quarterback next year and every year after that.

You got to be kidding me. There are not QB's the quality of Luck every yr.. thats just ludicrous. Every team in the league would have great QB's if that was the case. You better get use to the idea that Luck is going to be here whether you and several others ever want to except it or not.

[Captain Americolt]

blue Horshoe, on your post at #13 why did you change what I wrote when you quoted me? I never said work on the lines and wait for another QB...... Wow

[BlueShoe]

Not with Bruce Arians... He'll throw it as much as he can.

We aren't going to throw the ball 35-40 times a game with a rookie quarterback.

Just because Arians was a quarterback and a quarterback coach doesn’t mean he is a pass first guy. He is also been a tight ends coach, wide receiver coach, and running back coach.

Steelers fans biggest complaint against Arians where that he was too predictable with his play calling, especially in the red zone.

In 2011, from the ten yard line or closer the Steelers ran the ball 55.2 percent of the time compared to the Packers who are a pass first team running the ball only 29.1 percent of the time.

[Blue Horseshoe]

blue Horshoe, on your post at #13 why did you change what I wrote when you quoted me? I never said work on the lines and wait for another QB...... Wow

You said "what is the point of drafting andrew luck first overall?". That was what I agreed with. This team is not ready for a quarterback.

[Blue Horseshoe]

You got to be kidding me. There are not QB's the quality of Luck every yr.. thats just ludicrous. Every team in the league would have great QB's if that was the case. You better get use to the idea that Luck is going to be here whether you and several others ever want to except it or not.

So far Luck is just another rookie superman to be. The media hypes them every year as they are hyping him now. As you correctly point out not every team has a stable of great quarterbacks. That is because the hype usually is nothing but an illusion and superman is really just jimmy olsen.

[Blackhawk4]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news for you then, but every sign points towards us becoming a run first football team.

You take Luck first overall no matter what type of offense you install.

You must have not seen the Steelers play this season....

[Balzer40]

So far Luck is just another rookie superman to be. The media hypes them every year as they are hyping him now. As you correctly point out not every team has a stable of great quarterbacks. That is because the hype usually is nothing but an illusion and superman is really just jimmy olsen.

You saying the hype is nothing more than an illusion is no more credible than those saying he is already a future HOFer. The kid hasn't played a down in the NFL yet, he may not live up to the expectations, then again, he could end up being the best QB that ever played the game. The point is, whether you want him or not, does not matter, and yes, the Colts do need a QB. Manning more than likely will not be here next season, again whether you or others like it or not.

[Bigdaddy1002]

I don't see the colts becoming a "smashmouth" football team with Ariens as OC. That is why the steelers wanted him gone cuz he was a pass first run sometimes type OC. If we do wind up with Luck the colts are going to stick with what a colts fan knows so well. AN air assault, with some run thrown in. Now, if we somehow pick up a really good running back then I could see a return to the run the ball to set up play action type offense. But I don't feel we have the running backs on this team that a "smashmouth" offense requires.

[chad72]

Our O-line is still built to pass block primarily. I can see a 55-45 in favor of the pass in this pass happy league, just cannot see 50-50 with an Arians offense. It will still be a change from the 65-35 we had to go to when our O-line could not run block. Having a HOF QB enabled us to do so, with Luck however we might open it up gradually. If Cam Newton showed anything, with a good playcaller, one can produce numbers offensively. So, give Cam Newton a better D, and chances are, he will win more games. Panthers are moving to a 3-4 D, probably the first one in that division to do so.

[Smitto]

How can we have a run first offense with Addai and Brown. Neither one of them are built for that type of offense. Luck could be suited for a run first offense because his college offense was pretty much built on being able to successfully running the ball. Also, this has been far from a perfect offseason with Manning and Irsay going back and forth and March 8 looming large.

Brown is a workhorse and so is delone carter... addai never was that... and i think come training camp Brown will be infront of addai as the Starting back.. the colts can easily have a 1-2 punch with carter and brown

[coltfaninnewyork]

In my opinion Joe Addai will not be a colt next year.

[coltsblue1844]

In are Pagano, Arians, and Butler.

The Colts have moved in a new direction of the AFC North in the attempts to become a smash mouth play football type of football team. Run the ball and play great defense will be our philosophy.

Peyton, I love you but I think Irsay has made it clear that it is time for Peyton to retire. Obviously Irsay knows Peyton’s medical condition and out of loyalty and respect he is not disclosing that information directly to the media. It is just a matter of time before Peyton comes to grips with the reality that his career is over. It’s terrible as a Colts fan to see this happen to such a great player.

Enter Andrew Luck.

The new era will not be built around Andrew Luck. It will be built around playing great defense and a run first offense. Andrew Luck will benefit from this the same way Tom Brady and Ben Rothlisberger have benefited from being in their systems. That being said, Luck has far more upside than either of them. He might only throw the ball 20 to 25 times a game in his first few seasons. His completion percentage might not be among the best in the NFL because he will be throwing the ball on third and longs more than on first and ten. He might only pass for 3000 yards a season over his first few years. This is who we will be; however it is the same type of offensive mentality Luck comes from college to the NFL with. Stanford is a run first offense.

We need to franchise or re-sign Reggie Wayne. (LEADERSHIP!) We need a veteran wide receiver to help the younger players along. Without having to pay Peyton this season, we will have the money to bring Reggie back. Reggie will continue to be our possession receiver and be a huge asset to the Colts.

Enter Kendall Wright.

With our second pick if we could land the speedster from Baylor then we would have a replacement for Garcon, only Wright can catch the ball. His shake and bake will demand a double team and make play action a nightmare for teams.

Austin Collie is in his final year and can resume his duties as the slot receiver. Were it not for injuries in 2010 and weak quarterback play in 2011 then Austin would be among the top five receivers in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns over the past few years. He was leading the league or close to it in 2010 when he went down to injury.

Our running back situation is solid. Donald Brown could flourish in our new offense. Donald is under contract until the 2013 season. Joseph Addai is also under contract until the 2014 season. This one two punch will continue to be the leading ball carriers for the Colts. Delone Carter’s fumble issues might be too much to take a chance on as ball control offense cannot afford a running back putting the ball on the ground every game.

We have our tackles in place. Ijalana could move inside if needed, however Castonzo and Ijalana look to be our starting tackles moving into the 2012 season. We will need to address the middle of the offensive line; center and right guard.

Dallas Clark is under contract until the 2014 season; however he is weak in pass protection and run blocking. Cutting him is an option but I don’t see us doing that this season. Andrew Luck is great in utilizing his tight ends in the passing game. Lucks ability to find his tight ends at such a young age is one of the telling signs of just how NFL ready he is. Most quarterbacks do not start using their tight ends until they are at the elite status. Jacob Tamme is a free agent and he will get an offer to move on. Brody Eldridge is a great fit for the new run first mentality and might see the field as much or more than Clark because of his ability to block. If Eldridge can stay healthy he could become a star in the new offensive approach.

So why would we go offense with our first and second picks? The answer is pretty simple, in my opinion. We need to have balance and if we can’t move the ball then we should just throw balance out of the window. No defense can hold up in the modern NFL era if their offense struggles to score points and effectively move the ball.

Free agency could be big for us this season. With the new type of defense we will be running I expect for Moala and Nevis to become our starting defensive ends. We will need to address the nose tackle and defensive tackle spots so we can move from a 3-4 look to a 4-3 look. It is possible that Anthony Johnson could be the defense tackle in the 4-3 schemes and he is under contract until 2013. We will need to bring in a nose tackle or draft one. If Dontarie Poe is available when we draft our second pick them he would be a great move; however he is moving up the boards and will likely be a first round pick, especially with all of the 3-4 teams drafting later in the first round.

Our corners can’t play man to man. We will need to bring in a free agent corner or two.

We are in a good situation at linebacker. I think Simms, Wheeler, and Brackett will be out and we will retain Angerer, and Conner. It appears that we are going to try to plug Freeney in at the jack role and we are serious about re-signing Mathis. Those two seem pretty upbeat about their future in Indianapolis. Time will tell if it works.

At the safety position, Bethea will flourish in a defense that can actually stop plays before they get to Bethea. How many times did Bethea save a touchdown last season? It was like every other play it seemed. Allowing Bethea to play looser could make him into an Ed Reed type of player who can make game changing and winning plays instead of game saving plays. Bullit signed a three year deal last season so I would expect him to be our opening day strong safety as long as he can stay healthy. Again, with our safeties not having to make the majority of the run stops and saving tackles we might just be able to keep them both very healthy and allow for them to be much more productive.

Okay so we need a nose tackle, at least one (but likely) two man corners, depth at linebacker, re-sign (or franchise) Reggie Wayne, a speed receiver to stretch the field (Kendall Wright), a center to replace Saturday, a real right guard, and depth on the offensive line.

Do these moves indicate that we are certain to have a championship in 2012? Obviously not, but we will be in a good position to be a contender and build towards the future. I could see a 9-7 record with that team and we would be a team that no team wants to play down the stretch. We would be younger and also have Luck’s years from two to four be downright scary for the rest of the NFL.

Bruce Arians is our OC...he is NOT a "run first/smash mouth" guy, he is EXTREMELY pass heavy in his play calling...which if you have a Peyton Manning or an Andrew Luck, the QB SHOULD be the focal point of the offense...whats the use of having a great QB if you dont use him effectively?

[YOUR GM]

In are Pagano, Arians, and Butler.

The Colts have moved in a new direction of the AFC North in the attempts to become a smash mouth play football type of football team. Run the ball and play great defense will be our philosophy.

Peyton, I love you but I think Irsay has made it clear that it is time for Peyton to retire. Obviously Irsay knows Peyton’s medical condition and out of loyalty and respect he is not disclosing that information directly to the media. It is just a matter of time before Peyton comes to grips with the reality that his career is over. It’s terrible as a Colts fan to see this happen to such a great player.

Enter Andrew Luck.

The new era will not be built around Andrew Luck. It will be built around playing great defense and a run first offense. Andrew Luck will benefit from this the same way Tom Brady and Ben Rothlisberger have benefited from being in their systems. That being said, Luck has far more upside than either of them. He might only throw the ball 20 to 25 times a game in his first few seasons. His completion percentage might not be among the best in the NFL because he will be throwing the ball on third and longs more than on first and ten. He might only pass for 3000 yards a season over his first few years. This is who we will be; however it is the same type of offensive mentality Luck comes from college to the NFL with. Stanford is a run first offense.

We need to franchise or re-sign Reggie Wayne. (LEADERSHIP!) We need a veteran wide receiver to help the younger players along. Without having to pay Peyton this season, we will have the money to bring Reggie back. Reggie will continue to be our possession receiver and be a huge asset to the Colts.

Enter Kendall Wright.

With our second pick if we could land the speedster from Baylor then we would have a replacement for Garcon, only Wright can catch the ball. His shake and bake will demand a double team and make play action a nightmare for teams.

Austin Collie is in his final year and can resume his duties as the slot receiver. Were it not for injuries in 2010 and weak quarterback play in 2011 then Austin would be among the top five receivers in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns over the past few years. He was leading the league or close to it in 2010 when he went down to injury.

Our running back situation is solid. Donald Brown could flourish in our new offense. Donald is under contract until the 2013 season. Joseph Addai is also under contract until the 2014 season. This one two punch will continue to be the leading ball carriers for the Colts. Delone Carter’s fumble issues might be too much to take a chance on as ball control offense cannot afford a running back putting the ball on the ground every game.

We have our tackles in place. Ijalana could move inside if needed, however Castonzo and Ijalana look to be our starting tackles moving into the 2012 season. We will need to address the middle of the offensive line; center and right guard.

Dallas Clark is under contract until the 2014 season; however he is weak in pass protection and run blocking. Cutting him is an option but I don’t see us doing that this season. Andrew Luck is great in utilizing his tight ends in the passing game. Lucks ability to find his tight ends at such a young age is one of the telling signs of just how NFL ready he is. Most quarterbacks do not start using their tight ends until they are at the elite status. Jacob Tamme is a free agent and he will get an offer to move on. Brody Eldridge is a great fit for the new run first mentality and might see the field as much or more than Clark because of his ability to block. If Eldridge can stay healthy he could become a star in the new offensive approach.

So why would we go offense with our first and second picks? The answer is pretty simple, in my opinion. We need to have balance and if we can’t move the ball then we should just throw balance out of the window. No defense can hold up in the modern NFL era if their offense struggles to score points and effectively move the ball.

Free agency could be big for us this season. With the new type of defense we will be running I expect for Moala and Nevis to become our starting defensive ends. We will need to address the nose tackle and defensive tackle spots so we can move from a 3-4 look to a 4-3 look. It is possible that Anthony Johnson could be the defense tackle in the 4-3 schemes and he is under contract until 2013. We will need to bring in a nose tackle or draft one. If Dontarie Poe is available when we draft our second pick them he would be a great move; however he is moving up the boards and will likely be a first round pick, especially with all of the 3-4 teams drafting later in the first round.

Our corners can’t play man to man. We will need to bring in a free agent corner or two.

We are in a good situation at linebacker. I think Simms, Wheeler, and Brackett will be out and we will retain Angerer, and Conner. It appears that we are going to try to plug Freeney in at the jack role and we are serious about re-signing Mathis. Those two seem pretty upbeat about their future in Indianapolis. Time will tell if it works.

At the safety position, Bethea will flourish in a defense that can actually stop plays before they get to Bethea. How many times did Bethea save a touchdown last season? It was like every other play it seemed. Allowing Bethea to play looser could make him into an Ed Reed type of player who can make game changing and winning plays instead of game saving plays. Bullit signed a three year deal last season so I would expect him to be our opening day strong safety as long as he can stay healthy. Again, with our safeties not having to make the majority of the run stops and saving tackles we might just be able to keep them both very healthy and allow for them to be much more productive.

Okay so we need a nose tackle, at least one (but likely) two man corners, depth at linebacker, re-sign (or franchise) Reggie Wayne, a speed receiver to stretch the field (Kendall Wright), a center to replace Saturday, a real right guard, and depth on the offensive line.

Do these moves indicate that we are certain to have a championship in 2012? Obviously not, but we will be in a good position to be a contender and build towards the future. I could see a 9-7 record with that team and we would be a team that no team wants to play down the stretch. We would be younger and also have Luck’s years from two to four be downright scary for the rest of the NFL.

With Arians as OC, I don't know why you would think we will shift to a run first, smash-mouth offense. Arians (much to the chagrin of Steelers fans) is one of the most pass-happy coordinators in the league

[BProland85]

I agree we are set at LB, but we need to bring back Wheeler since he excelled at getting to the QB as a pass rushing OLB in college. Angerer and Conner will be our MLBs, and we may add another LB late in the draft.

Freeney, if he restructures his huge amount he is due this year, could be a beast as a pass rushing OLB along with Mathis. I think Hughes will flourish more in this role as well.

[BlueShoe]

You must have not seen the Steelers play this season....

The Steelers Offense Under Arians:

2008: Run 460 Pass 506 (47% Run)

2009: Run 428 Pass 536 (44% Run)

2010: Run 471 Pass 479 (50% Run)

2011: Run 434 Pass 539 (45% Run)

[BlueShoe]

Bruce Arians is our OC...he is NOT a "run first/smash mouth" guy, he is EXTREMELY pass heavy in his play calling...which if you have a Peyton Manning or an Andrew Luck, the QB SHOULD be the focal point of the offense...whats the use of having a great QB if you dont use him effectively?

The Steelers Offense Under Arians:

2008: Run 460 Pass 506 (47% Run)

2009: Run 428 Pass 536 (44% Run)

2010: Run 471 Pass 479 (50% Run)

2011: Run 434 Pass 539 (45% Run)

[BlueShoe]

With Arians as OC, I don't know why you would think we will shift to a run first, smash-mouth offense. Arians (much to the chagrin of Steelers fans) is one of the most pass-happy coordinators in the league

The Steelers Offense Under Arians:

2008: Run 460 Pass 506 (47% Run)

2009: Run 428 Pass 536 (44% Run)

2010: Run 471 Pass 479 (50% Run)

2011: Run 434 Pass 539 (45% Run)

[FireJimCaldwell]

The Steelers Offense Under Arians:

2008: Run 460 Pass 506 (47% Run)

2009: Run 428 Pass 536 (44% Run)

2010: Run 471 Pass 479 (50% Run)

2011: Run 434 Pass 539 (45% Run)

If you add in the sacks as pass plays it will adjust your ratios a little bit more towards the pass.

2008		49
2009		50
2010		43
2011		42

Also note that 2010 was the year BBR missed time due to his off season escapades in a tiny Georgia Bar so they likely leaned on the run during that stretch more than they would have with BBR playing.

[WSO]

So far Luck is just another rookie superman to be. The media hypes them every year as they are hyping him now. As you correctly point out not every team has a stable of great quarterbacks. That is because the hype usually is nothing but an illusion and superman is really just jimmy olsen.

It sounds like you are crossing your arms and stomping your foot because the Colts are going to take a quarterback whether Manning is healthy or not. Get over it. I've heard every anti-luck argument out there and they are all based on assumptions.

[BlueShoe]

If you add in the sacks as pass plays it will adjust your ratios a little bit more towards the pass.

2008		49
2009		50
2010		43
2011		42

I am not sure where you are getting your numbers from, but mine came straight from NFL.com in the attempt pass and attempt run category.

http://www.nfl.com/teams/pittsburghsteelers/statistics?season=2011&team=PIT&seasonType=REG

[coltsblue1844]

I am not sure where you are getting your numbers from, but mine came straight from NFL.com in the attempt pass and attempt run category.

http://www.nfl.com/t...&seasonType=REG

yes, and by "nfl statistics" a sack counts as a rushing attempt...although it was obviously a called pass play that results in a sack...you dont "sack" the QB when the RB has the ball...

So like he said, every QB sack allowed by Pittsburgh also was a called PASS play

[coltsblue1844]

I am not sure where you are getting your numbers from, but mine came straight from NFL.com in the attempt pass and attempt run category.

http://www.nfl.com/t...&seasonType=REG

When the QB takes a knee to end the half or the game, it ALSO counts as a run play, although it was never intended to do anything more than run down the clock

[BlueShoe]

yes, and by "nfl statistics" a sack counts as a rushing attempt...although it was obviously a called pass play that results in a sack...you dont "sack" the QB when the RB has the ball...

So like he said, every QB sack allowed by Pittsburgh also was a called PASS play

Yes, I undrestand that.

But his numbers are way off. He has 50% run in 2009 vs me having 44% run in 2009.

[Blue Horseshoe]

It sounds like you are crossing your arms and stomping your foot because the Colts are going to take a quarterback whether Manning is healthy or not. Get over it. I've heard every anti-luck argument out there and they are all based on assumptions.

I'm sorry for looking at the guy and not seeing him as God's Gift to Football like he is being portrayed.

I'd rather take Manning over him in a heartbeat.