By the time Luck is 30...

[Colts1324]

2 hours ago, Flash7 said:

1. Broncos immediately improved and then went on to the SuperBowl, losing to Seattle, then won it in year 3. My point is, due to the signing of the top FA players, the Broncos were consistently Super Bowl contenders. If FA is used correctly, you can "win Free Agency"  and can win Super Bowls -- they are not mutually exclusive.

 

2. The Patriots are known for taking away what the other team does best. They sign the best corners in the league, like Talib, Revis, or this year, Gilmore to take away the teams best receiver. Without a premier corner, their system doesn't work as well. Revis was a crucial clog in that system.

Agreed. Said that exact same thing in another thread. I'm kind of disappointed we didn't get Poe, BUT if we sign one of Hankins or Logan for a lot cheaper. That would be good with me. You could argue Hankins has a lot of potential to be better than Poe. I want Poe. But it's possible the colts and Jaguars both did a medical exam and believe his back could be a problem. I'm very surprised either team didn't reach a deal with him. 

[deedub75]

Maybe Luck can play into his 40s. 

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, Valpo2004 said:

Relax. . . with good drafting, we could certainly have roster for the 2018 season that can compete for a SB. 

 

It doesn't take that long to turn around a team.  There are lots of worst to first stories in the NFL and we're not going to worst to first either.  For the most part the offense needs very little work.  Maybe an OL and a long term solution at RB.

 

Honestly the bigger concern I think is TY Hilton.  Luck and Hilton are about the same age.  But Luck's play is not likely to decline until his mid 30's.  Hilton though could decline quite a bit sooner.  He's a receiver who relies heavily on speed.  And those guys tend to decline faster then guys who rely on size.  

That's why we have Dorsett ; )    Yep...we won our SB with Marvin starting his decline...and went to our second without him....but that is why we have to continue to draft well and put help on the opposite side of the field.

[dgambill]

29 minutes ago, deedub75 said:

Maybe Luck can play into his 40s. 

With the way he holds onto the ball....doubtful. He has already had a lascerated kidney, messed up ribs, shoulder surgery....he will be lucky to hold up into his late 30's....see the same thing with Big Ben....guys like that take a beating...they don't last as long as a guy like Brady, Peyton, or Brees who get rid of the ball fast and don't take too many sacks.

[chrisfarley]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

So?

 

I don't mean to be flip,  but that's life in the NFL.      Nobody is promised anything and things change quickly.

 

Good teams become not so good, and poor teams get better.     Stuff happens.

 

As long as we have Luck,  we'll remain competitive and we've got a shot at more....

 

We just need to keep building....

 

no doubt, you are so right (stuff happens, nobody promised anything, things change quickly)... just think if Porter didn't jump the route and we ultimately score, Caldwell would likely have been coach for many more years and other history would be so different.  The past is prologue....  little things affect history.... lessons will be learned.  (WARNING: the previous comment will bring nausea to some, forgive me )

 

[azcolt]

2 hours ago, Gabriel Alexander Morillo said:

Well your original argument was that we were a "Playoff competitive" team right now. Don't move the goalposts on 21Supeeman. I think there's a huge difference between "playoff competitive" and playoff caliber" but that just might be my misunderstanding 

 

It really is hilarious. People still think it's the Manning days where we were an autolock year after year yet it's been nearly three years... 

Since I started the thread and used the "playoff competitive" phrase, I guess I should clarify that meant we wouldn't be first round road kill. Obviously the rules let a lot of mediocre teams qualify for the playoffs. Given Ballard's build through the draft approach, I think it is reasonable to expect we won't be playoff competitive until Luck is about 30...or older. Obviously I can't blame Ballard for the Grigson-Pagano incompetence but it is a shame to think a half or more of Luck's best years will have been wasted on teams with no real chances to win Super Bowls. The Colts have been phenomenally lucky to be able to have Unitas, Jones, Elway (for a few days), Manning and Luck. If they continue to blow this opportunity with Luck, none of us may live long enough to see the next franchise qb in blue...which is why Pagano should have been canned, too.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

4 minutes ago, azcolt said:

Since I started the thread and used the "playoff competitive" phrase, I guess I should clarify that meant we wouldn't be first round road kill. Obviously the rules let a lot of mediocre teams qualify for the playoffs. Given Ballard's build through the draft approach, I think it is reasonable to expect we won't be playoff competitive until Luck is about 30...or older. Obviously I can't blame Ballard for the Grigson-Pagano incompetence but it is a shame to think a half or more of Luck's best years will have been wasted on teams with no real chances to win Super Bowls. The Colts have been phenomenally lucky to be able to have Unitas, Jones, Elway (for a few days), Manning and Luck. If they continue to blow this opportunity with Luck, none of us may live long enough to see the next franchise qb in blue...which is why Pagano should have been canned, too.

That's exactly how I interpreted it. Thank you for the clarification. I think last year we most certainly not playoff competitive, let alone a playoff caliber team... lol 

[gacoop1]

When you draft D Cook, that is instant contention.  We've got the defense almost in place with ILB and Edge, just one or two more LBs in the draft and that's singing the playoff tune folks. Remember this can only happen if D Cook is in the roster for 2017. Go Colts.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Just now, gacoop1 said:

When you draft D Cook, that is instant contention.  We've got the defense almost in place with ILB and Edge, just one or two more LBs in the draft and that's singing the playoff tune folks. Remember this can only happen if D Cook is in the roster for 2017. Go Colts.

 at this guy. Every. Single. Time. 

[CheezyColt]

6 minutes ago, Gabriel Alexander Morillo said:

 at this guy. Every. Single. Time. 

I don't even know if he's serious anymore or just looking for a reaction,

[gacoop1]

Serious as heart attack!!

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

ahh he is trolling 

[weslo1812]

4 hours ago, TKnight24 said:

11 game win streak against Tennessee, I'm taking the Colts every time until Tennessee shows otherwise 

 

Houston is the team to beat. If they get Watson in this draft, the AFC South could be well in their control for at least the next 2 seasons. Still have Watt coming back and the draft to add even more defensive talent. And possibly a #2 across from D. Hopkins. Like a DeDe Westbrook or someone

Small chance they wind up with Watson. And we have to remember Houston lost a couple pieces this off season too. Wilfork is gone, Bouye is gone and Watt coming back is big but how long can he stay healthy and will he be himself? Back injuries are often tough to ever fully overcome, and he's had multiple. No doubt Houston is the team to beat, they are defending champs. But even with the D they had last year, they still barely were able to beat us despite how bad we were. If anything so far this off season you can say they have lost a little bit. 

[21isSuperman]

2 hours ago, Superman said:

 

Not really. Beat the Raiders, and we're in. 

Easier said than done.  Before Carr got hurt, the Raiders were one of the best AFC teams.  We weren't/aren't in a position to compete with them

 

2 hours ago, bababooey said:

Collectively, blowing the lead against the Titans, and all the slow starts culminating in last minute heartbreak (Lions, Jags, Texans again). Get a last minute stop or convert a last minute drive and it's a very different story. I agree we would get stomped in the playoffs though.

If you blow leads in the last quarter or you make bad mistakes over the course of several games, that's likely who you are.  If you have one bad game, that's an anomaly.  If you have several bad games, that's who you are.

 

For what it's worth, I don't mean to be all doom and gloom.  I'm optimistic that Ballard is making the right moves for the long term success of the franchise

[bababooey]

3 minutes ago, 21isSuperman said:

If you blow leads in the last quarter or you make bad mistakes over the course of several games, that's likely who you are.  If you have one bad game, that's an anomaly.  If you have several bad games, that's who you are.

 

For what it's worth, I don't mean to be all doom and gloom.  I'm optimistic that Ballard is making the right moves for the long term success of the franchise

I think with the upgrades we make this year, hopefully it will be enough to the point where our one score games go back to above average (maybe not insanely above average like early on in his career) and if that happens maybe we get 2 more wins and win the division.

[21isSuperman]

Just now, bababooey said:

I think with the upgrades we make this year, hopefully it will be enough to the point where our one score games go back to above average (maybe not insanely above average like early on in his career) and if that happens maybe we get 2 more wins and win the division.

I certainly think the outlook is good.  The OP could be correct in that it takes until Luck is 30 before we are competing for Super Bowls.  He'll be 28 at the start of next season.

Age 28: Ballard changing the roster and culture

Age 29: Ballard brings in his own choice of head coach, head coach establishes his expectations and system, Ballard continues to build the roster

Age 30: Head coach has established his system, Ballard has made the roster into something he likes, the team has the talent and leadership to compete for a Super Bowl

[Superman]

14 minutes ago, 21isSuperman said:

Easier said than done.  Before Carr got hurt, the Raiders were one of the best AFC teams.  We weren't/aren't in a position to compete with them

 

The point is that it's one game. 

 

And despite how much better the Raiders were, the Colts could have won that game, even without Carr being hurt. They could have won either or both of the Texans games. They could have won the Chiefs game, or the Jags game. They weren't some bottom dweller that was miles away from the playoffs. 

 

Doesn't mean they were close to being a title contender, but the Colts easily could have made the playoffs last year, probably should have.

[bababooey]

27 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

The point is that it's one game. 

 

And despite how much better the Raiders were, the Colts could have won that game, even without Carr being hurt. They could have won either or both of the Texans games. They could have won the Chiefs game, or the Jags game. They weren't some bottom dweller that was miles away from the playoffs. 

 

Doesn't mean they were close to being a title contender, but the Colts easily could have made the playoffs last year, probably should have.

Lions too, one defensive stop. Credit to them though because they won almost every game after trailing in the 4th quarter and made the playoffs.

[21isSuperman]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

The point is that it's one game. 

 

And despite how much better the Raiders were, the Colts could have won that game, even without Carr being hurt. They could have won either or both of the Texans games. They could have won the Chiefs game, or the Jags game. They weren't some bottom dweller that was miles away from the playoffs. 

 

Doesn't mean they were close to being a title contender, but the Colts easily could have made the playoffs last year, probably should have.

If you have several bad games, that's who you are.  The Colts could have won either Texans game, but didn't. They could have won against the Jags in London but didn't. That's my point: they could have, but didn't.  I'm not saying we're some bottom-feeder, competing with the Browns, but this isn't a playoff team, nor are we among the AFC's top teams.  With that said, we could be a playoff team next year, and I hope we are.

[Superman]

1 minute ago, 21isSuperman said:

If you have several bad games, that's who you are.  The Colts could have won either Texans game, but didn't. They could have won against the Jags in London but didn't. That's my point: they could have, but didn't.  I'm not saying we're some bottom-feeder, competing with the Browns, but this isn't a playoff team, nor are we among the AFC's top teams.  With that said, we could be a playoff team next year, and I hope we are.

 

Different subject. Point is just that there's no sense pretending that they are or were far off from the playoffs. 

[21isSuperman]

50 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Different subject. Point is just that there's no sense pretending that they are or were far off from the playoffs. 

As @Valpo2004 said, I think there's a substantial difference between almost making the playoffs and actually making the playoffs.  Sure, we're one win away, but several teams could say the same thing.  Give the Titans one more win and they're in.  Give the Broncos one more win and they're tied with the 10-6 Dolphins for the second wildcard seed.  Give the Ravens just two wins and it's the same thing.  Again, this isn't a bottom-feeder team, but we're simply not a playoff team right now, based on the last two years.  That could change - and I hope it does - by next season.

[Superman]

1 minute ago, 21isSuperman said:

As @Valpo2004 said, I think there's a substantial difference between almost making the playoffs and actually making the playoffs.  Sure, we're one win away, but several teams could say the same thing.  Give the Titans one more win and they're in.  Give the Broncos one more win and they're tied with the 10-6 Dolphins for the second wildcard seed.  Give the Ravens just two wins and it's the same thing.  Again, this isn't a bottom-feeder team, but we're simply not a playoff team right now, based on the last two years.  That could change - and I hope it does - by next season.

 

If you want to draw a hard line in the sand, we're not a playoff team. We didn't make the playoffs. End of story.

 

VocableLoki said we're "playoff competitive." My interpretation of that -- which he confirmed -- is that we are in competition to make the playoffs, which is absolutely true. One game out in 2015 (without Luck for 9 games), one game out in 2016, and in both cases, the Colts shot themselves in the foot. None of this is impressive -- the Colts aren't striving to be a fringe playoff team, they want to be a title contender. I'm not patting them on the back for being "playoff competitive." 

 

At the same time, let's not act like they haven't been right there in the mix. And while we're at it, let's not act like the other teams in the division have proven that they're able to do anything more than what they've done so far.

[MackAttack]

7 hours ago, TKnight24 said:

11 game win streak against Tennessee, I'm taking the Colts every time until Tennessee shows otherwise 

 

Houston is the team to beat. If they get Watson in this draft, the AFC South could be well in their control for at least the next 2 seasons. Still have Watt coming back and the draft to add even more defensive talent. And possibly a #2 across from D. Hopkins. Like a DeDe Westbrook or someone

Don't forget they got 2 of the 3 best wrs in last years draft. They may very well already have their number 2 and 3 it most likely just takes a deshaun Watson or another qb to get that potential out of them. 

[tvturner]

It's not gonna take us that long to build a contending roster. We made it with a worse team in 2014 imo

[ReMeDy]

12 hours ago, Flash7 said:

Without a premier corner, their system doesn't work as well. Revis was a crucial clog in that system.

 

I think you mean cog, but I get what you're saying :D.

[braveheartcolt]

By the time be js 30, he will have read 36 books......

 

[Bubba_Rebel]

18 hours ago, 21isSuperman said:

We aren't even a playoff team right now, let alone a competitive playoff team

As bad as we were last year and still one game away from playoffs

[Stephen]

On 13/03/2017 at 0:14 PM, TKnight24 said:

11 game win streak against Tennessee, I'm taking the Colts every time until Tennessee shows otherwise 

 

Houston is the team to beat. If they get Watson in this draft, the AFC South could be well in their control for at least the next 2 seasons. Still have Watt coming back and the draft to add even more defensive talent. And possibly a #2 across from D. Hopkins. Like a DeDe Westbrook or someone

Watson is not that good

[Stephen]

Patriots may have 7 superbowl rings by time luck is 30.

[COLTS449]

I've been trying to tell everybody for years we were wasting away Lucks career, but they cant see the forest for the trees. They're too worried about 3-4 years from now. This is the NFL. When you have a franchise young, top 5 QB you HAVE to put playmakers around him. Live like there's no tomorrow. Don't worry about 4 years from now. Bet on yourself to hit big in the next 3-4 drafts and guess what??? No worries cause those big signings would then be replaced by the 1st and 2nd year players. Bottom line is we're a stupid franchise and people don't wanna understand that. We best come out of this draft with 3 day 1 starters, and a couple other really good looking players, and a Gem in the 4th like Mixon.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, Stephen said:

Patriots may have 7 superbowl rings by time luck is 30.

I wouldn't doubt it. I am even done rooting against them as it is a waste of time losing sleep or getting upset over with them winning at this point. They win all the time anyway so why lose sleep over it. Brady can have his GOAT Title and Peyton his 2nd or 3rd best ever or whatever it is.

[2006Coltsbestever]

8 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

I've been trying to tell everybody for years we were wasting away Lucks career, but they cant see the forest for the trees. They're too worried about 3-4 years from now. This is the NFL. When you have a franchise young, top 5 QB you HAVE to put playmakers around him. Bottom line is we're a stupid franchise and people don't wanna understand that. We best come out of this draft with 3 day 1 starters, and a couple other really good looking players, and a Gem in the 4th like Mixon.

We have been a Top 5 franchise since the 2000's began, if that is stupid I will take it. We have 6 picks in the 1st 4 Rounds. I think Ballard will do well in the Draft. So far Luck has had a Good career so we haven't wasted anything, he has won 60% of his games and we have made a Title Game. We haven't won a SB but it took Peyton 9 seasons to do so. Patience.

[CF4L]

Hopefully still a productive QB for the Colts with the hits he's taken they are shortening his career. 

 

I do think the Colts will at least appear in 1 SB before Luck retires but not sure if they will win it depends on who shows up that day.

 

I will still hate the Patriots and Tommy Uggs enough for everyone if needed.

[COLTS449]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

We have been a Top 5 franchise since the 2000's began, if that is stupid I will take it. We have 6 picks in the 1st 4 Rounds. I think Ballard will do well in the Draft. So far Luck has had a Good career so we haven't wasted anything, he has won 60% of his games and we have made a Title Game. We haven't won a SB but it took Peyton 9 seasons to do so. Patience.

 

We only won 1 which is my point. I think we could have already won one with the right signings, draft picks, trades, etc. I'm worried about this year. Not 4 years from now. To me that's just dumb. Go all in now. And going all in is NOT what we did a couple years ago. That was called idiocracy

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, COLTS449 said:

 

We only won 1 which is my point. I think we could have already won one with the right signings, draft picks, trades, etc. I'm worried about this year. Not 4 years from now. To me that's just dumb. Go all in now. And going all in is NOT what we did a couple years ago. That was called idiocracy

I still think we could sign Poe which he will make a nice impact on the Defense. I like the Simon and Sheard signings and glad we re-signed Doyle and Turbin. Also trading Allen was a smart move. We have a lot of options coming up in the Draft so lets see how that goes too.

[OffensivelyPC]

On 3/13/2017 at 4:20 PM, gacoop1 said:

When you draft D Cook, that is instant contention.  We've got the defense almost in place with ILB and Edge, just one or two more LBs in the draft and that's singing the playoff tune folks. Remember this can only happen if D Cook is in the roster for 2017. Go Colts.

LOL. This is hilarious.

[Stephen]

Cook wont make it to us