Chris Ballard Press Conference

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

 

 

 

 

 

... but everything will eventually be OK.

[Jackie Daytona]

So Poundcake isn't even eligible for return from IR?  That sucks

[Jackie Daytona]

I call nonsense on this no timetable nonsense......  they don't have to say what it is, but they have a timetable......

[DaveA1102]

Disappointing, but not unexpected news.

[IndyScribe]

Not unexpected. Sounds like Wilson and Hooker will start.

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[IndyScribe]

Not all bad news. Luck could be ready by Week 2, Kelly is almost ready, Hooker is starting.

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DaveA1102]

Good to hear the thinking behind some of the decisions re Banner and Morris especially.

 

Although it just frustrates even more on the secrecy of Luck's status.

[Smonroe]

I wish they'd mike the darn reporters asking the questions!

 

Instead of asking the same questions about Luck, how about asking if Chester is healthy, or who the starting 5 O linemen are?  I guess we have to wait for the injury report and the first depth chart.

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Smitto]

Good to hear Ballard address the fan base like this. 

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TKnight24]

 

Tank Season!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

[Fisticuffs111]

Ballard is being really open. I like it. Very refreshing. Even if I'm not big on some of the cuts it's great to hear his thought process. He's a hard guy not to like.

[RockThatBlue]

Hope Kelly and Luck return the same game.

[Coltsman1788]

On Morris...who cares about OTA Ballard?  He was demoted and RESPONDED and outplayed everyone during the preseason GAMES.  That is a quality in a QB  I would want...the ability to respond to adversity, learn from your mistakes and IMPROVE.  It's not all in how you start it's how you finish.   But...I digress.  Tolzien better not continue to suck.

[Smonroe]

I hope the fan base can get on board with this - it's not a rebuilding year, it's a growing year.  We have a lot of the pieces in place, but not all are going to be available right off the bat.

 

I'm not ruling out the playoffs, but I'm more interested in seeing the team gel and get better as the season goes on.  

 

Ballard is right, the guys that come in after the starters are what makes a difference, because starters will get hurt.  Let's hope he's as good at his job as we think he is and build a strong, deep team.

[TKnight24]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[#12.]

9 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

On Morris...who cares about OTA Ballard?  He was demoted and RESPONDED and outplayed everyone during the preseason GAMES.  That is a quality in a QB  I would want...the ability to respond to adversity, learn from your mistakes and IMPROVE.  It's not all in how you start it's how you finish.   But...I digress.  Tolzien better not continue to suck.

Was about to post something similar.  I'm much more concerned with game performance than OTA performance.  All you are trying to do with this backup situation, especially after the acquisition of Brissett, is steal a game or two and stay alive until Luck returns.  Morris gave you the best chance to do so.

[Creekside]

9 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

On Morris...who cares about OTA Ballard?  He was demoted and RESPONDED and outplayed everyone during the preseason GAMES.  That is a quality in a QB  I would want...the ability to respond to adversity, learn from your mistakes and IMPROVE.  It's not how you start it's how you finish.   But...I digress.  Tolzien better not continue to suck.

 

I agree. It's a very odd answer. If we're going to judge the past instead of the present: Tolzien has an nfl QB rating of 27.................oh well..............

[Coltsman1788]

I will be pulling for Tolzien to do well  because I'm a Colts fan.  Just had to vent a little about the decision and Ballard's explanation for it. 

[TKnight24]

 

[TKnight24]

 

[Defjamz26]

Interesting about Green. Ballard thinks he's a CB. I think that's for now. I'm betting he drafts a CB high next year.

[chad72]

53 minutes ago, Coltsman1788 said:

On Morris...who cares about OTA Ballard?  He was demoted and RESPONDED and outplayed everyone during the preseason GAMES.  That is a quality in a QB  I would want...the ability to respond to adversity, learn from your mistakes and IMPROVE.  It's not all in how you start it's how you finish.   But...I digress.  Tolzien better not continue to suck.

 

I second this.  

 

In a Steelers game with game planning, Morris clearly made some NFL caliber throws. I will still support what they did even if I don't agree with it and rally behind ST. A win is a win, even if it is ugly.

[NewColtsFan]

15 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Interesting about Green. Ballard thinks he's a CB. I think that's for now. I'm betting he drafts a CB high next year.

 

I'm forecasting a cornerback with our first pick.       I don't see Vonte coming back.

 

Then OLB.....    then a safety.        

 

Yes,  defensive picks with our first three rounds.......      again.

 

 

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

11 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

I'm forecasting a cornerback with our first pick.       I don't see Vonte coming back.

 

Then OLB.....    then a safety.        

 

Yes,  defensive picks with our first three rounds.......      again.

 

 

I wait to see how the OL preforms or TE position as well before banking on that.

[ColtsBlueFL]

2 hours ago, Shafty138 said:

I call nonsense on this no timetable nonsense......  they don't have to say what it is, but they have a timetable......

 

There is, but it is not set in stone.  It's how fast Luck gets in 'football shape', and how quickly he learns to 'trust' his shoulder reconstruction.  It won't feel_normal until about 1 year from surgery.  He's playing on it before that, becasue the medical team has determined  he has regained range of motion and enough strength that re-injury  or atypical inflammation from just throwing is unlikely (I call it the Braxton Miller period... look his story up if you don't know it...)

 

2 hours ago, IndyScribe said:

Not all bad news. Luck could be ready by Week 2, Kelly is almost ready, Hooker is starting.

 

Nah, he won't.  I say around 3 weeks  and Dr. Chao (quite possibly more trustworthy estimate) says about a month.  My educated guess for probability posted in other threads-  week 1 was 0.01%. Week 2 was 5%. Week 3 was 65%. Week 4 was 90%. Week 5 at 99.5%.  I have always said it would be 2 or (closer to) 3 weeks After_He_Was_Activated, minimum, to be ready.  Barring no unforeseen setbacks in that timeframe. I'm not changing it now either. I'm actually going to double down. 

 

2 hours ago, DaveA1102 said:

Good to hear the thinking behind some of the decisions re Banner and Morris especially.

 

Although it just frustrates even more on the secrecy of Luck's status.

 

New kids cannot be inconsistent, or have very poor showings when trying to take a veterans spot.  You have to be consistent and outplay the guy to a notable degree.  JoJo had an unfortunate spell of the dropsies, and Morris fell out of favor early, for not being ready and good in OTA's and minicamp. Ballard and Pagano didn't feel he made up enough ground.  And I wonder what was the source/issue early? Could it arise again, thus influencing the choice?

 

Luck will be ready when the coaches and Luck himself knows he can execute the plays in the playbook at a fairly high level.  That will come in time, in practice as he gets reps and builds confidence. But this will take weeks.  I read between the lines on the tweets from Ballard.  Tolzien has the job for now. Brissett can learn the playbook and maybe even challenge for that job before Luck returns.  That's my gut take from the reports.  I'll have to see if I can find a replay of the conference (i missed it, was busy).  Then I can determine the situation better, straight from his mouth and not interpretation in tweets.

 

Keep an eye on Lucks practice status and injury report.  It will reveal just how healthy Luck is as time goes by.

[Cynjin]

1 hour ago, Coltsman1788 said:

On Morris...who cares about OTA Ballard?  He was demoted and RESPONDED and outplayed everyone during the preseason GAMES.  That is a quality in a QB  I would want...the ability to respond to adversity, learn from your mistakes and IMPROVE.  It's not all in how you start it's how you finish.   But...I digress.  Tolzien better not continue to suck.

 

Altough I like Morris over Tolzien, to answer your question "who cares about OTA?  Coaches and GMs care about OTAs.  They also care about all practices.

[ColtsBlueFL]

31 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

Interesting about Green. Ballard thinks he's a CB. I think that's for now. I'm betting he drafts a CB high next year.

 

I think he's a more of a corner, and Big Nickel back (really like his potential there).  And Ballard basically says what rumors we heard... other teams were quite interested in Green and his potential. and was not cut as so many expected.  And make no mistake, if Ballard didn't think you earned a roster spot, you didn't get on- whether you were a Grigson signing, or a Ballard acquisition.

[chad72]

11 minutes ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

 

There is, but it is not set in stone.  It's how fast Luck gets in 'football shape', and how quickly he learns to 'trust' his shoulder reconstruction.  It won't feel_normal until about 1 year from surgery.  He's playing on it before that, becasue the medical team has determined  he has regained range of motion and enough strength that re-injury  or atypical inflammation from just throwing is unlikely (I call it the Braxton Miller period... look his story up if you don't know it...)

 

 

Nah, he won't.  I say around 3 weeks  and Dr. Chao (quite possibly more trustworthy estimate) says about a month.  My educated guess for probability posted in other threads-  week 1 was 0.01%. Week 2 was 5%. Week 3 was 65%. Week 4 was 90%. Week 5 at 99.5%.  I have always said it would be 2 or (closer to) 3 weeks After_He_Was_Activated, minimum, to be ready.  Barring no unforeseen setbacks in that timeframe. I'm not changing it now either. I'm actually going to double down. 

 

 

New kids cannot be inconsistent, or have very poor showings when trying to take a veterans spot.  You have to be consistent and outplay the guy to a notable degree.  JoJo had an unfortunate spell of the dropsies, and Morris fell out of favor early, for not being ready and good in OTA's and minicamp. Ballard and Pagano didn't feel he made up enough ground.  And I wonder what was the source/issue early? Could it arise again, thus influencing the choice?

 

Luck will be ready when the coaches and Luck himself knows he can execute the plays in the playbook at a fairly high level.  That will come in time, in practice as he gets reps and builds confidence. But this will take weeks.  I read between the lines on the tweets from Ballard.  Tolzien has the job for now. Brissett can learn the playbook and maybe even challenge for that job before Luck returns.  That's my gut take from the reports.  I'll have to see if I can find a replay of the conference (i missed it, was buy).  Then I can determine the situation better, straight from his mouth and not interpretation in tweets.

 

Keep an eye on Lucks practice status and injury report.  It will reveal just how healthy Luck is as time goes by.

 

Well written post!!!

 

I'm thinking it will be game 4 vs the Seahawks on MNF that Luck debuts. I am hoping VD is ready by then.

[Luck is Good]

Vontae just can't stay healthy. He's probably gone after this season on that fact alone

[Luck is Good]

2 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

Well written post!!!

 

I'm thinking it will be game 4 vs the Seahawks on MNF that Luck debuts. I am hoping VD is ready by then.

Colts will definitely need them for that SNF game at the Seahawks. Gonna be a tough game no matter what. Hardly anyone wins at the Seahawks in prime time

[ColtsBlueFL]

9 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

Well written post!!!

 

I'm thinking it will be game 4 vs the Seahawks on MNF that Luck debuts. I am hoping VD is ready by then.

 

That is a good estimation, IMHO. I, personally, and hoping he trots out vs. the Browns.  But that may be a touch optimistic.  But I'd would rather be that, within the realm of realistic, at least.

 

[superrep1967]

2 hours ago, Smitto said:

Good to hear Ballard address the fan base like this. 

Yeah, Grigs never had the personality to do so.