2017 Indy Colts- 1978 Baltimore Colts

[The Old Crow]

Odd similarities. After numerous playoff appearances, both of these squads regressed. Both had immensely talented quarterbacks who became injury proned, Bert Jones and Andrew Luck. One used Scott Tolzien, the other Greg Landry as back up QB's. Both teams had diminished talent around these great QB's. It's up to the Colt's brain trust to avoid the 2018-19 Colts from becoming the 1979-80 version of the Baltimore Colts. 

[csmopar]

Oh for ****-sakes, Luck is not injury prone.....

[Smonroe]

3 minutes ago, The Old Crow said:

Odd similarities. After numerous playoff appearances, both of these squads regressed. Both had immensely talented quarterbacks who became injury proned, Bert Jones and Andrew Luck. One used Scott Tolzien, the other Greg Landry as back up QB's. Both teams had diminished talent around these great QB's. It's up to the Colt's brain trust to avoid the 2018-19 Colts from becoming the 1979-80 version of the Baltimore Colts. 

 

I was going to school and working the night shift that year.  The Colts were blown out of the water the first two games and played a heavily favored NE team on Monday night. 

 

I was listening on the radio, Joe Washington had a career game and they somehow came back to win the game.  I think it was the only bright spot that year.

 

We had Greg Landry?  Don't remember him.

[JColts72]

Better HC in 78, Remember Bert Jones on SI Football issue as 14 year old and saying oh no back then. Greg Landry was good with Lions but not in 78.

[Reboot]

13 minutes ago, csmopar said:

Oh for ****-sakes, Luck is not injury prone.....

What would you call it then?  If it were just the shoulder, I suppose I could say this was a fluke.  But it hasn't just been the shoulder.  We have three full seasons playing, and now three in a row without playing in all the games.  So which is it?  Which is more apt to happen for the rest of his career? 

 

I think we're getting close to being able to say he is injury prone.  I mean, comparing apples to apples, other starting QBs, franchise QBs, he is more apt historically to miss a game than even Roethlisburger, for example, who has played all 16 games for the Steelers only three times in 13 full seasons.  Luck has missed around 13.5% of his teams games due to injury in his career.  Ben is at 11% games missed.  Is he as bad as say Romo (22% missed), another contemporary?  No.  But go down the list of teams, those who have franchise QBs, and go look at how few games those guys miss.  Brady, Flacco, Big Ben, Dalton, Alex Smith, Rivers, Eli, Cousins, Stafford, Rogers, Cam, Ryan, Brees, Wilson...  Luck ranks amongst the highest in games missed, percentage-wise, due to injury.  The rest of the teams have performance issues, not injury issues. 

[Boiler_Colt]

6 minutes ago, Dirty Mudflaps said:

What would you call it then?  If it were just the shoulder, I suppose I could say this was a fluke.  But it hasn't just been the shoulder.  We have three full seasons playing, and now three in a row without playing in all the games.  So which is it?  Which is more apt to happen for the rest of his career? 

 

I think we're getting close to being able to say he is injury prone.  I mean, comparing apples to apples, other starting QBs, franchise QBs, he is more apt historically to miss a game than even Roethlisburger, for example, who has played all 16 games for the Steelers only three times in 13 full seasons.  Luck has missed around 13.5% of his teams games due to injury in his career.  Ben is at 11% games missed.  Is he as bad as say Romo (22% missed), another contemporary?  No.  But go down the list of teams, those who have franchise QBs, and go look at how few games those guys miss.  Brady, Flacco, Big Ben, Dalton, Alex Smith, Rivers, Eli, Cousins, Stafford, Rogers, Cam, Ryan, Brees, Wilson...  Luck ranks amongst the highest in games missed, percentage-wise, due to injury.  The rest of the teams have performance issues, not injury issues. 

 

I certainly don't count the concussion last year as being injury prone. The first concussion of his career. He missed a Thursday game and he might have passed the protocol if it were a Sunday game.  The injury's all came during one season in 2015. 

[The Old Crow]

Other eerie similarities are a beleaguered Chuck Pagano, and Ted Marchibroda. Marchibroda would be replaced the next season by Mike McCormick. Obviously, Ballard does not want the Dick Syzmanski role from that era. That may be owned by Ryan Grigson. 

[csmopar]

29 minutes ago, Dirty Mudflaps said:

What would you call it then?  If it were just the shoulder, I suppose I could say this was a fluke.  But it hasn't just been the shoulder.  We have three full seasons playing, and now three in a row without playing in all the games.  So which is it?  Which is more apt to happen for the rest of his career? 

 

I think we're getting close to being able to say he is injury prone.  I mean, comparing apples to apples, other starting QBs, franchise QBs, he is more apt historically to miss a game than even Roethlisburger, for example, who has played all 16 games for the Steelers only three times in 13 full seasons.  Luck has missed around 13.5% of his teams games due to injury in his career.  Ben is at 11% games missed.  Is he as bad as say Romo (22% missed), another contemporary?  No.  But go down the list of teams, those who have franchise QBs, and go look at how few games those guys miss.  Brady, Flacco, Big Ben, Dalton, Alex Smith, Rivers, Eli, Cousins, Stafford, Rogers, Cam, Ryan, Brees, Wilson...  Luck ranks amongst the highest in games missed, percentage-wise, due to injury.  The rest of the teams have performance issues, not injury issues. 

13% is not injury prone.  None of the injuries have been connected.  Luck's also been the most hit QB since he came into the league.  Injury prone are guys like moncrief, Art Jones, who stub their toe and have to sit out every other game

[mahagga73]

1 hour ago, The Old Crow said:

Odd similarities. After numerous playoff appearances, both of these squads regressed. Both had immensely talented quarterbacks who became injury proned, Bert Jones and Andrew Luck. One used Scott Tolzien, the other Greg Landry as back up QB's. Both teams had diminished talent around these great QB's. It's up to the Colt's brain trust to avoid the 2018-19 Colts from becoming the 1979-80 version of the Baltimore Colts. 

I was thinking the same thing. The Bert Jones and Luck comparison is scary .  Hopefully Luck lasts longer . I think the Colts are better managed now then under Robert Irsay .  

[The Old Crow]

1 hour ago, mahagga73 said:

I was thinking the same thing. The Bert Jones and Luck comparison is scary .  Hopefully Luck lasts longer . I think the Colts are better managed now then under Robert Irsay .  

 

I really hope Luck does last longer. He's a great player and a nice guy. I felt bad for Bert, because he was also an excellent player , and great guy. It was painful watching Bert get beat up. In a game against the St Louis Cardinals on October 26, 1980, Jones was sacked 12 times. Bert wasn't protected back then, and Luck deserves better offensive line protection than he has gotten. 

 

I do do think the Colts are better managed than those days, but the challenge for current Colts management is to put a more complete team around Luck, than Jones, or even Manning had. Jones and Manning had some great personnel around them some years, but there were many years things could have been even better,  with a top flight  defense, for example. The money and priority has to be getting the best offensive line protecting Luck. You must protect your best investment.