Roster update - Improvement ?

[MikeCurtis]

I think if the unthinkable happens...... like Luck cant play

 

We will STILL be a better team

 

Brissett with an improved line, and improved defense, could move us up from where we win an additional 2-3 games

 

If you add Luck to the equation, with the other improvements, especially the line, 8-8 isnt all that optimistic

 

 

 

 

 

 

[krunk]

On no planet is saying we go 8-8 with a healthy luck under center overly optimistic. Like someone else said that is the floor.

[MikeCurtis]

On 5/5/2018 at 10:40 AM, cjrulli said:

 

With Luck we are easily 10-6. Strong line play, 12-4. 

I hope you are right..... may be tough to get that.... this year

[lollygagger8]

On 5/5/2018 at 12:32 PM, Boiler_Colt said:

There's a reason Bill Polian said 8-8 would win Frank Reich coach of the year. The roster is still deficient. It is still devoid of proven players at almost every level. The improved O-line will make the offense better as a whole but the success and failure of this team will still depend on outstanding play from the QB. It's a rebuild folks.

 

Sorry, but Polian lost his touch that he had. 

[MacDee1975]

8-8 is unreasonably optimistic?  Tell that to the Vegas book makers, where millions of dollars are at stake based on what line they set.  They have the Colts win total as 7.5.

[bleevit]

I think 16-0 and 5-11 share one thing....a lack of realism. Even if Andrew doesn't make it back, Jacoby will have a camp and a year of hard experience. I think that alone would be 2 games better. The negativity belies several factors that will lead the Colts not to dump 6 second half leads like last year. Like everything else in May there is much speculation.

[deedub75]

On 5/5/2018 at 2:13 PM, 4192480 said:

8-8 is a very optimistic record we have to many question marks.

1. Andrew Lucks health.

2. No PROVEN running back.

3. Wide receivers we, only have one PROVEN receiver.

4. Tightends I think we’re fine.

5. Offensive line we only have 2 PROVEN starters and maybe starting 2 rookie guards and still don’t know who our right tackle is.

6. D- tackles don’t know who we have that are going to fit the up the field penetration scheme.  Maybe Ridgeway.

7. D- ends no PROVEN one. A lot of potential, but no standout PROVEN one.

8. Linebackers maybe starting at least 2 rookies.

9. Safety’s health concerns here.

10. Corners no standout PROVEN talent here.

 

IF everything falls into place 8-8 would be a good record.  But until then we have to many UNPROVENS.

 

I agree with you. Everything needs to fall into place. That means no injuries to any key players. We are going to be fielding a lot of rookies and that means none of them can play like rookies. Luck needs to come back 100% with no rust even though it’s May and he has yet to throw a football.  It can happen I guess. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

On 5/5/2018 at 10:20 AM, indyagent17 said:

I would sure call Geathers a thumper!

When he's on the field. Unfortunately he's often injured.

[Flash7]

Just a couple of points to mention:

 

1. What happened last year does not have much bearing on what will happen this year. Yes, the Colts gave up 6 or 7 second half leads last year. a) They played well enough to have those 1st half leads, b) it doesn't mean that with a better team this year we win those 6-7 games. We would first have to replicate those same exact circumstances.

 

2. It's possible that the roster could be improved and we end up with a worse record. There are so many variables. Other teams too are getting better, especially the teams in our division.

 

3. It's very likely that Luck returns at some point this year and has a down year. It's in fact expected after missing so much time.

 

4. The defense is still a mystery - new scheme and many new faces, and not too many game changers that we know of yet.

[TdungyW/12]

On 5/5/2018 at 8:16 AM, throwing BBZ said:

Gotta laugh
Here are the Good players that we can count on next season

TY, Castonzo, Nelson, Kelly, Doyle, Ebron, Slauson/Smith, Sheard. Woods, Autry?
 Oh ya, we have some work to do catching to the competition.
8-8 is Unreasonably Optimistic. 5-11

You forgot the guy that will get us to 11-5 or 10-6 .... he took a 3-13 team to a 11-5 team with far less then what we have now. Luck will be back and he will the same or better now that we have a decent/good line. 

 

We will go 10-6 or 11-5

[Str8himalaya]

Sometimes I feel like we as fans get a little skewed too far one way or the other. Thinking logically and critically of the situation I don't see 8-8 as unrealistic at all. A few points I'll attempt to present (most likely horribly):

 

1. We have a new coaching staff that looks MUCH better than the one we just had. That alone should get us easily an extra win or two. I'll go with 1 just for the benefit of the doubt. The scheme should greatly simplify things for the defense and diversify (although probably slightly complicate) things on offense. 

 

2. We've added some serious talent in one of our biggest weaknesses: the OL. We will have to expect a few rookie mistakes but the talent is much better at that position than it was at any point last year. That should open up running lanes for our back and keep whoever is behind center at QB (more coming later on this). Taking a WAG at it I would say we get at least 1 win out of the improved line play as well.

 

3. Everyone's favorite topic: QB. Listen, if Luck isn't Luck we all know we will struggle. HOWEVER, lets not act like Brissett is terrible. He came in with ZERO understanding of our offense and saved us from 0-16 with Tolzien at QB. Even if Brissett is behind center (and lets just assume for the pessimists here that he is) we still get at least 1 game back for his prep and a full off-season. 

 

4. Flat out luck (and not THE LUCK). We all know about the collapses we had in the 4th quarter with a roster that wasn't nearly as talented or fast as this one. Sure we have some scheme changes and will have some young players that have to step up, but you can't say that even if we didn't things wouldn't at least bounce a game back our way. Most everything regresses to the mean eventually (look at how good our record was from '12-'14 in the 4th quarter compared to last year, regardless of reason). That alone SHOULD get us 2 more wins, but for the sake of the pessimist (OP) lets just say 1 win.

 

 

These points put us from 4-12 to 8-8 and that's being relatively conservative (IMO) and not factoring in Luck playing (which I truly believe he will and do it well). I can see 8-8 as very reasonable, even probable, looking at the roster changes, the landscape of the division, and our schedule. I could easily see 10-6 honestly as well. I wouldn't be SHOCKED to see 6-10 although would be disappointed. Football is one of those games that has a few very critical plays that can sway it one way or another, the combination of our new staff, scheme, players, and hopeful health should bring back at least 4 wins.

[indyagent17]

2 hours ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

When he's on the field. Unfortunately he's often injured.

True, however he is healthy and he is a thumper