Luck's Odds Are Stacked Against More Than Rodgers Or Steve Young

[ConBro]

I just personally feel that Aaron Rodgers and Steve Young had more talented rosters than what Luck will be walking into (barring free agency moves) as it stands now.

So I urge our fan base to be patient, give him and our GM at least 2-3 years to have that talent assembled and working before expecting us to be in the playoffs.

Thoughts???

I've thought the same thing. I feel bad for Luck, because too many people are going to be all over his back until he (hopefuly) wins a championship. He will forever be in Peyton's shadow until he does this. It is an unfair reality.

[WSO]

The 98 team that Manning inherited was much worse than the '12 team

also you guys are making way too big of assumtions. Free agency has not started neither has the draft occured. The roster could look much different when the season starts.

[No 1 Manning Fan]

And they were better quarterbacks

Well that remains to be seen. It is entirely too early to make a call on Luck. However, I don't think he is as ready as they were. They had been training with NFL QB coaches and practicing with NFL players for a few seasons. Luck is going to have to pay his dues like they did, albeit in a different way. There will be growing pains. I am prepared for another losing season and then some. I just don't see this team as a contender right now without Peyton. But, Luck looked mighty good in college and I'm willing to give him a few seasons just like I did Peyton. Mind you, I wouldn't object to him taking to the playoffs in his second season like Peyton!

[atapcl]

It's possible, but you'd have to have a **** good draft and free agency to equal the Bengals.

You are right but Ryan Grigson promised to look for a starter in every round.

[doogansquest]

People keep drawing those comparisons to suggest Luck will be great. Those were completely different circumstances, however, as those QB's had time to develop beneath a star, had great teams waiting for them when they took over, and successful coaching staffs left intact.

Luck is walking into the unknown, and the Colts will become the Lions for several years.

[Restored]

People keep drawing those comparisons to suggest Luck will be great. Those were completely different circumstances, however, as those QB's had time to develop beneath a star, had great teams waiting for them when they took over, and successful coaching staffs left intact.

Luck is walking into the unknown, and the Colts will become the Lions for several years.

I doubt this. People are sometimes blind to history and how it repeats itself. Luck is walking into a better team than Manning did. We don't have some of the super star talent that team had but we also have some good, solid players at a lot of positions with a lot less holes to fill.

[scorptile]

colts wont see playoffs for ten years. luck wont be the "guy". no defense, no offense, no special teams right now so yeah gonna take alot longer then 3 years to rebuild at least. were not getting several top quality players were getting luck *rolls eyes*. so yeah at least ten years in my opinion.

[Balzer40]

colts wont see playoffs for ten years. luck wont be the "guy". no defense, no offense, no special teams right now so yeah gonna take alot longer then 3 years to rebuild at least. were not getting several top quality players were getting luck *rolls eyes*. so yeah at least ten years in my opinion.

Thank Miss Cleo, now I know the Colts have a bright future.

[04DarkShadowGT]

The 98 team that Manning inherited was much worse than the '12 team

also you guys are making way too big of assumtions. Free agency has not started neither has the draft occured. The roster could look much different when the season starts.

I completely disagree with that.

They had Faulk in his prime, Harrison in his prime, Tarik Glenn in his primer, two good TEs in Marcus Pollard and Ken Dilger,

We have mediocre rushing attack, sub par WR right now, a bad offensive line, but do have Dallas who can be good but has been hurt a lot.

This team is not nearly as good as the team Manning came into, not close imo.

[chad72]

The 98 team that Manning inherited was much worse than the '12 team

Maybe defensively.

But offensively, we had Tarik Glenn and Adam Meadows, Marvin Harrison and Marshall Faulk, plus Marcus Pollard and Ken Dilger for the 2 TE sets that Tom Moore made famous. So, I felt offensively, Peyton walked into a better situation. But defensively, the edge rushers are better but nothing else for a huge advantage. Yes, free agency will make the difference.

[chad72]

I completely disagree with that.

They had Faulk in his prime, Harrison in his prime, Tarik Glenn in his primer, two good TEs in Marcus Pollard and Ken Dilger,

We have mediocre rushing attack, sub par WR right now, a bad offensive line, but do have Dallas who can be good but has been hurt a lot.

This team is not nearly as good as the team Manning came into, not close imo.

Agree totally.

[WSO]

I completely disagree with that.

They had Faulk in his prime, Harrison in his prime, Tarik Glenn in his primer, two good TEs in Marcus Pollard and Ken Dilger,

We have mediocre rushing attack, sub par WR right now, a bad offensive line, but do have Dallas who can be good but has been hurt a lot.

This team is not nearly as good as the team Manning came into, not close imo.

Harrison in his prime? 866 yards receiving? Marcus Pollard 10 catches 116 yards is good? Ken Dilger 380 yards receiving? If running for 1054 yards is Faulk in his prime then what is his 2400 yard from scrimmage season (1k yards rushing + receiving)? These guys were good but I wouldn't say in their prime. Our rushing attack improved and the O line has gotten better than in 2010. We have not started free agency nor the draft either.

Maybe defensively.

But offensively, we had Tarik Glenn and Adam Meadows, Marvin Harrison and Marshall Faulk, plus Marcus Pollard and Ken Dilger for the 2 TE sets that Tom Moore made famous. So, I felt offensively, Peyton walked into a better situation. But defensively, the edge rushers are better but nothing else for a huge advantage. Yes, free agency will make the difference.

See above

Faulk was really the only standout and it was far from his best season. That 1997 team was bad and Manning made them better in 1998.

[Tark The Shark]

i expect a 4-12 season out of these Colts because of a mass overhaul of key players and a philosophy change, in 2 or 3 seasons, I see us in the playoffs, kinda like when the Lions went 0-16, they draft Matthew Stafford and went 2-14 and then 6-10, and went to the playoffs this year with a GM change and a coaching change

[Tark The Shark]

You are right but Ryan Grigson promised to look for a starter in every round.

a lot of wishful thinking there, I don't mind setting the bar high, but I don't think you can find a starter in every round

[Portage Coltfans]

I just personally feel that Aaron Rodgers and Steve Young had more talented rosters than what Luck will be walking into (barring free agency moves) as it stands now.

So I urge our fan base to be patient, give him and our GM at least 2-3 years to have that talent assembled and working before expecting us to be in the playoffs.

Thoughts???

but we will have Luck...

[LightninMax]

Well, it's definitely encouraging to see how much better many feel our roster has improved since Manning's departure.

Likewise, I couldn't be more excited at the prospect of waiting 2, 3, or 4 seasons to root for the Colts in January.

When people say, "I'll give the Colts a few years", what does it mean they will do if their expectations are not met? Just curious.

[chad72]

See above

Faulk was really the only standout and it was far from his best season. That 1997 team was bad and Manning made them better in 1998.

If you felt Manning made Marvin Harrison better, the same can EASILY be extrapolated for Wayne, Garcon, Collie, Clark and every single pass catcher on the Colts roster.

The O-line framework and the go to guy, plus the TE support was much better in 1998 for Peyton to work with. Of course, he made them better, that is what a good QB does but the combo of Faulk and Harrison was hands down better than any RB/WR combo you can choose from the current players in terms of talent that the QB can make better. The TE tandem was better too in terms of blocking and catching abilities put together.

The statement was not based on purely what they did before the QB got there, it was purely based on what talent they had whose ceiling was much greater than what we have now.

Defensively, however, I do think, we might be better off, given the history and mindset of the coaches we brought in. We will see how it goes.

[atapcl]

a lot of wishful thinking there, I don't mind setting the bar high, but I don't think you can find a starter in every round

Just being facitious. We know he wont find a starter in every round but this draft is deep enough to get 4 or 5.

[WSO]

If you felt Manning made Marvin Harrison better, the same can EASILY be extrapolated for Wayne, Garcon, Collie, Clark and every single pass catcher on the Colts roster.

The O-line framework and the go to guy, plus the TE support was much better in 1998 for Peyton to work with. Of course, he made them better, that is what a good QB does but the combo of Faulk and Harrison was hands down better than any RB/WR combo you can choose from the current players in terms of talent that the QB can make better. The TE tandem was better too in terms of blocking and catching abilities put together.

The statement was not based on purely what they did before the QB got there, it was purely based on what talent they had whose ceiling was much greater than what we have now.

Defensively, however, I do think, we might be better off, given the history and mindset of the coaches we brought in. We will see how it goes.

Did Wayne and Garcon not just have nearly 1k seasons without Manning? Austin Collie just had a career high in yards and receptions? Even while injured he started the same amount of games as last year(actually 1 less). These guys matched or put up similar numbers without Manning. While Manning does make them better, there is no denying they still have a lot of talent. Now on the verge of losing Wayne and Garcon, the team still has two good running backs, an improved offensive line, multiple playmakers on defense (the 98 defense was absolutely terrible). F/A has not even started nor the draft.

I agree Faulk is better than anything we have but as an entire team, there is more talent now than there was heading into the 98 season.

[Tark The Shark]

Just being facitious. We know he wont find a starter in every round but this draft is deep enough to get 4 or 5.

Maybe in the first 3, probably back ups the rest of the draft

[chad72]

Did Wayne and Garcon not just have nearly 1k seasons without Manning? Austin Collie just had a career high in yards and receptions? Even while injured he started the same amount of games as last year(actually 1 less). These guys matched or put up similar numbers without Manning. While Manning does make them better, there is no denying they still have a lot of talent. Now on the verge of losing Wayne and Garcon, the team still has two good running backs, an improved offensive line, multiple playmakers on defense (the 98 defense was absolutely terrible). F/A has not even started nor the draft.

I agree Faulk is better than anything we have but as an entire team, there is more talent now than there was heading into the 98 season.

Glass half full vs glass half empty, that is what I see in our viewpoints. Hey, if Luck goes 3-13 or 4-12 with this "talented" team, I am sure we will be having conversations . But then we both want the Colts to win. I'd prefer to be wrong in fact on this front .

[WSO]

Glass half full vs glass half empty, that is what I see in our viewpoints . Hey, if Luck goes 3-13 or 4-12 with this "talented" team, I am sure we will be having conversations . But then we both want the Colts to win. I'd prefer to be wrong in fact on this front .

I actually think the Colts will go maybe 4-12, 5-11. I'm optimistic but realistically with a new scheme, new coaches, new QB it takes time. . .also without hitting F/A yet or the draft it's hard to tell. .and I agree with you

[schwamm]

It's also possible he ends up in a better situation than Peyton. We saw how before, the entire team was dependent on Peyton. Now that we know how dangerous a system that is, it is very possible Grigs and Pagano build up the team to have a solid running game and a solid defense as well, something Peyton didn't have very much

They can do what you suggest until Luck shows he can play at a "franchise" level, at which point he will theoretically merit an upper end contract at subsequent re-signings, and imbalance becomes the norm again. This is what happened to the Colts, and it explains why the Patriots have started looking so much more like the Colts of a few years ago.

[Portage Coltfans]

They can do what you suggest until Luck shows he can play at a "franchise" level, at which point he will theoretically merit an upper end contract at subsequent re-signings, and imbalance becomes the norm again. This is what happened to the Colts, and it explains why the Patriots have started looking so much more like the Colts of a few years ago.

vicious cycle

[04DarkShadowGT]

Harrison in his prime? 866 yards receiving? Marcus Pollard 10 catches 116 yards is good? Ken Dilger 380 yards receiving? If running for 1054 yards is Faulk in his prime then what is his 2400 yard from scrimmage season (1k yards rushing + receiving)? These guys were good but I wouldn't say in their prime. Our rushing attack improved and the O line has gotten better than in 2010. We have not started free agency nor the draft either.

If you wouldnt take Marshall Faulk, Marvin Harrison, those two tight ends, that offensive line over Austin Collie, Joseph Addai, Clark, and our offensive line you are not really very good at judging talent.

[WSO]

If you wouldnt take Marshall Faulk, Marvin Harrison, those two tight ends, that offensive line over Austin Collie, Joseph Addai, Clark, and our offensive line you are not really very good at judging talent.

Uh I wasn't aware that only the offense composed an entire team. I can do the same thing defensively but my point stands. Also you're assumption is in hindsight, Faulk was the only one of that group regarded as good.