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This thread is mainly about our coaching going forward.

 

Loved our season but it seems we benefited a lot from a weak schedule. I think yesterday's game had a realistic outcome against a much better roster but what surprised me a lot after fighting against the odds all season was the effort. Horrible and that scares me a bit going forward. After AV missed the FG attempt, it was all too obvious. Autry said himself as well "We left it all in Indy". 

How can we came out so flat after a massive run like we had?

 

Reich's gameplan was awful, I mean just did not put us in a position to make a play at all,  couldn't establish the run and against Houston and Ford it was a horrible call trying to establish the run from shotgun imo. 

What do you guys think of our coaching moving forward? I think Eberflus has a good scheme but against the elite qbs zone will never work. Historically, vs PM and TB as well, it always has been pressure and man coverage. 

 

It's just a shame we ended up exiting with an embarrassing effort but was an exciting season, we got 3 picks in the top50 and cash to burn.

 

Big ups to Leonard making a play when we needed it, what a stud. 

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4 minutes ago, rayski said:

This thread is mainly about our coaching going forward.

 

Loved our season but it seems we benefited a lot from a weak schedule. I think yesterday's game had a realistic outcome against a much better roster but what surprised me a lot after fighting against the odds all season was the effort. Horrible and that scares me a bit going forward. After AV missed the FG attempt, it was all too obvious. Autry said himself as well "We left it all in Indy". 

How can we came out so flat after a massive run like we had?

 

Reich's gameplan was awful, I mean just did not put us in a position to make a play at all,  couldn't establish the run and against Houston and Ford it was a horrible call trying to establish the run from shotgun imo. 

What do you guys think of our coaching moving forward? I think Eberflus has a good scheme but against the elite qbs zone will never work. Historically, vs PM and TB as well, it always has been pressure and man coverage. 

 

It's just a shame we ended up exiting with an embarrassing effort but was an exciting season, we got 3 picks in the top50 and cash to burn.

 

Big ups to Leonard making a play when we needed it, what a stud. 

He was his usual self in the second half he missed some plays in the first half got beat a few times. Imagine this defense with more superstar talent on it next year if they just add more talent to the defense more gifted recievers to the offense sky is the limit for this team going forward sure last nights game was a big disappointment but I cant say i'm too surprised they have a lot more talented roster than we do right now and it showed.

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I understand fans being hyped after the stretch we had. But in reality except maybe the cowboys we played nobody. It gave everyone a sense we were better then what we were.  Reality after the game yesterday all the rookies and no name players caught up to us when we finally played a great team. This will be a huge learning experience moving forward.

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The roster is not yet competitive for the playoffs, and we rode Luck and an easy schedule this year.  

 

I like Reich, but I think we were a bit predictable.  Also, Luck reverted back to holding the ball and staying in the pocket too long, IMO.  I hope Reich keeps on him.

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I would not be to hard on the coaching staff, it would have been hard on most teams to go there

and play, remember we are a young team, that still needs  time, and a few more skilled players to compete with the elite teams that are going forward in the playoffs.  look at the positives that we have done since preseason this year. A lot of unknowns were addressed, and it looks very promising , what we have done this year.   

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13 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Actually I do not agree with our schedule being weak. Our Division was the best it's ever been since I can remember. Texans were 11-5, Colts 10-6, Titans 9-7, Jacks were the only bad team at 5-11 and they even had a great defense. Our Division had a combined record of 35-29 which is good. The Division games weren't gimmes like in years past. We also played the Pats, Eagles, and Cowboys outside the Division = all Playoff teams. When we played the Giants they were even playing well.

Stats showed the Colts had the easiest strength of schedule of any team in the league this season and any of the last three years for that matter. Kind of blows my mind. Poor timing to get an "easy schedule" when I was wanting to get a higher draft selection to help put the Colts over the top.

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6 minutes ago, Matthew Gilbert said:

Stats showed the Colts had the easiest strength of schedule of any team in the league this season and any of the last three years for that matter. Kind of blows my mind. Poor timing to get an "easy schedule" when I was wanting to get a higher draft selection to help put the Colts over the top.

Stats are misleading at times, playing the Texans 3 times including the Playoffs, Pats, Cowboys, Eagles, and Titans twice tells me other wise. My guess is statistically it's because we played the Jags twice who were 5-11, Jets who were 4-12, and Raiders who were 4-12. That is why it is misleading. Those teams had such poor records.

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48 minutes ago, Matthew Gilbert said:

Stats showed the Colts had the easiest strength of schedule of any team in the league this season and any of the last three years for that matter. Kind of blows my mind. Poor timing to get an "easy schedule" when I was wanting to get a higher draft selection to help put the Colts over the top.

 

Please cite said stats, are you referring to preseason SOS or an after the fact assessment? 

 

Because if it's before the fact we didn't in fact have the easiest SOS:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2018-nfl-strength-of-schedule-texans-have-it-easiest-packers-face-roughest-ride/

 

In fact are schedule before the season was as "easy" as the Pats. 

 

Besides there's arguments that SOS is not the best way to look at these things:

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-way-everybody-measures-nfl-schedule-strength-its-wrong/

 

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19 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Stats are misleading at times, playing the Texans 3 times including the Playoffs, Pats, Cowboys, Eagles, and Titans twice tells me other wise

I agree about stats being misleading at times. The Colts played some really good teams and some bad teams. 

 

12 minutes ago, SteelCityColt said:

Please cite said stats, are you referring to preseason SOS or an after the fact assessment? 

I'm working on it. It was something that popped up on one of the pre game shows yesterday and wasn't an article I read anywhere. Maybe I misunderstood them but they showed a graphic that appeared to be S.O.S. of teams entering the playoffs the last three years. 

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Reich will learn from this. A few important things happened early and got him out of rhythm.
- The drop by Ebron was huge

- KC scoring at will the first two drives was huge for his gameplan

- The KC pass rush being legit vs the Colts OL was huge

 

He will learn and be better for it. It's not like KC is going anywhere. 

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26 minutes ago, SteelCityColt said:

Please cite said stats, are you referring to preseason SOS or an after the fact assessment? 

I'm not seeing anything that backs it up. I'm thinking the graphic must have been showing teams S.O.S. entering the playoffs the last three years. Makes since, since S.O.S. is fluid and entering the playoffs, the Colts were ranked 31st. Entering this week it had jumped to 25th.

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Just now, 18to87 said:

Reich will learn from this. A few important things happened early and got him out of rhythm.
- The drop by Ebron was huge

- KC scoring at will the first two drives was huge for his gameplan

- The KC pass rush being legit vs the Colts OL was huge

 

He will learn and be better for it. It's not like KC is going anywhere. 

Agree the drops was huge but we didn't achieve a first down till what, 3rd qrt?  Sequence of plays were not good at all

 

41 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Stats are misleading at times, playing the Texans 3 times including the Playoffs, Pats, Cowboys, Eagles, and Titans twice tells me other wise. My guess is statistically it's because we played the Jags twice who were 5-11, Jets who were 4-12, and Raiders who were 4-12. That is why it is misleading. Those teams had such poor records.

It's misleading of course, but we played Eagles and Cowboys for example when they were just as bad as we were. It's like referencing us as a difficult opponent in Week 1-5 just cause we made the playoffs with a strong run later. 

 

 

I'm just surprised by how our strong TEAM effort has disappeared in this game. Overall the moment felt too big for everyone. 

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2 minutes ago, rayski said:

Agree the drops was huge but we didn't achieve a first down till what, 3rd qrt?  Sequence of plays were not good at all

 

It's misleading of course, but we played Eagles and Cowboys for example when they were just as bad as we were. It's like referencing us as a difficult opponent in Week 1-5 just cause we made the playoffs with a strong run later. 

 

 

I'm just surprised by how our strong TEAM effort has disappeared in this game. Overall the moment felt too big for everyone. 

Cowboys were on a 5 game winning streak when we played them, and then won another 3 straight after we beat them.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, rayski said:

Agree the drops was huge but we didn't achieve a first down till what, 3rd qrt?  Sequence of plays were not good at all

 

It's misleading of course, but we played Eagles and Cowboys for example when they were just as bad as we were. It's like referencing us as a difficult opponent in Week 1-5 just cause we made the playoffs with a strong run later. 

 

 

I'm just surprised by how our strong TEAM effort has disappeared in this game. Overall the moment felt too big for everyone. 

Mahomes is just as great as Luck is so we had no QB advantage in this one. Andy Reid has so much Coaching experience in big games too. Reich being a rookie Coach was out matched in this one. KC's Defense being lousy is also misleading, they led the league in Sacks. In 2009, the Saints Defense was ranked 25th for example but they won the SB over us. They were a team that could create Turnovers which doesn't show up in Points allowed and Yards given up.

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The fact that there were no passes to Hines for the second week in a row, when it was obvious the wrs couldn't get open...is inexcusable.  

 

Just terrible play calling.

 

 

The past 7 quarters they have scored what?  1 offensive touchdown and had very few drives.  I didn't see any ingenuity either.  Of course a lot of the blame I place on Luck as he has played horrible the past 7 quarters.

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1 minute ago, threeflight said:

The fact that there were no passes to Hines for the second week in a row, when it was obvious the wrs couldn't get open...is inexcusable.  

 

Just terrible play calling.

 

 

The past 7 quarters they have scored what?  1 offensive touchdown and had very few drives.  I didn't see any ingenuity either.  Of course a lot of the blame I place in Luck as he has played horrible the past 7 quarters.

I wouldn't say he has been terrible. But the playcalling has been awful for sure. 

 

I think we also have a really big need at WR. Chiefs took the Jags gameplan and put pressure on lack with man coverage. Our WR's couldn't get open for dear life. Serious issue imo. We managed to get by with FA pick ups and TY. Can't do that against serious competition imo. 

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1 hour ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Actually I do not agree with our schedule being weak. Our Division was the best it's ever been since I can remember. Texans were 11-5, Colts 10-6, Titans 9-7, Jacks were the only bad team at 5-11 and they even had a great defense. Our Division had a combined record of 35-29 which is good. The Division games weren't gimmes like in years past. We also played the Pats, Eagles, and Cowboys outside the Division = all Playoff teams. When we played the Giants they were even playing well.

Great points all 

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3 minutes ago, coltsva said:

Funny how we can win 10 out of 11 games, then lose to what is likely a Super Bowl team, and all of a sudden "we're just not that good" or "our schedule was weak" or we played lousy QB's."

 

We are good. Better than most of the teams in the league. We're just not in the top echelon of the league, which only includes 4 teams (Chiefs, Patriots, Rams, Saints).

 

We're every bit on the same level or better than the next tier of teams (Ravens, Cowboys, Texans, Eagles, Bears, Steelers, Chargers, Seahawks, Titans).

 

Are you watching the Chargers getting embarrassed by the Patriots? It happens. When a top team plays their "A" game and a 2nd tier team plays like garbage, it's s blowout.

 

We're simply not at the top level yet, but we took a giant leap towards that level this season. Another good draft, a couple key signings, and rookies with this year of experience (including coaches), and I'm confident we will be in that top echelon next season.

Beautifully put. 

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9 minutes ago, coltsva said:

Funny how we can win 10 out of 11 games, then lose to what is likely a Super Bowl team, and all of a sudden "we're just not that good" or "our schedule was weak" or we played lousy QB's."

 

We are good. Better than most of the teams in the league. We're just not in the top echelon of the league, which only includes 4 teams (Chiefs, Patriots, Rams, Saints).

 

We're every bit on the same level or better than the next tier of teams (Ravens, Cowboys, Texans, Eagles, Bears, Steelers, Chargers, Seahawks, Titans).

 

Are you watching the Chargers getting embarrassed by the Patriots? It happens. When a top team plays their "A" game and a 2nd tier team plays like garbage, it's s blowout.

 

We're simply not at the top level yet, but we took a giant leap towards that level this season. Another good draft, a couple key signings, and rookies with this year of experience (including coaches), and I'm confident we will be in that top echelon next season.

Great Post, I guess some think we should've moved up from the 32nd best team to Top 5 in one season :mindblow:

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Well, we need elite defenders if we want to go back to the playoffs next season.

A quick look at our schedule and especially our away games, looks to be against quite good opponents. 

Chiefs, Steelers, Chargers and Saints are games we could easily go 0-4 against.  

 

Home

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Miami Dolphins

 

Away

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

 

Next season we need to have a way better defence and add game wreckers to our D unit. 

Leonard can't do it all by himself and honestly I can't mention any other top defender on our team as of right now.

 

So the coming draft and free agency I hope we bring in some big time talented defensive players, and I hope we make a splash or to key free agency acquisitions, cause we have the money to do it.

 

The play calling last night was horrible.   

 

 

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7 minutes ago, ThorstenDenmark said:

Well, we need elite defenders if we want to go back to the playoffs next season.

A quick look at our schedule and especially our away games, looks to be against quite good opponents. 

Chiefs, Steelers, Chargers and Saints are games we could easily go 0-4 against.  

 

Home

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Miami Dolphins

 

Away

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

 

Next season we need to have a way better defence and add game wreckers to our D unit. 

Leonard can't do it all by himself and honestly I can't mention any other top defender on our team as of right now.

 

So the coming draft and free agency I hope we bring in some big time talented defensive players, and I hope we make a splash or to key free agency acquisitions, cause we have the money to do it.

 

The play calling last night was horrible.   

 

 

I could see us going 7-1 at home and 4-4 on the road = 11-5

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I like Reich and he is a 1st. year head coach but he is also a former QB.  What QB's like to do is throw the ball.  I think that's his first priority and probably explains why we abandon the run so fast.  Hopefully we can become more balanced next year.   BYW Trey Flowers or Dee Ford would certainly look good in a Colts uniform next year. 

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2 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Stats are misleading at times, playing the Texans 3 times including the Playoffs, Pats, Cowboys, Eagles, and Titans twice tells me other wise. My guess is statistically it's because we played the Jags twice who were 5-11, Jets who were 4-12, and Raiders who were 4-12. That is why it is misleading. Those teams had such poor records.

I disagree.   The schedule was void of many top teams in the league.   Pats, Eagles, Cowboys and Titans are tough, but not like The Saints, Chiefs, Rams, Ravens, Steelers, Bears and seahawks tough.   Also, the Colts didn't face the top 3rd of Offenses in the league.   i think we were overconfident.  

Still the season was a great one and one that was needed to set the bar for next season.  

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29 minutes ago, ThorstenDenmark said:

Well, we need elite defenders if we want to go back to the playoffs next season.

A quick look at our schedule and especially our away games, looks to be against quite good opponents. 

Chiefs, Steelers, Chargers and Saints are games we could easily go 0-4 against.  

 

Home

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Tennessee Titans

Denver Broncos

Oakland Raiders

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Miami Dolphins

 

Away

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

 

Next season we need to have a way better defence and add game wreckers to our D unit. 

Leonard can't do it all by himself and honestly I can't mention any other top defender on our team as of right now.

 

So the coming draft and free agency I hope we bring in some big time talented defensive players, and I hope we make a splash or to key free agency acquisitions, cause we have the money to do it.

 

The play calling last night was horrible.   

 

 

8-0 at home, 5-3 on the Road ... 13-3 and a first round bye. :)

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4 hours ago, rayski said:

This thread is mainly about our coaching going forward.

 

Loved our season but it seems we benefited a lot from a weak schedule. I think yesterday's game had a realistic outcome against a much better roster but what surprised me a lot after fighting against the odds all season was the effort. Horrible and that scares me a bit going forward. After AV missed the FG attempt, it was all too obvious. Autry said himself as well "We left it all in Indy". 

How can we came out so flat after a massive run like we had?

 

Reich's gameplan was awful, I mean just did not put us in a position to make a play at all,  couldn't establish the run and against Houston and Ford it was a horrible call trying to establish the run from shotgun imo. 

What do you guys think of our coaching moving forward? I think Eberflus has a good scheme but against the elite qbs zone will never work. Historically, vs PM and TB as well, it always has been pressure and man coverage. 

 

It's just a shame we ended up exiting with an embarrassing effort but was an exciting season, we got 3 picks in the top50 and cash to burn.

 

Big ups to Leonard making a play when we needed it, what a stud. 

 

It's like you don't know where game plans come from.
Any idea what the Bears play?

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Never got the love affair with Trey Flowers, he's never had more than 7.5 sacks a season. Would be a downgrade versus what we have now, not to mention costly.

 

What the team is missing it its Booger McFarland, Warren Sapp, and Simeon Rice on the DL. We're doing leaps and bounds better than the old days of Eric Foster and Keyunta Dawson at DT, but not as good as the former.

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5 minutes ago, Myles said:

I disagree.   The schedule was void of many top teams in the league.   Pats, Eagles, Cowboys and Titans are tough, but not like The Saints, Chiefs, Rams, Ravens, Steelers, Bears and seahawks tough.   Also, the Colts didn't face the top 3rd of Offenses in the league.   i think we were overconfident.  

Still the season was a great one and one that was needed to set the bar for next season.  

I just don't like when people bring up schedule is to why a team has a good record. In college it makes sense because some college teams do play a lot of weak teams. Most teams in the NFL only play maybe 2 Elite teams at most, a few good one's, a few average one's, and a few bad one's. What people say about the Colts, I could say about almost every other team. Look at the Pats schedule, who did they play? Chiefs are the only Elite team, they played us but when they did TY, Leonard, AC were all out. Their Division was awful too.

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34 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

It's like you don't know where game plans come from.
Any idea what the Bears play?

Never been following the Bears much but knowing that Nagy comes from the Andy Reid tree, I'd say some type of west coast, not sure tho who is the OC.

 

I'm aware that Reich runs a primarily shotgun based run scheme especially early game, read the pieces online, but still argue that it wasn't the right way to get started against this defense

 

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2018/8/14/17659958/frank-reichs-offense-the-2018-indianapolis-colts-balance-on-the-ground

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11 hours ago, coltsva said:

Funny how we can win 10 out of 11 games, then lose to what is likely a Super Bowl team, and all of a sudden "we're just not that good" or "our schedule was weak" or we played lousy QB's."

 

We are good. Better than most of the teams in the league. We're just not in the top echelon of the league, which only includes 4 teams (Chiefs, Patriots, Rams, Saints).

 

We're every bit on the same level or better than the next tier of teams (Ravens, Cowboys, Texans, Eagles, Bears, Steelers, Chargers, Seahawks, Titans).

 

Are you watching the Chargers getting embarrassed by the Patriots? It happens. When a top team plays their "A" game and a 2nd tier team plays like garbage, it's s blowout.

 

We're simply not at the top level yet, but we took a giant leap towards that level this season. Another good draft, a couple key signings, and rookies with this year of experience (including coaches), and I'm confident we will be in that top echelon next season.

 

I am not sure why it can’t be both. The Colts can be a good team that played a weaker schedule. 

 

That won’t be the case next season. So now thins off-season is about getting into that echelon. That KC game was a good measuring stick. 

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1 hour ago, shastamasta said:

 

I am not sure why it can’t be both. The Colts can be a good team that played a weaker schedule. 

 

That won’t be the case next season. So now thins off-season is about getting into that echelon. That KC game was a good measuring stick. 

When we go 11-5 next year if someone brings up weak schedule is why they need to be banned do you agree? On paper we have a tough schedule, does everyone agree?

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