Jump to content
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts Fan Forum

Poll - Colts Schedule (pre-draft)


EastStreet

Poll - Colts Schedule (pre-draft)  

97 members have voted

  1. 1. How many regular season games will the Colts win?

  2. 2. What team is most likely to beat the Colts?

  3. 3. How "fair" do you think the 2019 schedule is?

    • Very fair
    • About normal
    • Not fair at all
    • Fair is where you get cotton candy, don't whine, just win.


Recommended Posts

I said 10 wins, Chiefs, and don't whine, just win. I would possibly change 2 of those answers now though.

 

Usually I always choose a 3-3 division record for my initial schedule predicting, simply because it's hard, but if I really were to give an honest guess, I'd say we go 4-2 on division games. That would bump up the record to 11 wins. 

 

And then I also said Chiefs, but I forgot that Justin Houston and Dee Ford left. Sure, they got the Honey Badger, but I still think that it should be the Saints instead of the Chiefs. 

 

The reason I said don't whine, just win, is because our schedule isn't terrible. Yes, it has quirks and downsides, but few schedules don't. I think we have reached that level of greatness as a team to where we can put up a fight and win, regardless of who the opponent is. Yes, schedule affects things, to an extent, but regardless we should have a positive record and make the playoffs, and we are good enough to where we can do that even with a tough schedule

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want to smear the Steelers. Those have been some of the ugliest losses over the years. I want Ben to have nightmares of Leonard until he retires and AL needs to get over that hump.

 

I chose 12 wins, loss to the Saints, and normal schedule. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, CamMo said:

I want to smear the Steelers. Those have been some of the ugliest losses over the years. I want Ben to have nightmares of Leonard until he retires and AL needs to get over that hump.

 

I chose 12 wins, loss to the Saints, and normal schedule. 

We will smash them.  They don't stand a chance without bell. With our defense Ben loves to air it out and we love to stop the deep balls.  And with out brown juju will be shut down! We got this one in the bag!! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some tough games in there.

I expect (hope) we will be 10-6 or 11-5 at the end of the regular season.  A strong and competitive division along with Pitt, NO, SD, Atlanta and KC (all on the road) , will probably yield 5 or 6 losses.  We are still building this defense after all.  I just dont think we are deep enough talent-wise to go head to head with the top teams.............YET. Maybe this draft will close the gap more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

You should do some research on how the schedule is made.

 

The opponents are predetermined, every team gets 8 home and 8 away, and there are 32+ (international included) venue schedules to consider.

 

There are only about 10 viable options for a workable schedule for all 32 teams and their respective venues.  There's really not as much opportunity for manipulation of the schedule as you might think.

I am quite aware of how the teams and locations are chosen.  BUT.. they have complete control over which games are National games, Monday Night, Sunday Night or Thursday Night.  In all 4 cases, we are the AWAY team.  That wasn't necessary. but they did it and it was predictable (in fact I DID predict exactly this type of thing on an earlier post here where someone posted a guess at our schedule and I said it would be typical for us to get hosed (based on his guess of how our schedule would go) in that way.  And sure enough, WE DID. 

 

 There is ZERO reason we had to have all 4 national games on AWAY schedule.  Thursday night could easily have been one of our divisional home games, but predictably, they picked our away game.   And anyone who things they don't fudge games around on those National spots is fooling themselves... the order of games, the weeks of the byes and the National spots are all ways they manipulate the schedules to achieve financial goals they have.  It is naive to think otherwise. 

 

My argument has nothing to do with the mandatory system that determined who we would play and which games would be home and away.  The ONLY thing that is unknown in any future season (until they make changes in how they rotate divisions) is where teams finish the season.  So only 2 games NEXT year are unknown at this time on each teams schedule but that doesn't change the huge exponentially higher number of possibilities.  10 viable options for variation? Is that what you are saying?  There are an exponential number of variables in how the schedule is set up.  Every team could be on a bye across all the possible weeks.  Every team could play their pre determined schedule in any given order, ,matching the teams they play that week.  So all 17 weeks for the Colts are open for any combination. 

 

The only thing that has to happen for any combination is the teams they play obviously have to ALSO play the Colts those weeks.  But the combinations of those game orders are exponentially higher than 10.  Add many zeros to that.  Then once a schedule IS set, they pick and choose which games are played on which days of the week.  Only two games are locked at that point and that is Dallas and Detroit will be hosting on Thanksgiving.  (Why this doesn't change is another question since they break with tradition in so many ways all the time like who is starting off the season this year).   

 

They have so much control over how teams schedules are set up.  They can easily favor teams if they want to, though I am not suggesting they are trying to fix the playoffs, I am suggesting they are trying to maximize financial benefit even if it screws one team and helps another.   Only 10 viable options? Don't be naive.   

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, JPFolks said:

Only 10 viable options? Don't be naive.

 

Ok, don't call the messenger naive.  That came straight from NFL Network that there are like 100,000 possible schedule combinations, but only around 10 can actually work in the real world.

 

Just try to think one example through.  Which game would you most like to change from away to home?  Let's say the KC game since we had to go to Arrowhead for the playoff game.  Only seems fair that they come to Indy for our primetime game, right?

 

You switch that from away to home, now there is an imbalance for both teams - the Colts have 9-home and 7-away, while KC has 7-home and 9-away, so now a game on each schedule needs to be flipped.  Once flipped, that leads to two more teams that now have a home/away imbalance, and two more games need to be flipped, and then two more, then two more, until all 32 teams are back to the 8-and-8 balance.


But all it takes is one scheduling conflict at one venue that already has a concert, or monster truck rally, or soccer game, or some other event scheduled for that day.  Then that particular game can't be flipped, so the other 15 games can't be flipped, and the Colts and their fans just have to deal with going to Arrowhead again.

 

And that's not considering the two New York teams sharing a stadium, or the international games that probably throw a considerable wrench in schedule-making.

 

11 hours ago, JPFolks said:

Every team could play their pre determined schedule in any given order, ,matching the teams they play that week.  So all 17 weeks for the Colts are open for any combination.

 

It's just not that simple.  And the bottom line is that no team and their fans are 100% happy with their schedule.  There are things to nitpick about every teams' schedule.  It's like a good court settlement where neither side is really happy about the outcome, but it could have been a lot worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

Ok, don't call the messenger naive.  That came straight from NFL Network that there are like 100,000 possible schedule combinations, but only around 10 can actually work in the real world.

Well, thanks for acknowledging that you buried the lead.  I actually believe a couple thing, feel free to prove me wrong, I won't mind.  One, I believe that talking heads on TV, especially when talking about an entity that makes their careers even possible (NFL) will often either commit "not true" blatantly, or will fudge information into the most favorable possible representation.  I could list dozens or even hundreds of examples of outright LIES made by people in the media, and that includes the sports media.  Not simply wrong opinions, but easily disprovable lies.  I won't because this site (thankfully) doesn't allow that sort of thing, but an honest thinker knows it is true, or could easily look for themselves to check.  

 

Secondly, I believe to understand anything in the world, the easiest pathway to truth is to follow the money.   You think the options are limited to 10  because someone told you, but did you do the math? No.  I've seen the math done and the possibilities of 32 teams playing 16 games in 17 weeks where you must only include the following rules: A 50% home schedule for most teams. The exceptions being out of country games that unfairly count as home games for one of the teams, but of course they rarely let you know that financially (re: follow the money) the home team makes a LOT more money by giving up that home game.  Additionally, only two teams are locked into specific home games, the week of Thanksgiving.  The Cowboys and Lions.  (Though to be clear, this could randomly change any time, just like they changed the "tradition" of the first game of the season being the past Super Bowl Champion, though it didn't affect the home/away configuration).   In all other circumstances, you can make the home and away games whenever you want.  The only additional factor is every team gets a week off between two set points in the season.  Not a big deal really since each time you give a team a bye, it forces a corresponding team to also take a bye so it isn't as though there can be even/odd numbers on a given week like they briefly had during expansion which I believe ushered in the bye weeks).   

 

The additional factor you may want to interject is the divisional requirements and the pre-determined NFL teams you must play.  It doesn't change anything.  

 

So, if you accept what you hear from a talking head may be accidentally or intentionally inaccurate to support a narrative and that if you want to know the truth you need to follow the money, that allows you to discover that your quote of 10 options was naive and even the number of 100,000 I is woefully LESS than the actual mathematical number.  

 

Don't believe or think I am making it up?  What if I told you the number of schedule possibilities for a given team is 60 TRILLION... yes, I said TRILLION.   What if I told you the number of possibilities for the entire leagues schedule is a number simply too large to comprehend.  

 

Would that perhaps make you back off you claims of NOT being naive?  Yeah, I didn't think so.  So I looked it up so that someone else would tell you other than me.  

------------------------------------------------

"'Factoring in days of the week and opponents, the Vikings alone have about 60 trillion different possible schedule combinations." For the entire league? “There are more combinations than the number of atoms in the universe,” Karwan said.

 

He was dead serious.'" -Mark Karwan

 

Karwan, a professor of operations research at the University of Buffalo, is part of a team of researchers that has partnered with the NFL in an attempt to make the league schedule as fair as possible for every team.

-----------------------------------------------------

Still don't believe me?  (perhaps you're THAT stubborn...) Here's the link to the entire article, but there are plenty more.  

 

http://m.startribune.com/inside-the-journey-from-60-trillion-possibilities-to-one-vikings-schedule/508765572/

 

 

By the way, they haven't started suggesting fairer schedules yet, they are just taking in info at this stage.  

 

If you still think the argument that there are 10 options out of 100,000 possibilities isn't naive, then I can't help you.  

 

On a side note:

 

I do think there are fairer schedules.  One would be BYE weeks.   Having an early BYE week is unfair.  Week 4 is laughable, but Week 6 where the Colts are is also unfair.  Teams we compete with for the division title have much much later BYES putting us at a CLEAR disadvantage to get healthy going into the playoffs.  THAT is a CHOICE made by the NFL.  Additionally, putting our toughest road games of the season all on PRIME TIME where home teams have an even greater advantage (and a more stressful travel schedule for the away team) is totally unfair.   We have 4 national games, all are AWAY.  THAT is a choice made by the NFL.   The worst of all, we have 3 critical late division games in a row with an AWAY Thursday night game against our rival of last year right in the middle.  Are all the teams in our division ALSO at that disadvantage?  Nope.  No others are.  So after a bruising game with Jacksonville, we have to turn around and travel to Houston on 3 days broken rest (due to travel) to play perhaps the biggest single game of the season for the Colts.  THAT is a CHOICE made by the NFL.   

 

My solutions: Simple.  Divisional teams should ALL have the same BYE week.  ALL Byes should be week 9, 10, 11, 12 and it should be based on how far the top teams (with tie breakers) got in the playoffs.  That would leave plenty of good games during the Bye Weeks, (75% of teams).  It would basically be a half way rest mark like other leagues take and be far more fair to ALL teams regardless of circumstances.   

 

I would ALSO make sure the home team prior to a Thursday night game must play AWAY the previous Sunday and the AWAY team must play at HOME.  That way each team has a travel day affecting the 3 day layoff, either leaving for home on Sunday or traveling to the game.  

 

I could offer up a lot more as could ALL of you and ALL your suggestions would likely be better than what we have now.  I've heard people suggest that BYE weeks be across 2 weeks and also BYE weeks go in draft order based on scheduled finished (not picks obviously) the previous year so the better you play, you are rewarded by a later BYE.  Since you get hosed on Drafting, you should gain this one benefit by playing well.  That's not a bad idea, but I prefer to bunch them up when it matters, near mid season when teams really need a vacation to heal.  This acts as a near mid season break like all other leagues.   I also think Division games should NOT be on Thursday night because there is such a clear disadvantage to the away team regardless.  I think if they were smart like these guys above who are going to work on it, they would also break up the stretches of road away games that tend to be unfair.  2 in a row is one thing, 3 or more is too much.  

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@JPFolks  I'm not calling you names or using unnecessary capitalization.  I'm trying not to be a jerk by calling you things like naive and stubborn, or going off on a tangent about believing what a talking head or an internet article tells you.  I'd appreciate the same treatment.

 

I'm not arguing the math about how many different possible schedules could be made hypothetically.  I'm not suggesting an overhaul to how the schedule is made with alterations to bye-weeks or anything to try and make it more fair for all 32 teams.  That's a whole other discussion.

 

I'm just talking about real-world application of the current schedule format.  Karwan discusses real-world application in this article from ESPN (which I think is where the Star Tribune got the idea for their article and so they called Karwan about it):

 

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26523224/how-mathematicians-trying-make-nfl-schedules-fairer

 

Quote

The first step is based in both math and reality. Before creating the schedule, the NFL identifies a small number of games -- usually between 40 and 50 -- to lock in. The league refers to this as "seeding." It helps accommodate expectations from television partners for key games in certain time slots, as well as about 200 annual requests from owners who prefer their stadiums not be used in a given week because of concerts, baseball games, marathons and other potential complications.

 

That step is also crucial for the math, however. Establishing one game -- which also means assigning a week, a time slot, a network and a stadium -- eliminates many multiples of schedule possibilities.

 

"Without it," Karwan said, "there are too many possibilities for any computer you would have. It would never solve."

 

It doesn't matter how many possible schedule combinations could hypothetically exist.  It matters how many could actually be made to work in the real world.  There are other things going on every weekend in the fall in all of these cities that can't be rescheduled for an NFL game.

 

And yes, following the money is part of why so many possible schedules get thrown out the window.  The NFL and the TV networks want the "best" games in the prime spots to maximize views and income, which narrows down possible workable schedules a lot.  They are going to start with the "best" game of each week, set that in stone, and work their way down from there to create the rest of the schedule each week.  Like it or not, certain teams/matchups are going to get priority treatment when making the schedule.

 

I'm not an expert on this, and neither are you.  You're expressing an opinion that the Colts always get "hosed" in primetime-game scheduling, and I'm just telling you what little I know.  It's incredibly complicated to adjust the entire schedule just to switch one game to make one fan base happy, and the Colts just aren't enough of a "priority" team at the moment like we were in the Manning era to justify a change like that.  It is what it is.

 

7 hours ago, JPFolks said:

We have 4 national games, all are AWAY.  THAT is a choice made by the NFL.

 

I see the Chiefs, Texans, and Saints primetime games.  What is the 4th?

 

(Please don't call me naive and stubborn, or use unnecessary capitalization if you respond to this, thanks.)

 

:hat:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I voted that we win 10 games. and the likely loss being @ KC..... I think we lose to LAC, KC, NOLA, Pittsburgh, @ Tennessee, AND a team everyone would expect the colts to win. Maybe Denver or one against JAX. 

 

10-6 overall and 4-2 in the division with losses at TN and at JAX (I don't think we will be playing for anything the final game of the season and Reich rests his starters) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@JPFolks  I was wrong about 100,000.  I was going from memory after watching the schedule release on NFL Network.  (honest mistake)

 

It was 500,000 schedules produced (I assume by the computers, using certain parameters), 5,000 deemed "legit", 500 seriously considered, and 13 deemed "usable".  Here's the video:

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-schedule-release/0ap3000001026898/2019-NFL-schedule-by-the-numbers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

@JPFolks  I'm not calling you names or using unnecessary capitalization.  I'm trying not to be a jerk by calling you things like naive and stubborn, or going off on a tangent about believing what a talking head or an internet article tells you.  I'd appreciate the same treatment.

 

I'm not arguing the math about how many different possible schedules could be made hypothetically.  I'm not suggesting an overhaul to how the schedule is made with alterations to bye-weeks or anything to try and make it more fair for all 32 teams.  That's a whole other discussion.

 

I'm just talking about real-world application of the current schedule format.  Karwan discusses real-world application in this article from ESPN (which I think is where the Star Tribune got the idea for their article and so they called Karwan about it):

 

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/26523224/how-mathematicians-trying-make-nfl-schedules-fairer

 

 

It doesn't matter how many possible schedule combinations could hypothetically exist.  It matters how many could actually be made to work in the real world.  There are other things going on every weekend in the fall in all of these cities that can't be rescheduled for an NFL game.

 

And yes, following the money is part of why so many possible schedules get thrown out the window.  The NFL and the TV networks want the "best" games in the prime spots to maximize views and income, which narrows down possible workable schedules a lot.  They are going to start with the "best" game of each week, set that in stone, and work their way down from there to create the rest of the schedule each week.  Like it or not, certain teams/matchups are going to get priority treatment when making the schedule.

 

I'm not an expert on this, and neither are you.  You're expressing an opinion that the Colts always get "hosed" in primetime-game scheduling, and I'm just telling you what little I know.  It's incredibly complicated to adjust the entire schedule just to switch one game to make one fan base happy, and the Colts just aren't enough of a "priority" team at the moment like we were in the Manning era to justify a change like that.  It is what it is.

 

 

I see the Chiefs, Texans, and Saints primetime games.  What is the 4th?

 

(Please don't call me naive and stubborn, or use unnecessary capitalization if you respond to this, thanks.)

 

:hat:

You continued and continued to say something that was factually untrue by a magnitude of trillions.  That's significantly misleading and posting it (and defending it) was either dishonest on your part or naive on your part.  I chose the less offensive option.   Those numbers were given to you by the media but they were false.  I can't believe you thought it was accurate, or that you keep arguing a lost point.  It was not true.  Basically it was people too lazy to do a quick google search to get an answer.  

 

We have a National game on CBS against the Chargers week one that is also away.  I have used the word "National" games throughout, not Primetime games.  It is the National game that day, the first game of the season, so the Colts are at a disadvantage in every known National game this year.  The Primetime Night games are also all away. 

 

The last time the Colts had a home Sunday or Monday night football game? 2015.   Random scheduling would not likely come up with all our games on Sunday/Monday night being away since then.  It's intentional scheduling.  It's about money, damn the fairness.  It's also a big disadvantage to have such an early Bye week when our divisional opponents are late in the season.   That is intentional.  ALL the scheduling is intentional, even your quotes mention all the owner requests etc.  I am confident the Colts owner did not say "please have all our national games away so we are at a disadvantage and our city and stadium isn't featured on the national coverage!"  It costs our city and team money and prestige by being away.  Not money shots of the city lit up at night or the stadium roof open etc.  No talks about the meals at St. Elmo's and the other common banter that happens when you host a home National game.  Further, if we lose those games (and it's a big disadvantage having to travel and play an away Sunday or Monday or Thursday game and being the underdog on our high profile week one National game with the Chargers).  

 

And my overall point was and is that the Colts get hosed... often!   Let's not lose that.  

 

So I thought I would check to see if my suspicions were unreasonable.  As it turns out, it is EVEN WORSE (yes, I use capital letters when I please thank you) Look at HOW UNFAIR the NFL schedule makers have been to the Colts on Thursday night games going back to the very first year: 

 

Colts Thursday Night Games Since The Start: 

2007  At Falcons
2008  At Jaguars
2009  At Jaguars
2010  At Titans
2011  Texans (Manning out)
2012  At Jaguars
2013  At Titans
2014  At Texans
2015  At Texans
2016  Steelers (Luck Out)
2017  Broncos (Luck Out)
2018  At Patriots
2019  At Texans

 

Out of 13 Thursday night games, we were the away team 10 times.  TEN TIMES.  Exactly how is that fair?  It isn't.  It is getting hosed regularly by the NFL.  ON PURPOSE.  Short weeks, hurt players, away game travel, lopsided unfairness at the Colt's expense.  To make it worse, of the 9 divisional Thursday night games, 8 were away (89%).  That's a double hosing just like it is this year.  That could easily turn out to be the most important game of our season.  No matter what it will factor in significantly on potential playoff scenarios. And since this goes back into the "Manning" era, it also disproves your theory that we are getting worse treatment now that we apparently aren't any good? (Or whatever it was you were trying to say above). 

 

As an aside I thought it was interesting (and admittedly coincidental in this case) that our only 3 home games came when our starting QB's were out.  10 of 13 away games is not a coincidence however. 

 

The only other possible National games (4PM window games) as currently scheduled are against Denver and Miami both at home.  Those teams are expected to be down this year making a National broadcast unlikely.  As the quote above states, computers can't even deal with the endless possibilities.  So humans made decisions and the Colts got hosed... again.  I predicted it BEFORE the schedule came out, and the prediction happened to be correct.  It's not a new phenomenon so the prediction was no great thing.  I guess it wasn't so much a prediction, but rather it was predictable.   Had we been the host of the Thursday night game at least (it isn't like we're not overdue), then I'd be fine with it.  There is no reason they could not have manually given us a home game on Thursday, just as they manually gave us the game away for the 10th of 13 possible schedules.  Is it fair? Nearly 77% of our Thursday games have been away.  

 

So back to your earlier posts.  The bottom line is you posted statements that were obviously untrue.  My using the word naive took all malice away from your intentions and actions because we all get stuff wrong even really silly stuff.  It was being polite on my part.  If naive was the wrong word, what were the right words? Intentionally Dishonest?  Naive is an escape hatch from dishonest. 

 

I am sincerely sorry if the word "naive" hurt you so deeply.  I realize that some people's feeling are quite easily hurt.  But what is the saying? Facts don't care about your feelings and the facts are on my side. Many trillions of options for one team's schedule even with conflicts for venue usage;  not 100,000 and most certainly not 10.    

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

@JPFolks  I was wrong about 100,000.  I was going from memory after watching the schedule release on NFL Network.  (honest mistake)

 

It was 500,000 schedules produced (I assume by the computers, using certain parameters), 5,000 deemed "legit", 500 seriously considered, and 13 deemed "usable".  Here's the video:

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-schedule-release/0ap3000001026898/2019-NFL-schedule-by-the-numbers

Well, I appreciate you straightening out the information.  That still isn't the number of possible schedules, it's just the number they created based on the financial needs mixed with the venue availability issues and other stuff.   There are some horrendous schedules for certain teams out there.  Whatever human intervention took place, they clearly didn't care about screwing teams.  Oakland and Tampa got it the worst and it was needless.  But money is all that matters, not the health of the players or fairness of competition.  That much is clear.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, JPFolks said:

But money is all that matters

 

I mean... it is a BUSINESS.  haha  And they've introduced parity at almost every juncture.  Even to parts of the schedule-making.

 

Quote

In developing the schedule, NFL assigns "penalty points" to outcomes such as three-game road trips, games between teams with disparate rest, and road trips following a Monday night road game.

 

The fact of the matter is that Indy is a small market.  If they're choosing between playing a game in Indy or LA, guess which city is getting the nod?  Is it fair?  Is it fair that your older brother is bigger than you?  You can claim we're getting "hosed", but we're LUCKY to have an NFL team.

 

The reason Mark Karwan even got into this in the first place was because the Bills (another small market) felt they were being "hosed" by the schedule-makers because they had to face teams coming off a bye or Thursday night game twice as often as any other team.

 

Did you read that whole article I posted?  Karwan said the problems of trying to make a disparity-free schedule is "by far the hardest any of us have ever seen" in 46 years in his field.  You should DEFINITELY read the last paragraph of the article and take it to heart.

 

Quote

If you're motivated enough, you will never fail to identify slights against your team -- real or perceived -- when the NFL schedule is released. But in the coming years, you might have to work a little harder to find them.

 

Every younger brother eventually grows up to be as big as the older brother, and with a chip on their shoulder.  Just look at the story of Quenton Nelson, a classic younger brother.

 

You can whine about the schedule if you want to, that's your prerogative.  If I could offer some advice (some cheese with your whine :D):  Don't be the mommas boy that runs to mom and cries every time you don't get your way.  Be a BigQ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

I mean... it is a BUSINESS.  haha  And they've introduced parity at almost every juncture.  Even to parts of the schedule-making.

 

 

The fact of the matter is that Indy is a small market.  If they're choosing between playing a game in Indy or LA, guess which city is getting the nod?  Is it fair?  Is it fair that your older brother is bigger than you?  You can claim we're getting "hosed", but we're LUCKY to have an NFL team.

 

The reason Mark Karwan even got into this in the first place was because the Bills (another small market) felt they were being "hosed" by the schedule-makers because they had to face teams coming off a bye or Thursday night game twice as often as any other team.

 

Did you read that whole article I posted?  Karwan said the problems of trying to make a disparity-free schedule is "by far the hardest any of us have ever seen" in 46 years in his field.  You should DEFINITELY read the last paragraph of the article and take it to heart.

 

 

Every younger brother eventually grows up to be as big as the older brother, and with a chip on their shoulder.  Just look at the story of Quenton Nelson, a classic younger brother.

 

You can whine about the schedule if you want to, that's your prerogative.  If I could offer some advice (some cheese with your whine :D):  Don't be the mommas boy that runs to mom and cries every time you don't get your way.  Be a BigQ.

 

So you are FINE WITH THE NFL CHEATING TEAMS based on nothing more than the size of the market?  Those are your words in bold above, not mine or a source you "misquoted."  You wrap it up by saying "we're LUCKY to have an NFL team."  Really?  So a small market should shut up if your team is treated unfairly right out in the open because you have a "small market" and you should just be grateful for having a team in the first place? That is what you said above. 

 

That line of thinking crosses past naive into full blown *ic.  A form of results fixing is just fine with you because large markets should be given the advantage, and shut up and take your table scraps little market people?  Do you realize that, aside from it being illegal to fix results based on market size, you are offering up a NFL CHEATS conspiracy theory.  If your theory is true, Green Bay would never have a fair schedule nor would they host PRIME TIME GAMES.  And even if that were true, they should be fine with it because they are a small market and they are lucky to have an NFL franchise.  A "theory" is far different than posting actual facts and pointing out unfairness.  

 

One season with a horrendous unfair schedule like what Tampa or Oakland have this year is evidence that the NFL doesn't care about players health (the toll it takes on players to be on the road that many weeks in a row) or fairness (the obvious disadvantage a team has when an unbalanced and uncommonly difficult schedule is given) across all schedules for all teams.  13 years of factual proof of unfairness indicates a bias against one particular team.  I sampled other teams and could not find a worse imbalance on Thursday night home/away.  I couldn't even find a comparable one, but I am willing to look at any you can produce and include them in the unfairness of it all.  

 

But, you are right about one thing.  What you said earlier was not naive, it is something far, far worse than that.  It was posting a LIE and claiming it is fact and is a direct quote by someone to try and prove your (false) point.  After being caught and proven wrong, you kept the argument going on a falsehood, like what a TROLL does, pushing an obvious lie.  Then, when you had no where else to go, you ADMITTED it was an untruth in the first place to try and save face.  Then you resort to lame personal attacks refuting your own lame whining from earlier over the word "naive" which you went ON AND ON about.  (Even laughably forbidding me to use it again or to capitalize words).   And to prove you are a hypocrite on top of it all, you use weak personal attacks in your latest post proving your view that it is "wrong for thee but not for me" hypocrisy.  

 

The other bolds: 

 

Did I read an article you posted?  No.  Why bother, I read what you posted.  It's up to you to include what is important if you want to support your point.  You finally admitted to being wrong which might have been enough if you hadn't kept going with the post above.   Switching your argument to suggesting it is okay to cheat a small market because they should be happy to even have a team isn't naive, it is ignorant and other things I can't say on this forum.  

 

Whining about the schedule? I offered up factual examples of a clearly unfair Thursday night schedule for the entire history of Thursday Night Football.  If you can't take the facts, it sounds like you're whining.  Offer up some facts to support your viewpoints, not lies about what someone else said or insults when you've lost the argument.  That is what got you into all of this to start with.   

 

Oh, and "momma's boy?"  Aside from hypocrisy, let's examine that.  Do you know anything about my family? No, of course you don't.  You have no factual information about my family or my mother specifically.  Yet you make a comment about something of which you know zero.  That seems like a pattern.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All too early predictions.

 

Week 1 @ Chargers. L probably not to worst time to play them though. 0-1

Week 2 @ Titans. W until these cats beat Luck, this is always a W, 1-1

Week 3 Falcons. W they'll improve, so will we. 2-1

Week 4 Raiders. W they picked up some players, still better than them. 3-1

Week 5 @ Chiefs L i think we can win this, but they torched us in the playoffs. 3-2

BYE

Week 6 Texans L expecting a split with Houston. 3-3

Week 7 Broncos W back on the winners list. 4-3

Week 8 @ Steelers L toughest game to pick on the schedule... they've been a bogey team for the Colts. 4-4

Week 9 Dolphins W any team with playoff ambitions should be beating Miami. 5-4

Week 10 Jaguars W they'll improve but I expect to sweep them this year. 6-4

Week 11 @ Texans W the Colts love NRG Stadium. 7-4

Week 12 Titans W see week. I'd still pick us at home to beat them. 8-4

Week 13 @ Buccaneers W i think the Buccs will improve, could be a real trap game. 9-4

Week 14 @ Saints L winning run comes to a halt... the Saints will be a tough task away. 9-5

Week 15 Panthers W possible trap game... no idea what's going on with Cam. The Colts who win at home. 10-5

Week 16 @ Jaguars W we could be playing for a bye, they could be playing for a wildcard imo. I'm still backing the sweep here. 11-5

 

So 11-5 for the Colts and the division title, possible first week bye chance though it will be close with the Pats and Chargers/Chiefs.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Maniac said:

All too early predictions.

 

Week 1 @ Chargers. L probably not to worst time to play them though. 0-1

Week 2 @ Titans. W until these cats beat Luck, this is always a W, 1-1

Week 3 Falcons. W they'll improve, so will we. 2-1

Week 4 Raiders. W they picked up some players, still better than them. 3-1

Week 5 @ Chiefs L i think we can win this, but they torched us in the playoffs. 3-2

BYE

Week 6 Texans L expecting a split with Houston. 3-3

Week 7 Broncos W back on the winners list. 4-3

Week 8 @ Steelers L toughest game to pick on the schedule... they've been a bogey team for the Colts. 4-4

Week 9 Dolphins W any team with playoff ambitions should be beating Miami. 5-4

Week 10 Jaguars W they'll improve but I expect to sweep them this year. 6-4

Week 11 @ Texans W the Colts love NRG Stadium. 7-4

Week 12 Titans W see week. I'd still pick us at home to beat them. 8-4

Week 13 @ Buccaneers W i think the Buccs will improve, could be a real trap game. 9-4

Week 14 @ Saints L winning run comes to a halt... the Saints will be a tough task away. 9-5

Week 15 Panthers W possible trap game... no idea what's going on with Cam. The Colts who win at home. 10-5

Week 16 @ Jaguars W we could be playing for a bye, they could be playing for a wildcard imo. I'm still backing the sweep here. 11-5

 

So 11-5 for the Colts and the division title, possible first week bye chance though it will be close with the Pats and Chargers/Chiefs.

Pretty reasonable, I also have us 11-5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@JPFolks  Boy did I get under your skin...

 

bachelor in paradise coffee GIF

 

I didn't lie about anything, I was mistaken about a number I saw on TV and admitted to my mistake when I went back and found it.  It wasn't a purposeful untruth by a troll, if it was, I would have kept beating that dead horse.

 

I thought I started out pretty respectfully, but I admit I sunk to your level of unnecessary capitalization and name-calling when you doubled down and kept it up.  Sorry for the mommas-boy cry-baby jabs.  Even though you just upped the stakes by calling me a troll, *ic, and ignorant, I'd like to get back to a place of mutual respect if possible.  :shake:

 

Nobody else is going to the lengths you are to try and claim the Colts got "hosed" with our schedule.  "Not fair at all" got the least amount of votes in the poll, and you voted for the same option as me:  "Fair is where you get cotton candy, don't whine, just win."  I'm wondering why you're whining about the schedule considering your vote.  :scratch:  (Also curious about which teams you think got the most favorable schedule)

 

And as far as the Colts schedule, I actually relish a challenge.  I wish we had to go to NE too, and play the Rams in LA while we're at it.  The more difficult the challenge, the sweeter the reward.  :thmup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@JPFolks  For what it's worth, I think our schedule will become more fair in future seasons.  I think Karwan and his team will be a part of making every teams' schedule more fair.

 

But I think the Colts are going to keep improving and force the hand of the NFL when it comes to scheduling primetime games.  We're obviously not there yet, but we could get to the level of Pittsburgh, NE, Dallas, Green Bay, etc. when it comes to prestige regardless of market size.

 

I'm an optimist, but once Brady retires, I could see Luck/Mahomes becoming the new Manning/Brady, even Luck becoming the face of the NFL like Manning was, and the Colts getting a lot more home primetime games.  :goodluck:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/22/2019 at 10:50 AM, Lucky Colts Fan said:

@JPFolks  Boy did I get under your skin...

 

bachelor in paradise coffee GIF

 

I didn't lie about anything, I was mistaken about a number I saw on TV and admitted to my mistake when I went back and found it.  It wasn't a purposeful untruth by a troll, if it was, I would have kept beating that dead horse.

 

I thought I started out pretty respectfully, but I admit I sunk to your level of unnecessary capitalization and name-calling when you doubled down and kept it up.  Sorry for the mommas-boy cry-baby jabs.  Even though you just upped the stakes by calling me a troll, *ic, and ignorant, I'd like to get back to a place of mutual respect if possible.  :shake:

 

Nobody else is going to the lengths you are to try and claim the Colts got "hosed" with our schedule.  "Not fair at all" got the least amount of votes in the poll, and you voted for the same option as me:  "Fair is where you get cotton candy, don't whine, just win."  I'm wondering why you're whining about the schedule considering your vote.  :scratch:  (Also curious about which teams you think got the most favorable schedule)

 

And as far as the Colts schedule, I actually relish a challenge.  I wish we had to go to NE too, and play the Rams in LA while we're at it.  The more difficult the challenge, the sweeter the reward.  :thmup:

You didn't immediately correct the lies you posted.  I immediately questioned them and you continued in your next post to continue the lies.  It is one thing to shoot from the hip and be mistaken.  It is one thing to Quote something accurately that turns out to be wrong.  You did the worst of two worlds, you posted false information and attributed it to a legitimate source and didn't even bother to look it up before you posted or after you were called out on it until much later. 

 

On the other hand, I said it was predictable the Colts would get hosed on their schedule before it came out and I was right.  Additionally, I provided FACTS about the Thursday night games throughout history where the Colts have been put at a tremendous disadvantage.  Additionally, if 10 of 13 away games weren't bad enough, they ALSO gave us mostly divisional away games on Thursdays.  The win/loss records show the home team wins 63% of the time since Thursday night football began.  But more than just the win and loss, the danger to players is worse for the away team who must add a travel day into an already limited week to recover.  And amazingly they did it in between two MORE divisional games which is make or break time for the season.  That is already unfair and when it is as lopsided against the Colts as it is, there's really no way to claim it was random and not intentional.  This year is particularly bad for the Colts since that might be the key game coming down the stretch if they still need to make the playoffs.     

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 wins with a tougher schedule for us, and the Patriots with an easier schedule get 13-3 and HFA probably.

 

That is just the way it goes. Patriots play AFC North and NFC East. We play AFC West and NFC South, both tougher divisions than the AFC and NFC divisions the Patriots get to play. Not to mention, their own cupcake AFC East. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

You didn't immediately correct the lies you posted.

 

I thought I was right, but I was mistaken and owned up to it.  Better late than never, especially when it comes to disagreements on the internet.  :D  If you want to hold a grudge about it, you're more than welcome to.  You might be more Irish than I am when it comes to grudges!  haha  (Just messin with you, no hard feelings.  :thmup:)

 

40 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

This year is particularly bad for the Colts since that might be the key game coming down the stretch if they still need to make the playoffs.

 

Then why did you vote for "Fair is where you get cotton candy, don't whine, just win" instead of "Not fair at all"?  You seem to be contradicting your vote.

 

Also, I'm curious which teams you think got the most favorable schedules?

 

Thanks in advance.  :hat:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

I thought I was right, but I was mistaken and owned up to it.  Better late than never, especially when it comes to disagreements on the internet.  :D  If you want to hold a grudge about it, you're more than welcome to.  You might be more Irish than I am when it comes to grudges!  haha  (Just messin with you, no hard feelings.  :thmup:)

 

 

Then why did you vote for "Fair is where you get cotton candy, don't whine, just win" instead of "Not fair at all"?  You seem to be contradicting your vote.

 

Also, I'm curious which teams you think got the most favorable schedules?

 

Thanks in advance.  :hat:

I already pointed to 2 teams who got far more hosed this year than the Colts.  The Buccaneers and the Raiders.  Even the NFL came out and ADMITTED it was not a fair schedule.  So tell me, did they really care? Nope.  They had plenty of opportunity to pour over the schedules before they became public and make some adjustments.  They did not.  They have proven my point.  They do not care if schedules are unfair.   When I say to whine, just play your schedule, that refers to the difficulty this year of the teams we play and the locations of the games which are hard wired in and known to everyone the second the schedule comes out.  I am also not whining when I pointed to the schedule's order being particularly difficult with those three divisional games coming down the road.   Those are simply the teams hard wired in and the order, though not preferential, is not worth whining about.   It's a known reality you have to play all those teams in all those locations.  

 

BUT.. and here is the massive distinction: The late night games and the nationally featured games are entirely and intentionally created all season.  Nobody denies this.   So for 10 of 13 seasons, they have INTENTIONALLY given us a horrendously unbalanced disadvantages, and they do not care.  The idea that they DO care at all about things like CTE is only because they don't want the lawsuits and they don't want the gravy train to be legislated by government to stop.  They don't want the PEOPLE to demand it.  Or for Moms to stop letting their hyper athletic kids to play football and instead guide them into other sports.  Of course soccer leads to more overall concussions per player worldwide at all levels, but the media simply doesn't care because the "world" game is off limits and the NFL is a big fat target to be taken down by a line of special interests in the USA.  It is a game that important to men and boys and often teaches them to work together for something bigger than themselves, to have discipline and focus, to stay out of trouble and put some effort into grades and it often gives kids without fathers in the home exposure to many father figures in the game, not just a head coach, but assistant positional coaches and coordinators, weight lifting/fitness coaches and team captains/leaders as well as peers who are more often doing the right things instead of the wrong things.  For whatever reason some would prefer to theorize, there are major forces out to destroy that lifeline for boys, young men and even full grown men.  But the NFL doesn't care about the health or those issues.  They only care that the supply of super freak athletes continues unabated and they don't care about fairness, equality or safety, they care about TV ratings (#1 show on every involved network) so those nearly insane rates keep growing and to keep butts in seats, gambling growing and thriving (wait til you see what is coming in that arena) and merchandise sales humming along.  If they have to screw the Colts and other teams along the way, it's no big deal to them.  If the refs just happen to screw the smaller markets at key moments of specific games to change who advances, well, that's just a happy coincidence that rings up a higher ticket on the cash machine.   And based on attitudes like "small markets like Indianapolis should be happy to just have a team" they have those people just where they want them.  Docile and willing to take any scraps they care to toss out.  That's how they con cities into terrible stadium deals (thank God Indianapolis representative are brilliant and have connected our convention business to the stadium literally to the stadium making us one of the top convention destinations in the world, but I digress).  

 

Pointing out TRUTHS is not whining.  Pointing out and listing undeniable facts is not whining.  Whining about me doing that is whining.  Whining about me pointing out when your faux facts and belief in them as being naive is whining.   Not being able to tell the difference is also naive.  But alas. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, JPFolks said:

I already pointed to 2 teams who got far more hosed this year than the Colts.  The Buccaneers and the Raiders.

 

Which teams do you think are happiest with their schedules?

 

2 hours ago, JPFolks said:

Pointing out TRUTHS is not whining.  Pointing out and listing undeniable facts is not whining.  Whining about me doing that is whining.  Whining about me pointing out when your faux facts and belief in them as being naive is whining.   Not being able to tell the difference is also naive.  But alas.

 

I'm not whining about you pointing out that I misremembered a stat I saw on TV.  I actually appreciate it.  When I went back and rewatched the clip,  I noticed a few interesting stats that slipped by me when I watched it live.

 

Sorry for saying you're "whining".  Poor choice of word on my part, I was just using the word from the option on the poll that you selected.  The length of your last post shows that you obviously feel very strongly about this.  Sorry if I upset you.  We're both Colts fans and on the same team.  No hard feelings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/17/2019 at 9:49 PM, Irish YJ said:

yup, I'll do another post draft with the same Qs.

 

you and I are in lock step on the division. i was close to going 6-0, but we play at Houston on a short week. 

 

our only difference is KC. i think we get pay back, especially since they no longer have a pass rush... shouldn't be snowing this time either.

 

They have Jones still, and added Frank, I think theyll be just fine in the pass rush department. They just suck everywhere else lol, just like last year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

 

They have Jones still, and added Frank, I think theyll be just fine in the pass rush department. They just suck everywhere else lol, just like last year. 

 

Ford and Houston are both gone with their 22 sacks. Added Clark and his 13 sacks. So they're still -9 in that area from last year, so still trending well for Captain Neckbeard.

 

They had a lot to solve on the D side already. They also couldn't run the ball when they needed to late in the season (except against us :-), so need some help probably at RB post Hunt, and have a big cloud sitting over Hill. If Hill gets suspended, they're F'd. 

 

I like it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

 

Ford and Houston are both gone with their 22 sacks. Added Clark and his 13 sacks. So they're still -9 in that area from last year, so still trending well for Captain Neckbeard.

 

They had a lot to solve on the D side already. They also couldn't run the ball when they needed to late in the season (except against us :-), so need some help probably at RB post Hunt, and have a big cloud sitting over Hill. If Hill gets suspended, they're F'd. 

 

I like it!

 

It does not work that way literally. The interior pressure should make most of the talent around them better, so someone else will emerge. In a DL deep draft, they should not have a problem stockpiling talent as well. 

 

If you look at their roster, guys like Ogbah, Okafor and Speaks (that guy who had Brady but let him go not wanting a penalty on that SNF game in Foxboro where Brady ran in for a TD) should do well in the new 4-3, IMO. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

It does not work that way literally. The interior pressure should make most of the talent around them better, so someone else will emerge. In a DL deep draft, they should not have a problem stockpiling talent as well. 

 

If you look at their roster, guys like Ogbah, Okafor and Speaks (that guy who had Brady but let him go not wanting a penalty on that SNF game in Foxboro where Brady ran in for a TD) should do well in the new 4-3, IMO. 

I know it's not a perfect correlation or prediction for 2019, but it's the hit to 2018 pure production.

 

It still hurts. It's like us removing TY on O and saying someone will pick up the slack, and the draft is deep. 

 

And it's good because it increases their draft needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Irish YJ said:

I know it's not a perfect correlation or prediction for 2019, but it's the hit to 2018 pure production.

 

It still hurts. It's like us removing TY on O and saying someone will pick up the slack, and the draft is deep. 

 

And it's good because it increases their draft needs.

 

I know what you mean but I felt Dee Ford was more overrated by folks outside the organization, IMO. He is good but he is not Von Miller good, who plays the run and pass both really well. Dee Ford cashed in on the interior of the Chiefs line disrupting that diverted QBs towards his side, IMO, and that disruption level is going to go up with Frank Clark being added. So you will see another guy like Dee Ford emerge this year, I am almost certain.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

I know what you mean but I felt Dee Ford was more overrated by folks outside the organization, IMO. He is good but he is not Von Miller good, who plays the run and pass both really well. Dee Ford cashed in on the interior of the Chiefs line disrupting that diverted QBs towards his side, IMO, and that disruption level is going to go up with Frank Clark being added. So you will see another guy like Dee Ford emerge this year, I am almost certain.

 

 

i think the whole unit rose the level of everyone's play. To have Ford, Houston, and Jones was pretty darn good and made it impossible to double either side. Perhaps another will emerge, but missing that experience hurts regardless. 

 

Bigger issue IMO, is Jones is looking at management and hearing voices that are saying "wow, they probably won't pay me after my rookie contract".....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@JPFolks  Kind of related, but off-topic:  Have you heard grumblings from other teams about the Combine always being held in Indy?

 

Do you think it would be more fair to move the Combine around to different cities like they're doing with the draft?

 

Or do you think it would be unfair to take it away from Indy since we're a smaller market, and it does kind of make sense to host it in a place in the middle of the country (aptly named the Crossroads of America)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/17/2019 at 10:49 PM, Irish YJ said:

yup, I'll do another post draft with the same Qs.

 

you and I are in lock step on the division. i was close to going 6-0, but we play at Houston on a short week. 

 

our only difference is KC. i think we get pay back, especially since they no longer have a pass rush... shouldn't be snowing this time either.

I think the raiders beat us. We barely beat them last year and their wr look much better now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

We played at Oakland last year too, they will be here this year. We win that one easily I agree.

not worried about them at all. 

until the raiders are not a mess, they're a mess. and they've been a mess for a long time.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Irish YJ said:

not worried about them at all. 

until the raiders are not a mess, they're a mess. and they've been a mess for a long time.

I agree, we made such strides last season that teams I really worry about are still the Pats, KC, and the Chargers. Saints and Rams in the NFC of course. Off topic but has anyone signed Suh yet? He helped the Rams last season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I agree, we made such strides last season that teams I really worry about are still the Pats, KC, and the Chargers. Saints and Rams in the NFC of course. Off topic but has anyone signed Suh yet? He helped the Rams last season.

Exactly. I hate our away games against top teams, but the home games against lesser teams don't worry me near as much as they did last year. We play much better QBs and Os this year (7 of top 11), so it will be interesting if our D takes a step up or step back with all the additions. I still think we'll need to score more, more than anything this year.

 

Suh is still out there. Saw an article a few days ago he might be weighing options from NYG and Dallas. Now that we moved back (I don't really like what we did), Suh could an option for us for a year or two. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...