How lucky are we as Colts fans?

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

So, I was reading an article titled "What if Peyton Manning had declared for the draft after his Junior year?" He in all likelihood would've been a New York Jet, under Bill Parcells, and history would be entirely rewritten. As it turns out, he obviously went back to Tennessee for his Senior season, threw for 3800 yards and 38 TDs, and was subsequently selected by the Colts in 98 (over Ryan Leaf, thank ya Jesus). So, the stars aligned for us to end up with Manning, and I think all would agree, we had some great years. Then, Manning gets injured right at the time when Luck just so happens to be coming out; yeah, another generational talent falls to the Colts, what are the odds? So, let's assume that Luck remains healthy until he retires, for the sake of my post, and plays to the ripe age of....say, 38. Luck essentially turns 30 as this season starts (September 12th, 1989), so that would have him as the Colts QB through the 2027 season. That would be essentially 30 YEARS of elite QB play. That crap just doesn't happen. There are franchises that can't get it right ever, striking out with QB after QB, or getting a few years here and there. It got me thinking? Is this the best stretch of quarterbacking in the history of the NFL? It almost has to be, right? And what if we only win 1 SB under Luck, and appear in another? That would be 4 SB appearances, with 2 wins...in 30 freaking years of ridiculously good, extremely lucky, QB play. It's fair to say that would be massively under achieving. Anyways, I hope we go on a mean streak and win 4 or 5 with Luck, and Ballard orchestrating, just some random thoughts. Sorry if I rambled, need to get this crap "on paper" sometimes, and what better place than the Colts forum, yeah?

[MFT5]

so where’s the luck en that

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

3 minutes ago, MFT5 said:

so where’s the luck en that

 

Huh? 

[MFT5]

6 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

 

Huh? 

how is having 30 years of elite quarterback play and only going to and winning 1 SB lucky. The patriots have 6 en that same span

[NannyMcafee]

The Colts have a pretty good history with QBs in general. Manning and Luck are generational talents but the Colts seem to know QBs pretty well imo. 

[BigQungus]

13 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

So, I was reading an article titled "What if Peyton Manning had declared for the draft after his Junior year?" He in all likelihood would've been a New York Jet, under Bill Parcells, and history would be entirely rewritten. As it turns out, he obviously went back to Tennessee for his Senior season, threw for 3800 yards and 38 TDs, and was subsequently selected by the Colts in 98 (over Ryan Leaf, thank ya Jesus). So, the stars aligned for us to end up with Manning, and I think all would agree, we had some great years. Then, Manning gets injured right at the time when Luck just so happens to be coming out; yeah, another generational talent falls to the Colts, what are the odds? So, let's assume that Luck remains healthy until he retires, for the sake of my post, and plays to the ripe age of....say, 38. Luck essentially turns 30 as this season starts (September 12th, 1989), so that would have him as the Colts QB through the 2027 season. That would be essentially 30 YEARS of elite QB play. That crap just doesn't happen. There are franchises that can't get it right ever, striking out with QB after QB, or getting a few years here and there. It got me thinking? Is this the best stretch of quarterbacking in the history of the NFL? It almost has to be, right? And what if we only win 1 SB under Luck, and appear in another? That would be 4 SB appearances, with 2 wins...in 30 freaking years of ridiculously good, extremely lucky, QB play. It's fair to say that would be massively under achieving. Anyways, I hope we go on a mean streak and win 4 or 5 with Luck, and Ballard orchestrating, just some random thoughts. Sorry if I rambled, need to get this crap "on paper" sometimes, and what better place than the Colts forum, yeah?

 

The national media isn't sold on Luck as a "generational" QB, but if he plays like how I know he can, then without a doubt he will be nationally regarded as a generational QB

24 minutes ago, MFT5 said:

how is having 30 years of elite quarterback play and only going to and winning 1 SB lucky. The patriots have 6 en that same span

 

He was predicting 2 Super Bowl appearances and 1 Super Bowl win for Luck, which I think is realistic

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Yep we as colt fans don’t realize how lucky we were to have Luck coming out right at the time manning was injured. We also have to thank Irsay and Manning on knowing it was time to move on. We really didn’t miss a beat when Andrew came here in 2012.

[Coltsfan66]

Well I consider myself fortunate for being a Colts fan.  If you look at the history of the Colts it is filled great players and great moments, sans the 80's lol! 

 

The 50's and 60's saw Unitas and co, plus the greatest game ever played. 

 

The 70's saw Bert Jones and co, who unfortunately played at the same time as the great Steelers and Raiders teams. 

 

The 80's meh.  With the exception of 1987(the strike year and return to the playoffs) and Dickerson's Monday Night Halloween showcase.

 

The 90's with Capt. Comeback restoring respectability, and I still say that was a catch darnit!  Then of course Peyton and Marvin.

 

The 2000's with two Superbowl appearances, winning one.  One could argue that there should have been more but the Pats stood in the way.  

 

Now we have Luck, who took Indy to the AFC Championship, and has risen up from the ashes like the mighty Phoenix, after a couple of injury plagued years.  The future is bright and we are fortunate to be Colts fans.

[Lucky Colts Fan]

@SouthernIndianaNDFan  Now this is my kinda thread!

 

It's how I got my name. 

 

We're fortunate to be so Lucky. 

[Lucky Colts Fan]

57 minutes ago, MFT5 said:

how is having 30 years of elite quarterback play and only going to and winning 1 SB lucky. The patriots have 6 en that same span

 

The Colts went to 2 and won 1 during the Peyton era.

 

The OP is predicting going to 4 and winning 2 in 30 years.

 

Not great, but better than a lot of teams.

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

1 hour ago, MFT5 said:

how is having 30 years of elite quarterback play and only going to and winning 1 SB lucky. The patriots have 6 en that same span

 

I'm obviously hoping for more, but 4 appearances and 2 W's is good. It's also great that we get to watch good, entertaining football for the better part of 30 years. Not many, if any, fanbases can say that. Even if Luck never wins a SB, which I think is highly unlikely given his skillset, Reich being HC, and Ballard as GM, but if he didn't and we were highly competitive every year until he retires...I'm still happy that I didn't have to watch trainwreck football like so many other fanbases have to. The law of averages suggests that at some point we will be on the other end of the spectrum, so enjoy it while it lasts! Again, I think the combo of Luck, Reich, and Ballard will win at least 1 SB, so please don't misconstrue my conservative stance. 

[Lucky Colts Fan]

19 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

It's also great that we get to watch good, entertaining football for the better part of 30 years.

 

Amen!

 

It's a game, it's supposed to be fun.

 

21 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

The law of averages suggests that at some point we will be on the other end of the spectrum, so enjoy it while it lasts!

 

It also means we're much more likely to NOT win a SB any given year.

 

As long as we're competitive and the games are entertaining, that's really all a fan can ask for.

[Nesjan3]

You could hypothesize an unlimited amount of scenarios by playing the "what if" game, but yes in terms of regular season winning since the year 00, we are right up with the top 3. Throw in a one superbowl championship, a second  superbowl appearance and a few AFCC appearances...we have had it pretty good.

 

Even all time going back to the Baltimore Colts this team has been pretty successful.

 

Tied for 10th All time Win Loss Percentage .529, 516 Wins, 459 Losses and 7 Ties, of course the .529 number is skewered because every team has played a different amount of games. If you eliminated the teams that have played less than 800 games we would go up in the standings.

 

Gives you a pretty good idea of how people have been enjoying the Colts winning ways since the 50s, Except in the 80s and 90s lol

[superrep1967]

7 hours ago, BigQungus said:

 

The national media isn't sold on Luck as a "generational" QB, but if he plays like how I know he can, then without a doubt he will be nationally regarded as a generational QB

 

He was predicting 2 Super Bowl appearances and 1 Super Bowl win for Luck, which I think is realistic

Luck I really believe will have a huge year this season especially since we drafted Campbell. 

[Four2itus]

Being a fan of a team and being a fan of winning are usually two different experiences over a lifetime of truly following a team. Because I am a fan of the Colts, I enjoy every season. 

 

To each...his or her own. 

[shakedownstreet]

Winning one championship under Manning and one under Luck might be considered underachieving by many, but I would take it happily and consider myself lucky as a Colts and NFL fan

 

Not everyone has to be the Patriots. All due respect, but I don't want the Colts to be the Patriots

[2006Coltsbestever]

Every fan wants to win the SB every year, that just isn't reality though. Some people see what the Patriots have done and think it's easy to win a SB, well it's not. Over the last 20 seasons (1999-2018), no team has won more than 2 SB's other than the Pats. From 1999-2018 we have had a great run so I consider us very lucky:

10 Divisional Round apps in 20 seasons, that means we have been in the Elite 8 50% of the time over the last 20 seasons.

 

4 AFC Title Game apps in 20 seasons

 

2 SB apps in 20 seasons

 

-and we got the ring in 2006, so we will always be a Champion here in Indy. If Luck gets a SB win and I think he will, then that just adds to the greatness of this franchise in the Peyton/Luck era's.

[Lucky Colts Fan]

18 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Over the last 20 seasons (1999-2018), no team has won more than 2 SB's other than the Pats.

 

To add to that, 12 teams have combined to win the last 20 SBs.

 

Ask the other 20 teams if they'd be happy with "only" one SB in the last 20 years.

 

[shakedownstreet]

One thing that's relatively clear is we all expect a championship from the Luck era. That's okay because we expected the same from the Manning era. 

 

When Manning was drafted he said he would bring a championship to Indy, which got everyone's expectations up early on. It took a lot longer than expected in large part because of the annoying Patriots, but also because of Peyton Manning's oft criticized post season play. But either way, it happened. And that one ring is what changes everything. It put the shine in the horseshoe. It put a shine in Peyton Manning. He did what he said he would do

 

We could go through the entire Luck era without winning it all, but because the Colts beat the Bears in XLI it's not that important. Luck is a hell of a lot of fun to watch play the game!

 

I personally think this team has a championship in it, but it's going to happen a lot differently than the last time. Championships have a way of happening in the way least expected

[NewColtsFan]

 

SINDfan....

 

Your profile here says you joined in January.   A belated welcome...

 

If you had been here in 15, 16 and 17,  you likely would've seen a completely different fan base.  One that was melting down for 3 straight years and screaming that we were wasting Luck's best years.  

 

We had fans complaining that we only won one SB with Peyton and only went to two.

 

So,  this fan base will likely not be happy if we only go to 2 more SB's and win only one of them.   That's what we did during Peyton's years.    They won't accept that with Luck and be happy.

 

We are under great leadership with Ballard.   But the bottom line is winning....   and this fan base can be....   fickle...    so, we'll see....   times are good now....    but how will they react when we hit the inevitable speed bumps that happen to every team.   

 

It's going to be an interesting ride going forward....

 

 

 

[Dark Superman]

If Bill Polian gave Manning a more balanced team the Colts would have probably won 2-3 Super Bowls. I wake up every day thanking God for giving us Chris Ballard, Frank Reich, and Andrew Luck.

[Bluesmith]

We are indeed lucky as Colts fans.  I don't know what it is, but I feel more connected to this team now, than even during our glory years, the automatic 12-4 or better seasons and expected AFC Championship games.  Alot of it probably has to do with the access to NFL teams in general, and the Colts specifically.  This latest series put out by Colts Productions has ingratiated me to the Colts at an all time high level, and was a genius move by the team leadership.  I feel like I personally have an investment in all these draft picks, and my favorite team.

[2006Coltsbestever]

21 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Every fan wants to win the SB every year, that just isn't reality though. Some people see what the Patriots have done and think it's easy to win a SB, well it's not. Over the last 20 seasons (1999-2018), no team has won more than 2 SB's other than the Pats. From 1999-2018 we have had a great run so I consider us very lucky:

10 Divisional Round apps in 20 seasons, that means we have been in the Elite 8 50% of the time over the last 20 seasons.

 

4 AFC Title Game apps in 20 seasons

 

2 SB apps in 20 seasons

 

-and we got the ring in 2006, so we will always be a Champion here in Indy. If Luck gets a SB win and I think he will, then that just adds to the greatness of this franchise in the Peyton/Luck era's.

I will add to this. Many of us are SB hungry again because it has been 12 seasons since we won one. Understandable, I am too. Doesn't seem that long ago but time flies. Also many want to see Luck win at least 1, nobody wants their QB of their favorite team to have that label of - can't win the big one. 

 

Remember even the Patriots went from the 2004 Season to the 2014 Season before they won another. They even had a long drought between SB wins with Tom and BB.

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

I'm watching the 09 SB on NFL Network right now, and man Peyton was a surgeon. Dallas Clark had some great hands. Mathis and Freeney were terrors, and Freeney was going on a bad foot lol. Man, those were some good years. But, Donald Brown in the 1st, seriously? There was a lot of bad drafting, especially on defense in Manning's years. Anyways, that onside kick recovery that bounced right out of Hank Baskett's hands...geeeeez. I thought for sure they were gonna win that game. It was a heart breaker for sure, and if youda told me then that'd be the last time Manning got us to the SB I couldn't have believed you. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

I'm watching the 09 SB on NFL Network right now, and man Peyton was a surgeon. Dallas Clark had some great hands. Mathis and Freeney were terrors, and Freeney was going on a bad foot lol. Man, those were some good years. But, Donald Brown in the 1st, seriously? There was a lot of bad drafting, especially on defense in Manning's years. Anyways, that onside kick recovery that bounced right out of Hank Baskett's hands...geeeeez. I thought for sure they were gonna win that game. It was a heart breaker for sure, and if youda told me then that'd be the last time Manning got us to the SB I couldn't have believed you. 

We made way too many mistakes to win that game. Take Peyton's INT out of the equation, you still have a key drop by Garcon that may have gone for TD, a miss FG that gave the Saints great field position, and of course that onsides kick. Just too many blunders to overcome. Freeney being injured was the cherry on top. 

[indyagent17]

If it wasn't for Peyton this team would be in Los Angeles, plain and simple!

[2006Coltsbestever]

7 minutes ago, indyagent17 said:

If it wasn't for Peyton this team would be in Los Angeles, plain and simple!

Probably you are right but if Bill Belichick and Tom Brady weren't Patriots over the last 2 decades they would have 0 Championships. See what I did there.

[NDcolt]

On 5/4/2019 at 8:32 PM, Legend said:

If Bill Polian gave Manning a more balanced team the Colts would have probably won 2-3 Super Bowls. I wake up every day thanking God for giving us Chris Ballard, Frank Reich, and Andrew Luck.

As a long time Colts fan it’s a shame the best QB to EVER play this game only has 2 Titles to his name BUT please listen.  It takes a complete Staff from Owner to last player on practice squad to create something special.  Polian FAILED, Jim Irsay did not cuz he had trust.  Jim failed when he hired Grigson as he swung and MISSED.  But LET me tell YOU, with 2 STRIKES, Jim Irsay HIT a Grand Slam hiring Chris Ballard!  I look back and say what could have been BUT who cares cuz the next 10 yrs will make all Colts Nation FORGET

[rock8591]

Polian's drafts 2007-2011 were horrific, and would make Grigson look good. People ask me why I defend Grigson and knock Polian; if it was not for those horrific drafts that broke the camel's back in 2011, Grigson would not have had to reach for need when he drafted.

 

[coltsfeva]

    It’s funny how the success or failure of a team is attributed to the QB. Brady never won one with a defense ranked worse than 8th in points allowed. And he had/has a great coach that knows how to game plan for his opponents.

     IF we win one or more SBs, it will be as a team (of course, Luck will have his part). It will also be with great defenses, offenses, special teams and coaching.

      What would be the icing on the cake is to go 19-0 in one of Luck’s years. 

[shasta519]

Luck also could have come out after his junior year. But he apparently didn't want to play for CAR...which has since fueled the Luck vs. Cam debate and Luck "hate" from some parts of the CAR fanbase.

[Myles]

7 hours ago, shastamasta said:

Luck also could have come out after his junior year. But he apparently didn't want to play for CAR...which has since fueled the Luck vs. Cam debate and Luck "hate" from some parts of the CAR fanbase.

Would he have been the #1 player taken?

 

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

13 minutes ago, Myles said:

Would he have been the #1 player taken?

 

 

He was billed as the next John Elway, or Peyton Manning, so don't know why not. Cam came out that year, but he would've likely gone #2.

[ColtsBlueFL]

On 5/4/2019 at 10:11 AM, BigQungus said:

The national media isn't sold on Luck as a "generational" QB,

 

True, yet it seems most feel he is still that potentially "generational" QB.  They know injuries derailed him.  But now that he played a full season healthy again, and has an O line... well ...

 

{waiting for that potential to become reality!}

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

7 minutes ago, ColtsBlueFL said:

 

True, yet it seems most feel he is still that potentially "generational" QB.  They know injuries derailed him.  But now that he played a full season healthy again, and has an O line... well ...

 

{waiting for that potential to become reality!}

 

Well, unless you're Tom Brady, most generational QBs don't start out winning rings. Most, it actually takes considerable time. Think about the most recent 3 (not Tom), Peyton Manning, John Elway, and Dan Marino. Marino obviously never got one, but I don't think anyone would argue he isn't an all-time great. Elway waited til the twilight of his career. Peyton won one 8 years in, and had to wait basically another 8 for the other. They aren't falling off trees for anyone not named Tom Brady. I think if Luck continues to put up big numbers, and has an Elway end to his career, he can definitely get there. 

[shasta519]

2 hours ago, Myles said:

Would he have been the #1 player taken?

 

 

Yeah...I am pretty sure he would have been. They ended up taking Cam, who was actually lower than other QBs on some teams boards. I think Luck, especially after how he tested, would have been the consensus.

 

Edit from my post...should read “Luck supposedly didn’t...”as this is coming from CAR fans, not me.

 

Luck has denied this of course. Doesn’t seem like his style...but definitely not an unprecedented move for top QBs to want to avoid certain teams.

[shasta519]

1 hour ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:

 

Well, unless you're Tom Brady, most generational QBs don't start out winning rings. Most, it actually takes considerable time. Think about the most recent 3 (not Tom), Peyton Manning, John Elway, and Dan Marino. Marino obviously never got one, but I don't think anyone would argue he isn't an all-time great. Elway waited til the twilight of his career. Peyton won one 8 years in, and had to wait basically another 8 for the other. They aren't falling off trees for anyone not named Tom Brady. I think if Luck continues to put up big numbers, and has an Elway end to his career, he can definitely get there. 

 

Elway and Marino both got to Super Bowls though by this age. As have other contemporary QBs.

 

That’s the next step for Luck. I think he has to be able to do that (and probably multiple times) before many will even consider him one of the best of this decade...let alone this era or an all-time great. 

 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

We are fortunate that we've had the great Bert Jones, maybe the G.O.A.T in Peyton Manning, and now Luck for the last 7 years as our QB's.

But with them(and others at QB) we've only won 1 Super Bowl in 48 years. Only 1 in almost a Half Century!

And we've had some pretty lean and sometimes embarrassing seasons from the end of the Bert Jones era to the beginning of Manning's. Nearly 2 Decades mostly of bad to average teams. We Colt Fans that endured those 2 decades sure didn't feel so lucky. Lol.

 

Hopefully we will win 1 or 2 SB's with Luck but it's not guaranteed.

However, it should still be enjoyable to watch even of we don't. Just like wayching was in the 2000's.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

17 hours ago, indyagent17 said:

If it wasn't for Peyton this team would be in Los Angeles, plain and simple!

 

And possibly on the way to Vegas???

[horseshoecrabs]

Whether  we win a Super Bowl will depend on not just Luck's  play but team play as a complete team effort. If you look a past team's Super Bowl wins, it has to be everyone , offense , special teams, or defense believing that hey can be the driving force mentally  to achieve the ultimate team  status as a Super Bowl winner.