Kudos to Reich [Great Coaching]

[Colt.45]

As if you needed it, proof that the man can coach his butt off.

 

The Athletic has a ranking of the top 32 coaches at opening game scripts.

 

Quote

During the Eagles’ Super Bowl season in 2017, Frank Reich was in charge of scripting the first 15 plays, and the offense ranked eighth in points per drive on opening possessions. His success has translated to Indianapolis where the Colts have averaged 3.15 points on their first drives this season. They ranked fourth in 2018 as well. We have a three-year sample that suggests Reich is pretty good at this.

 

https://theathletic.com/1455838/2019/12/13/by-the-numbers-ranking-nfl-play-callers-based-on-opening-possession-game-scripts/?source=weeklyemail

[CR91]

No one questions Reich's abilities as a play caller. Unfortunately he can't use his whole playbook with all the injuries and all the players coming in and out of the building

[Four2itus]

22 minutes ago, CR91 said:

No one questions Reich's abilities as a play caller.

Actually, quite a few have.

22 minutes ago, CR91 said:

Unfortunately he can't use his whole playbook with all the injuries and all the players coming in and out of the building

Absolutely. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

My issues with Reich are in the fourth quarter. I don’t think he has been his best. Doesn’t stay aggressive and tries to sit on leads. For example a screen pass on 3rd and 15. Other then that I think he has done a good job with the WR group being so decimated.

[WoolMagnet]

I’m kinda giving this season a pass.  With the Luck thing, kicking thing, and so many injuries deep at some positions, its hard for me to see exactly where the issues stem.

  I just hope there are clear plans going forward to address these issues. The AFC south is no longer a joke.  No more free lunches.

 

Also, Frank seemed more “natural” last year.  This year, several times a game i am surprised by a play call. It seems out of place, not in the groove of the game.  Also, it felt like he was indecisive.  Last year i felt i knew who we were on offense and defense.  This year, both sides felt undefined at times.  

  Last year it was about attacking.  I didnt see much of that this year.  Not much at all.  “Running the damn ball” sounds great and all, but all my life i’ve heard “points come from the passing game.”  Just ask Ron Jaworski.  I can literally hear his voice.
 But i still think Reich is the man for the job.....obviously. 
  

[deedub75]

33 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

My issues with Reich are in the fourth quarter. I don’t think he has been his best. Doesn’t stay aggressive and tries to sit on leads. For example a screen pass on 3rd and 15. Other then that I think he has done a good job with the WR group being so decimated.

 

From what I've read, the team struggles in the 2nd and 4th quarters for some strange reason. 

[hoosierhawk]

1 minute ago, deedub75 said:

 

From what I've read, the team struggles in the 2nd and 4th quarters for some strange reason. 

I think it's call QB!

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, deedub75 said:

 

From what I've read, the team struggles in the 2nd and 4th quarters for some strange reason. 

You would think the 4th Qtr would be our best Qtr because of our O.line wearing out teams but it has been our worst. Makes no sense.

[LockeDown]

40 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

You would think the 4th Qtr would be our best Qtr because of our O.line wearing out teams but it has been our worst. Makes no sense.

My take is this. Every team down by a few points in the 4th is trying hard to get a stop to get the ball back to their offense. Peyton would put the game out of reach early and deflate them.  We are incapable of doing that right now.

[LockeDown]

1 hour ago, Chloe6124 said:

My issues with Reich are in the fourth quarter. I don’t think he has been his best. Doesn’t stay aggressive and tries to sit on leads. For example a screen pass on 3rd and 15. Other then that I think he has done a good job with the WR group being so decimated.

That wasn’t Reichs style with the Eagles or with Luck last year. This is a guy who goes for it on 4th down routinely. No, it’s this entire 2019 team that is not responding as well this year. Reich takes the blame but it’s the players not executing I think.

[indyagent17]

We have been playing with house money this season. Having #12 bailing right before the season put us in a very precarious situation

[Pilgrim]

I think the issue is trust in both the qb, and playmakers. When you have Luck and an entirely healthy offense, some of those risks are calculated. You can go for a 4th and 5 (with a lead) with five minutes left, knowing that if you get it, you coast to a win. If you don't your offense still has a solid chance of scoring to win late. Reich doesn't have the players to justify those risks currently.

[DougDew]

3 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

You would think the 4th Qtr would be our best Qtr because of our O.line wearing out teams but it has been our worst. Makes no sense.

That indicates a team that is over matched.  The other team keeps it close, then puts on the gas in the 4th quarter and we can't keep up.  It happened in 2017 too, when we lost a lot of games in the 4th quarter.

 

And that's not all on the qb, because the defense lets down too.  It also happened in the KC playoff game last year, when we had Luck, where after they got a big lead then we came to within a TD, they simply scored quickly and won going away.  We were simply overmateched as a team.

 

Its a pattern that's indicative of a subpar roster.

[LockeDown]

Every breakdown I read or listen to lately all show our players don’t seem to know where they are supposed to be and are not executing well.  I hope it’s just because We are a young team.

[sb2001]

8 hours ago, Chloe6124 said:

My issues with Reich are in the fourth quarter. I don’t think he has been his best. Doesn’t stay aggressive and tries to sit on leads. For example a screen pass on 3rd and 15. Other then that I think he has done a good job with the WR group being so decimated.

I think you answered this in your comment 

 

[John Hammonds]

14 hours ago, CR91 said:

No one questions Reich's abilities as a play caller. Unfortunately he can't use his whole playbook with all the injuries and all the players coming in and out of the building

When all you're holding are 9's and 10's, you don't win many hands of Eucre.  Yet every week, Reich comes back to work and says, "Ok, guys, let's see if we can make a banquet out of saltines and mayonnaise."

[Two_pound]

This is not a subpar roster, you want to see a subpar roster look at the steelers. This is a better roster than last year, difference is we don't have Luck this year, so what we are looking at is subpar qb play. I said before the season started Reich is a top tier coach and he has proven it again this year.

[EastStreet]

15 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

This is not a subpar roster, you want to see a subpar roster look at the steelers. This is a better roster than last year, difference is we don't have Luck this year, so what we are looking at is subpar qb play. I said before the season started Reich is a top tier coach and he has proven it again this year.

It's a pretty darn good roster overall. Folks poo pooing this roster simply have a singular and Colts-centric view and little knowledge of the rest of the league. We've come such a long way in a couple years. Sure we have places that still need upgrades but if you compare the units/positions from 4 years ago, the transformation is pretty obvious. 

 

That said, it's a lot easier to improve a very bad roster, and it gets harder as the overall depth and talent improve. Replacing bad with average makes a big difference. Now we're trying to replace the average, trying to build depth behind the good, and bring in guys to eventually replace the aging good. 

 

I've said for a while, I love what Ballard is doing, but his job was easier early on. It's what he does now and in the next couple years as it gets harder, that is what is important. 

 

As far as Reich goes, I like him a lot, but I'm still on the fence with him a bit. I give him a pass for this year as his talent at QB took a major hit. The only thing I'd ding him on is lack of QB development/improvement. I don't necessarily blame him though as I think JB has just hit his ceiling and not sure he'll ever improve some of the basics he struggles with. He has had some real duds in terms of game plans though. 

[Two_pound]

Yea, the gameplanning has been strange at times this year. The 3 man pass rush against Houston is one example. And getting away from the run at times. We missed Leonard a few games this year, Moore(how good is Moore?). Fact is you are not going to make the playoffs every year like we did when Peyton and Andrew played. Peyton only missed the playoffs 2 times when he played a full season(rookie year and 2001) Andrew Luck never missed the playoffs when he played atleast 15 games in a season. That is pretty remarkable, best stretch of history in the Irsay era. On the bright side we've had better teams the last 25 years than the majority of the league.

[Moosejawcolt]

18 hours ago, deedub75 said:

 

From what I've read, the team struggles in the 2nd and 4th quarters for some strange reason. 

How bout this.  After playing a half , the opposing defences realize just how poorly under manned the offence is.  Therefore, the D plays aggressive and gets up on the receivers. 

[shakedownstreet]

If Vinatieri was Vinatieri, we could easily be 9-4 right now

 

I think just about everyone has done a good job considering what all has gone wrong

 

I hope we can find a kicker and QB, but no way in hell should this team even consider parting ways with Frank Reich

[Dingus McGirt]

16 hours ago, indyagent17 said:

We have been playing with house money this season. Having #12 bailing right before the season put us in a very precarious situation

Thinking back on it, I think Luck bailed on the team in the KC playoff game.

[Dingus McGirt]

19 minutes ago, shakedownstreet said:

If Vinatieri was Vinatieri, we could easily be 9-4 right now

 

I think just about everyone has done a good job considering what all has gone wrong

 

I hope we can find a kicker and QB, but no way in hell should this team even consider parting ways with Frank Reich

Believe the Colts may already have their kicker.

 

[shakedownstreet]

4 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Believe the Colts may already have their kicker.

 

 

I hope so 

[TheMarine]

10 hours ago, John Hammonds said:

"Ok, guys, let's see if we can make a banquet out of saltines and mayonnaise."

I see the beginings of a great crust on some deep fried Walleye or Chicken

[CurBeatElite]

On 12/14/2019 at 5:32 PM, WoolMagnet said:

I’m kinda giving this season a pass.  With the Luck thing, kicking thing, and so many injuries deep at some positions, its hard for me to see exactly where the issues stem.

  I just hope there are clear plans going forward to address these issues. The AFC south is no longer a joke.  No more free lunches.

 

Also, Frank seemed more “natural” last year.  This year, several times a game i am surprised by a play call. It seems out of place, not in the groove of the game.  Also, it felt like he was indecisive.  Last year i felt i knew who we were on offense and defense.  This year, both sides felt undefined at times.  

  Last year it was about attacking.  I didnt see much of that this year.  Not much at all.  “Running the damn ball” sounds great and all, but all my life i’ve heard “points come from the passing game.”  Just ask Ron Jaworski.  I can literally hear his voice.
 But i still think Reich is the man for the job.....obviously. 
  

 

Obviously we lost Luck unexpectedly (at least to fans) just before the start of the season.  I think Jacoby has done pretty well considering the circumstances (I don't think he's secured himself as the long-term starter/franchise QB, but I don't think he's done poorly enough to justify that he is not capable of being our guy moving forward).  

 

We are 1-5 in 6 games which TY has not played in.  He is obviously our best WR (and a pro-bowl caliber NFL WR).  Many of us expected big things from Funchess, and he seemed to have a nice chemistry w/ Jacoby throughout camp and in week 1 before he went down for the year.  A lot were expecting Deon Cain to be back fully healthy, he wasn't what we were expecting (nor, from what the coaches and GM were saying in the offseason was he what they were expecting).  Campbell has shown flashes, but he's been hurt too often.  

 

That leaves us with a group of WRs who were never drafted, instead signed as UDFAs.  Pascal has played very well, for the most part.  Looks like Marcus Johnson can be pretty good for us.  We just brought Inman back off the street.  

 

To be honest, you're probably right about Jaworski's quote.  That said, injuries (along with Luck's retirement) have decimated the expectations we had for the passing game prior to the season.  I'm not saying I agree with every single one of Reich's calls this year, but we have been in every game with a good chance to win all but one of them.  I can't say for sure, but I imagine some of Reich's play calling has been hampered by the personnel we have on the field.

 

On 12/14/2019 at 5:43 PM, 2006Coltsbestever said:

You would think the 4th Qtr would be our best Qtr because of our O.line wearing out teams but it has been our worst. Makes no sense.

 

To some extent, I agree.  To counter-argue, though, I would say that when you look at some of the injuries we have suffered on offense (both prior to games or within a game), our offense can be made pretty one-dimensional at times.  When TY's out (and Funchess is out, and Campbell is out or hurt, and Ebron is hurt, etc.), we don't have great options in the passing game and I think other teams have a good idea what they're going to get from us in the 4th based on the players we have on the field.  

 

19 hours ago, LockeDown said:

Every breakdown I read or listen to lately all show our players don’t seem to know where they are supposed to be and are not executing well.  I hope it’s just because We are a young team.

 

We are a young team.  We also are relying mainly on undrafted players at the WR and TE position with injuries to TY, Funch, Ebron, etc... some of them have played pretty well, and if they are out of position, some of that should fall on the coach.... but, the fact of the matter is there is a reason why players go undrafted and that reason (if not for off-field issues) is usually because they're not the most talented players available.

[csmopar]

6 hours ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Thinking back on it, I think Luck bailed on the team in the KC playoff game.

I kind of want to agree but I can’t. I’ve been extremely critical of Luck and his retirement but that KC game last year just seemed like we’d ran out of gas. We were extremely banged up then as well. Now, I’d agree if you said he started to decide after that game to retire, then I’d agree

[Dingus McGirt]

1 hour ago, csmopar said:

I kind of want to agree but I can’t. I’ve been extremely critical of Luck and his retirement but that KC game last year just seemed like we’d ran out of gas. We were extremely banged up then as well. Now, I’d agree if you said he started to decide after that game to retire, then I’d agree

Meaning, I believe he decided he'd had enough, and knew it was over.

[lollygagger8]

 I still think Reich is a great coach. It's not the play calling, it's the execution of the players.

 

 

[throwing BBZ]

On 12/14/2019 at 6:26 PM, Colt.45 said:

As if you needed it, proof that the man can coach his butt off.

 

The Athletic has a ranking of the top 32 coaches at opening game scripts.

 

 

https://theathletic.com/1455838/2019/12/13/by-the-numbers-ranking-nfl-play-ca-based-on-opening-possession-game-scripts/?source=weeklyemail

 

 And i enjoyed reading Peter Kings article done a week after their SB win. It explained how the plays were a conglomeration of ideas from ALL members of the offensive coaching staff. Then Pederson and Reich sat down together to finalize their best ideas. Based on that article, this is giving Frank to much credit for want went on in Philly.