Building a team like the Titans, Bills,

[SR711]

I don't know what Ballards ultimate vision is with this team, but its my opinion that it is easier to be a consistent contender when the QB position is filled by a top 10 talent then trying to build solely around a defense and other areas.  To me, the current NFL is designed to favor offenses (spefically passing) and even when a defense is really good, it is not a wise proposition to rely on defense and running game formula to completely defeat other playoff teams.

 

The Bills lost that game yesterday because their offense basically spun their wheels while their D was playing lights out for the better part of 2 + quarters.

 

While I am estatic that the Titans knocked out the Pats, they were fortunate that they were not done in by an impotent passing game.  My gut tells if Edelman doesnt flat out drop that pass on 2nd and 6 late in the 4th quarter, NE drives for either game winning FG or TD.

 

Even earlier today, Vikes won in OT because Cousins made some nice elite level throws to set up and score the winning TD.

 

 

 

 

[Orioles22]

4 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

We have two draft in the first 34 picks, if we get a QB and a beast of a RB I believe we can go back to the playoffs.  The other picks that we have you can trade up to  draft defense, there are still some blue chipper left in the 2nd round and so on....

Reaching for a quarterback and drafting a running back when we have Mack would give us the worst draft in the league. We need a defensive tackle and either a receiver or offensive tackle.

[GoColts8818]

This isn’t a bad model but they have some work to do on defense and developing a passing game that other teams at least have to respect.  That was the problem this year teams know they could stack the box with 9 or even 10 guys, send more guys than the line could block, and not ever bite in play action because it was no threat.  Some of that was receivers some of that was Jacoby and some of it was play calling.  All three areas have to improve along with the defense to get to the level of the Titans or Bills.  

[Dogg63]

10 hours ago, Two_pound said:

I don't want to turn this into a Brissett sucks thread, but

Lie

[Myles]

13 hours ago, IinD said:

Not saying he wasn't, but I'm tired of all the Tanehill is great talk. Nobody wanted him. He threw for less than 100 yesterday. Jacoby gets called the worst QB ever with better numbers usually. Not saying JB is anything special, but people gotta pump the brakes on Tanehill.

 

Whoever signs him for big money will end up regretting it if he isn't on a stacked team.

Who is saying he is great?  He did have a great season.   No doubt about that.  He can't be considered a great QB after 1 great season though.   Brissett had to stink for 2 seasons before I considered him a crappy QB.   He's done that.  

Tannehill is easily the better QB over Brissett.   No argument to be made on Brissetts behalf.   So as bad as you think Tannehill is, remember Brissett is a few levels worse.  

 

 

Brissett:

[IinD]

1 minute ago, Myles said:

Who is saying he is great?  He did have a great season.   No doubt about that.  He can't be considered a great QB after 1 great season though.   Brissett had to stink for 2 seasons before I considered him a crappy QB.   He's done that.  

Tannehill is easily the better QB over Brissett.   No argument to be made on Brissetts behalf.   So as bad as you think Tannehill is, remember Brissett is a few levels worse.  

 

 

Brissett:

Neither is anything special. I wasn't sticking up for JB for anything, only how he'd be roasted with Tannehill's numbers the other day. But plenty of people have been fawning over Tanehill like we missed on bringing in some great QB. That was my only gripe. I think JB would probably be around the same as Tanehill on that Tenn team, their weapons are definitely better right now.

 

I'm not much of a fan of either honestly. Tanehill will prove he's fools gold if that Tenn team starts slipping or if he goes to a team like the Colts with glaring holes.

 

Neither is anything special even if Tannehill's stats are better.

[Mitch Connors]

13 hours ago, RollerColt said:

I agree. An above average QB with the Titans would have blown out the Patriots last night. Henry had so many yards and carries because they needed to limit Tannehill. 

 

 I think a lot of people didn't watch the game. Look at the first down breakouts and tell me Tannehill didn't have a huge impact;

 

1st Downs                            15                   

Passing 1st downs              11                   

Rushing 1st downs              3

1st downs from penalties  1

[lincolndefan]

17 hours ago, Dacoltsboi said:

To add on- Yes we finished 7-9 but we were literally 3 kicks and few plays away from a 10-6 season. WITH THIS ROSTER. With some still major holes that can be fixed. WITH JB's poor play in the second half.

If you noticed, the team got worse as the season went on. Other teams started figuring out how to play us. I'm not buying into this crap about injuries. We had players who could get the job done with the exception of the QB position. Please people stop using the what if this or if this happened things would have been different. Facts are the facts. We won 7 games. JB is a poor QB and as soon as people realize this the sooner we can start fixing it. Sorry, JB will never amount to much as a NFL QB. If the Colts go into next year with JB the starting QB then expect another boring year of JB football. I swear, reading some of these posts from the same posters who spew this excuse nonsense deserves JB. Lets get serious and try to fix this football team.

[Dogg63]

2 minutes ago, lincolndefan said:

If you noticed, the team got worse as the season went on. Other teams started figuring out how to play us. I'm not buying into this crap about injuries. We had players who could get the job done with the exception of the QB position. Please people stop using the what if this or if this happened things would have been different. Facts are the facts. We won 7 games. JB is a poor QB and as soon as people realize this the sooner we can start fixing it. Sorry, JB will never amount to much as a NFL QB. If the Colts go into next year with JB the starting QB then expect another boring year of JB football. I swear, reading some of these posts from the same posters who spew this excuse nonsense deserves JB. Lets get serious and try to fix this football team.

Excellent point, if we ignore all external factors from this season we can place all of the blame squarely on JB. All folks who choose not to ignore all of the non-JB factors be damned!

 

Great point! Well done!

[Coffeedrinker]

17 hours ago, FRW said:

We ended up 7-9. We lost one game, LAC, because we couldn't make FGs or PATs. We lost to Pittsburgh because our starting QB got knocked out of the game while driving for a TD to go up double digits and our backup came in and immediately threw a pick six.

Colts may or may not have won the game if JB had not been injured, but Hoyer actually came in and immediately threw a TD to Doyle.  It was the next drive, that Hoyer drove the Colts downfield and in a position to go up double digits when he threw the pick 6.

Quote

 

Then as the clock wound down our kicker again couldn't make a chip shot FG to win the game. We lost to Miami because our kicker missed a PAT and our backup QB (not JB) couldn't get a first down in the red zone at the end of the game. We lost our second game to TN because again our kicker couldn't make FGs and our special teams couldn't provide protection which allowed a block FG returned for a TD and TN to come back from a double digit deficit. Speaking of which our defense gave up three double digit leads in the late third quarter/fourth quarter. Beat LAC in regulation, beat Pittsburgh and Miami with our starting QB and a decent kicker, and hold on to one of our three double digit leads and instead of being 7-9 we are 11-5, AFC South champs and still playing.

 

I know the popular wisdom here is that JB is dog poop and shouldn't be allowed back in the complex, and that ANY QB is better just by not being him. And for the record I have my doubts about JB and think he has a lot of work to do to become an effective QB week in and week out, but the hate you see on this site for this guy is embarrassing and honestly a little suspect. The JB haters can always spin anything to prove how worthless he is, but he led a game tying drive at LA only to have the kicking game fail us. He was winning when he left the Pittsburgh game, didn't even play against Miami and had a solid TD to Int. ratio for the season. And then there was that highlight film Houdini move and pass against Denver that saved that game.  

A few things.  Why is it that anyone that does not think JB is a good starting QB they are labeled a JB hater?  Personally, I like JB a lot but I don't think he's a good QB.  Additionally, JB lost as many games for the Colts as he won this year.  The Denver play was the play of the year for him and that was great.  But fumbling the ball away against Jax when the Colts were down by 4, is all on him.

Quote

 

Lastly would have we been better if AL doesn't retire? Sure, but would our kicking woes have cost a couple of games even with Andrew on the field? Very possibly. Regardless he isn't coming back, hopefully neither is Hoyer, and no CK is not destined for the hall of fame or taking us to the SB. We may see a better QB next year under center. It may be a new face, it may be an improved JB. I'll trust the management to make that decision, but without a decent kicking game and a defense that can close out games, it may not matter much. 

So it's the fault of the rest of the team when the Colts lost? JB needs to be able to close out games as well.  I was comparing some stats of all the AFC South QBs, Tannehill, Watson, JB and Minshew.

 

JB is the only QB in the AFC South to throw for fewer TDs in the 2nd half than the 1st half.

JB is the only QB in the AFC South to throw for fewer 1st downs in the 2nd half than he did in the 1st half.

JB and Minshew are the only QBs to have a worst completion percentage in the 2nd half

JB is the only QB in the AFC South whose completion percentage drops when the Colts are trailing vs when the game is tied (All QBs in the AFC south have their highest completion percentage when their team is winning).  When comparing completion percentage when tied to completion percentage when trailing, tannehill's goes up almost 5 percent, Watson and Minshew goes up 2% and JBs drops 10%.

 

So, the times when you want a QB to perform at their best, in the 4th qtr or when the team is behind, is when JB plays his worst.

 

[jbaron04]

16 hours ago, DownHillRunner said:

 

 

What we saw from Jacoby this season is who he is. Do you expect him to come into camp a different Quarterback after having the entire offseason to work on being a better Quarterback? I don't! 

I agree 100% we need to move on draft a guy or gauge the qb market for guys like cam or Carr etc... 

[lincolndefan]

19 minutes ago, Coffeedrinker said:

Colts may or may not have won the game if JB had not been injured, but Hoyer actually came in and immediately threw a TD to Doyle.  It was the next drive, that Hoyer drove the Colts downfield and in a position to go up double digits when he threw the pick 6.

A few things.  Why is it that anyone that does not think JB is a good starting QB they are labeled a JB hater?  Personally, I like JB a lot but I don't think he's a good QB.  Additionally, JB lost as many games for the Colts as he won this year.  The Denver play was the play of the year for him and that was great.  But fumbling the ball away against Jax when the Colts were down by 4, is all on him.

So it's the fault of the rest of the team when the Colts lost? JB needs to be able to close out games as well.  I was comparing some stats of all the AFC South QBs, Tannehill, Watson, JB and Minshew.

 

JB is the only QB in the AFC South to throw for fewer TDs in the 2nd half than the 1st half.

JB is the only QB in the AFC South to throw for fewer 1st downs in the 2nd half than he did in the 1st half.

JB and Minshew are the only QBs to have a worst completion percentage in the 2nd half

JB is the only QB in the AFC South whose completion percentage drops when the Colts are trailing vs when the game is tied (All QBs in the AFC south have their highest completion percentage when their team is winning).  When comparing completion percentage when tied to completion percentage when trailing, tannehill's goes up almost 5 percent, Watson and Minshew goes up 2% and JBs drops 10%.

 

So, the times when you want a QB to perform at their best, in the 4th qtr or when the team is behind, is when JB plays his worst.

The man can't perform under pressure! I've said this before. The more pressure he puts on his self the worse he gets. Anybody can see this if only they would remove their JB rose colored glasses. Yet, I'm labeled as a JB hater. Um, hate goes both ways!!!!!

 

[lollygagger8]

17 hours ago, RollerColt said:

I want a team like the Vikings, who have a punishing defense and a big play offense. That’s a team that can beat anybody. 

 

I still get ill seeing Xavier Rhodes play on the Vikings. He has been a great pick. 

 

I was SO sure that Griggles was going to pick him I almost threw up when they called out those words....Bjorn Werner. 

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

On 1/5/2020 at 3:47 PM, aaron11 said:

i dont think it is, we would need a pretty amazing team to win a sb with jacoby

 

probably easier to find a better qb

who?

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

On 1/6/2020 at 9:35 AM, jbaron04 said:

I agree 100% we need to move on draft a guy or gauge the qb market for guys like cam or Carr etc... 

no elite qbs in this class better to get a proven talent

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

On 1/5/2020 at 11:04 PM, Orioles22 said:

Reaching for a quarterback and drafting a running back when we have Mack would give us the worst draft in the league. We need a defensive tackle and either a receiver or offensive tackle.

many qbs drafted in the first are busts in the nfl

[Thunderbolt]

Tannehill is in the playoffs and beat a team that Luck couldn't beat. JB and the Colts are home for the holidays.

[Thunderbolt]

That's why Ballard needs to do his due diligence and focus on a QB and an RB.

[EastStreet]

8 minutes ago, Thunderbolt said:

Tannehill is in the playoffs and beat a team that Luck couldn't beat. JB and the Colts are home for the holidays.

Tannehill has a top 10 QBR, He's no slouch this year, and playing above game manager level.

5 minutes ago, Thunderbolt said:

That's why Ballard needs to do his due diligence and focus on a QB and an RB.

We have a top 10 running game and RB.

 

QB and DT.

[EastStreet]

1 hour ago, DEFENSE said:

no elite qbs in this class better to get a proven talent

They said the same thing about many of the QBs that are top 10 in QBR this year... 

[Thunderbolt]

Who are the proven talents? Rivers, Carr, Foles, Flacco just to name a few. All have one  thing in common, all missed the playoffs, hmm.

[WoolMagnet]

On 1/5/2020 at 3:40 PM, pgt_rob said:

Can’t believe I read that we need to build a team like the Titans. No offense, but I think we’re the better team. Just need to make those kicks and stay healthy. 

Yea, Tennessee’s defense doesnt exactly scare me.  NE cant score points.

[Marlboroman]

6 minutes ago, WoolMagnet said:

Yea, Tennessee’s defense doesnt exactly scare me.  NE cant score points.

Agree with you and pgt. I want a Colts team everyone is feared of playing. We had that back in the Peyton Manning days. Peyton surprised teams. Coming out pass 1st every down hurry up offense then opened up the run later in the game with the Edgerrin James. 

[aaron11]

6 hours ago, DEFENSE said:

who?

i like tua in the draft, very good qb that could be available or in trade range.  his college production is light years better than jacobys was and he is pro ready fundamentally  

 

sounds like you have not watched much if you think there are no good qbs in the draft 

[Defjamz26]

On 1/5/2020 at 3:47 PM, Dacoltsboi said:

Yeah no doubt,  i agree with you. Like I said- a few kicks and plays away from 10-6.

You realize the inverse is true as well right? There’s a few of those close wins that could’ve bounced in the favor of the other team. If Mariota makes a better decision towards the end, we lose that first Titans game. If Miller gets the sack on Jacoby we lose the Broncos game.

 

Ballard alluded to this in his presser. He said that even when we were winning he looked at the point differential and thought that are fortunes could easily flip. That’s why you have to be careful playing Devil’s advocate. Remember to do it with the wins the way you do the losses.