Positives To Not Having Peyton Anymore

[PreManningColtsFan]

I do disagree with number 10, I dont want to see Luck have to run alot although its gonna happen for a while at least no doubt, but at least we know he can

I agree, BUT.......I don't know how old you are or if you are old enough to remember Elway in the 80's. He had an enormous gun and threw a ton of bombs scrambling out of the pocket or running for first downs early in his career. Ironically, many comparisons are being made to Elway and Luck. They both went to Stanford and both will likely be drafted by the Colts. I say we get this Stanford stud and I hope he's as good as Elway was and I'd love it if his game mirrored Elways. Elway in his early years was a blast to watch. He always extended a play with his arm, legs or a combination of the two.

[Gavin]

Mike Vick can do those things too.. Would he be an upgrade to our previous QB??

well considering Mike Vick is still more of a scrambler even though he has had some success passing late in his career of course hes not an upgrade, Vick still cant read the defense like Manning or Luck and of course Luck and Manning have been more consistent with their decision making in regards to QB play and Luck has the benefit of age, Vick was expected to be more of a scrambler coming out of college and lived up to it, while Im typing this I am wondering what Vick has to do with anything, bottom line Vicks natural instinct was to run, can he throw? sure but not like Peyton or alot of other top quarterbacks, Id rather have Vick throwing then running but thats obvious, Comparing Luck and Vick is like apples to oranges, Luck looks to pass first. Vick has always been naturally scramble first with inconsistent results when trying to be a pass first quarterback

[I_Bleed_Blue]

Peyton was good and everything but was criminally overrated in Indy, I'm glad the franchise is going in a new direction and starting fresh.

[Fx Stryker]

We stopped running the stretch play because Joe wasn't successful like Edge. That is where Edge excelled. Joe did better looking for holes. I don't know where this "Peyton is slow so we didn't run the stretch" came from. It's simply not true.

Also the "38 milliion" in dead cap money is going to be gone for 4 years. After his rookie contract Irsay will spout Andrew is going to be the highest player. Count on it.

[jjcolts]

Two post - I am excited about this franchise's future. How lucky are we as fans to get Manning in 98, then Luck right after.

Second - I liked the post and the tongue in cheek humor in it..until the OP called "pre-manning" fans "Punks."

LISTEN OP - that was an ignorant statement - fans becomes fans at certain times of their lives. Peyton brought a lot of young fans to this team who are not only Manning fans, but are Colts fans and FOOTBALL fans. So essentially a fan is a "pre-something" fans.

Those bandwagon fans are the ones who helped built LOS stadium......

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can embrace the future without tarnishing the past.

[Warhorse]

1) We no longer have to debate about resting our starters in the early part of December. We can expect to see our starters giving their all each and every week.

I personally have never had an issue with resting starters. The league clamping down on year long practicing should help this though.

2a) We can expect a much more spirited and competitive pre-season. Not because our philosophy of player evaluation will necessarily change, but I believe we will have much more balanced team talent wise and not have fat cats at the top sucking all our cap money leaving us with a dramatic drop in talent to fill special teams and non-skill positions.

I don't understand this correlation at all.

2b) After we get rid of the $38mm in dead money this year, we will have some serious doe rae me to sign some talent at much needed areas and become a deep and talented football team.

We'll have to wait and see if we're better after we respend the $38 Mil.

4) With all rebuilding, we will have a new brand of Colts football that is looking more and more like it's built by solid O line combined with a fullback, that's right a fullback with the horseshoe on their helmet, and a 3-4 scheme.

If that is how we're built, it will be a fresh change. However, days of 5 TD's in a game will be far lass common.

5) No more Polian speak.

Grigson has a long ways to go to learn as much as Bill P has forgotten. I haven't seen any sign that Grigs will be more forthcoming, but that would be nice.

6) A coach that will show different emotions where our previous coach showed the same whether we just advanced to the super bowl over the Jets or got thumped by the Saints by 50 points.

Wins cure everything. Losses bring attention to things like facial expressions.

7) The potential of having another QB wearing the #12 that is better than any other QB wearing the same # in the league.

It may be because of timing as well, but I get your angle and I like it.

8) No more Peyton happy feat

Sorry, but this coincides with "No PM in the pocket" and so.......it loses.

9) The joy in winning as the underdog always outweighs the satisfaction from winning as the favorite

I agree in principle, but I think it is more that winning is enjoyed less when it becomes commonplace.

10) A scrambling QB and a possible return of the stretch play.

All excited about this one.

[subvet]

Peyton was good and everything but was criminally overrated in Indy, I'm glad the franchise is going in a new direction and starting fresh.

He rewrote the record books, guided his team to more wins in a decade than any other in history, guaranteed Hall of Fame, and when the Colts released him 12 teams made him the most sought after free agent ever so how is he "criminally overrated?"

Puh-leeeeze!

[ruksak]

Peyton was good and everything but was criminally overrated in Indy, I'm glad the franchise is going in a new direction and starting fresh.

[Quantum88]

Some 13-14 teams reportedly pursued Manning, and many stopped in their tracks. 3 teams put themselves in jeopardy of losing their starting QB in order to pursue Manning, as well as delaying their FA pursuit just in case. These teams were willing to kill their cap space to acquire #18. Denver tossed their young hero Tebow onto the nearest bus to NY to make room for #18.

I think he's quite highly rated outside of Indy.

Not sure how many stopped in their tracks. Peyton told most of them he wasn't interested in them.

OP forgot nostalgia as one postive. As Colts fans we will get a return to the mediocrity that we endured for years after the Colts moved to Indy.

As far as a coach showing emotion, we may be welcoming back the great games we endured under Jim Mora.

[KarlKuffs]

Maybe our new qb will be better than 9-10 with an 88.4 qb rating and 7 first round flameouts in the postseason?

[jjcolts]

Peyton was good and everything but was criminally overrated in Indy, I'm glad the franchise is going in a new direction and starting fresh.

I realize I have not caught on fast enough to some of the humor...so not sure if this is a joke or not.

[Fx Stryker]

Maybe our new qb will be better than 9-10 with an 88.4 qb rating and 7 first round flameouts in the postseason?

Who says we even make the playoffs?

[ruksak]

Not sure how many stopped in their tracks.

5 to my knowledge.

[chad72]

To me, the positive is purely monetary, short term, till our rookie QB's rookie contract runs out . When Brady was playing on his initial 6 yr. $60 mil. contract (ironically same as Brees' first contract with the Saints), there was enough money that was spread wisely among talent on all sides of the ball thus giving the Pats SBs and the Saints a SB.

With or without Peyton, if the money that is available is wisely spent with good evaluation of talent on both sides of the ball, without overpaying average or above average players, then the chances of the team making noise in the playoffs increases, IMO.

Tailoring the playbook, tailoring the practices, tailoring the offense, tailoring the defense based on the offense were mainly front office and coaching choices that could ALL have been done differently with forethought. So, it is shortsighted to blame those exclusively on Peyton. The Pats still went out and tailored their D to not preserve a lead but to stop offenses, they tailored their O-line not just to pass but also run when they had to, they tailored their ST not to get through games without blunders but to make plays, and there in lies the difference, between two teams with equally elite QBs, IMO. Whether it is a positive or negative, not having Peyton exposed those incorrect philosophies that we could learn from.

The lack of Peyton disadvantage at QB can only be overcome if Luck gets at least close to Peyton's level. If not, all positives, monetary and personnel wise will not matter. Gone are the days when a team can win with Mr. Dilfer as QB. Franchise QBs like Brady, Peyton, Rodgers, Eli, Brees do not grow on trees, and Luck, and only Luck, is the key piece to us overcoming what every franchise struggles with, finding that elite franchise QB for a decade.

I am optimistic, are you?

[KarlKuffs]

Who says we even make the playoffs?

You don't think we'll ever make the playoffs if Andrew Luck is our qb for, say, the next 10 years?

[Fx Stryker]

You don't think we'll ever make the playoffs if Andrew Luck is our qb for, say, the next 10 years?

Good QBs get stuck on bad teams. Bad QB bring down good teams. Nothing is guaranteed so there is a chance we don't see the playoffs for many years.

[Turftoe]

I really enjoyed the: "we will have some serious doe rae me" part - both for it's humor and the opportunity to add some serious talent vis Free Agency.

[KarlKuffs]

Good QBs get stuck on bad teams. Bad QB bring down good teams. Nothing is guaranteed so there is a chance we don't see the playoffs for many years.

Yep, there's a chance of that, just like there's a chance of him outperforming Peyton Manning's mediocre at best career playoff production and record.

[Fx Stryker]

Yep, there's a chance of that, just like there's a chance of him outperforming Peyton Manning's mediocre at best career playoff production and record.

His "mediocre playoff career" is still better that pretty boy Toms.

[KarlKuffs]

His "mediocre playoff career" is still better that pretty boy Toms.

Is it?

[Fx Stryker]

Is it?

At an individual level, yes. No doubt the Patriots had more success, but Peyton out did Tom.

[oldunclemark]

We dont have to worry about AFC Colts playoff games being held at the same time as Indiana basketball...

(maybe Yogi Ferrell can be the new Peyton?)

[atapcl]

There are 3 positives from not having Peyton that I can see: 1. We lose the humongous salary that can be used to build up the defense. 2. We did not know how healthy Peyton was going to be this year and going forward. 3. We have the ability to draft a QB of excellent potential. But these positives aside I love Peyton. Johnny U was my hero and I wanted Peyton to win at least as many championships as Johnny U won with the Colts (3).

[oldunclemark]

There are 3 positives from not having Peyton that I can see: 1. We lose the humongous salary that can be used to build up the defense. 2. We did not know how healthy Peyton was going to be this year and going forward. 3. We have the ability to draft a QB of excellent potential. But these positives aside I love Peyton. Johnny U was my hero and I wanted Peyton to win at least as many championships as Johnny U won with the Colts (3).

..and we dont have to watch Saturday Night Live as much..

[subvet]

..and we dont have to watch Saturday Night Live as much..

I'm pretty sure he'll be back on SNL making comments about the Colts and Broncos, of course that's only if he does well in Denver....which if healthy he will.

[oldunclemark]

I'm pretty sure he'll be back on SNL making comments about the Colts and Broncos, of course that's only if he does well in Denver....which if healthy he will.

They wont want him without Eli now... :whatever:

[hope4luck12]

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers wear #12

[BProland85]

Biggest positive to not having Peyton....We save TONS of money that can be used to surround this team with talent and depth, something we've lacked.

I really see us looking like the Ravens in a few years, but with a MUCH better QB.

[unitaswestand]

Ok you are a brave person because I figured you would get butchered on this post. But I like what you have done and said.

For me, the biggest advantage is hopefully a more balanced team. I love the 12 wins every year, but we essentially had about 8 players who were really good and then a bunch of guys who were mediocre. Very top heavy team. I like how Grigson is picking up mid level free agents who could be solid and don't cost that much. I really think of it like an NFL version of Money Ball. Instead of having 8 guys who make all the money, why not have 20 that make mid level money?

Secondly, the end of that freaking Tampa-2 defense. I know that doesn't have anything to do with Manning being here or not, but I just can't wait to see something different.

I think the Colts, with Luck, have a chance to win more titles than Manning got. The reason being is that Grigson was a lineman, values them, and will build inside out. NE shows you can have a good offensive line and mediocre receivers and get to the SB. I think Grigson is going to mirror that.

[sb2001]

Ok, now that the dust has settled, the range of emotions have subsided and the tears have dried from our eyes, it's time to focus on the upside of what is being called a 2-3 year rebuild of our franchise. I say this somewhat tongue in cheek, but here we go with my top 10:

1) We no longer have to debate about resting our starters in the early part of December. We can expect to see our starters giving their all each and every week.

2a) We can expect a much more spirited and competitive pre-season. Not because our philosophy of player evaluation will necessarily change, but I believe we will have much more balanced team talent wise and not have fat cats at the top sucking all our cap money leaving us with a dramatic drop in talent to fill special teams and non-skill positions.

2b) After we get rid of the $38mm in dead money this year, we will have some serious doe rae me to sign some talent at much needed areas and become a deep and talented football team.

4) With all rebuilding, we will have a new brand of Colts football that is looking more and more like it's built by solid O line combined with a fullback, that's right a fullback with the horseshoe on their helmet, and a 3-4 scheme.

5) No more Polian speak.

6) A coach that will show different emotions where our previous coach showed the same whether we just advanced to the super bowl over the Jets or got thumped by the Saints by 50 points.

7) The potential of having another QB wearing the #12 that is better than any other QB wearing the same # in the league.

8) No more Peyton happy feat

9) The joy in winning as the underdog always outweighs the satisfaction from winning as the favorite

10) A scrambling QB and a possible return of the stretch play.

I'll miss Peyton and I can only hope that when he retires, he does it next to Irsay and I can't wait to go to Canton to see him join the HOF. Go Horse!

PreManningColtsFan

#7 .......... really? You had to go there?

[Quantum88]

Biggest positive to not having Peyton....We save TONS of money that can be used to surround this team with talent and depth, something we've lacked.

I really see us looking like the Ravens in a few years, but with a MUCH better QB.

Man - the Ravens! How many Super Bowls have they been to in the past 10 years? Do you hope to duplicate that feat?

[KarlKuffs]

Man - the Ravens! How many Super Bowls have they been to in the past 10 years? Do you hope to duplicate that feat?

I for one would love to be like the Ravens except with a better qb, which is what SuperbowlorBust85 said.

[Quantum88]

I for one would love to be like the Ravens except with a better qb, which is what SuperbowlorBust85 said.

I would rather be like the Colts of 1999 - 2010 - been to two Super Bowls and one one of them.

[southwest1]

1) We no longer have to debate about resting our starters in the early part of December. We can expect to see our starters giving their all each and every week.

This is strictly a coaching decision. Peyton had zero control over this reality. Are you telling me #18 got complacent? I don't think so...

2a) We can expect a much more spirited and competitive pre-season. Not because our philosophy of player evaluation will necessarily change, but I believe we will have much more balanced team talent wise and not have fat cats at the top sucking all our cap money leaving us with a dramatic drop in talent to fill special teams and non-skill positions.

Salary never serves as a benchmark for talent & speed to the football. Experience matters. Youth is fleeting & comes with an onslaught of awareness & maturity problems on average.

2b) After we get rid of the $38mm in dead money this year, we will have some serious doe rae me to sign some talent at much needed areas and become a deep and talented football team.

This point has legitimate validity to it. Channeling cap funds into much better player financial numbers for a franchise.

4) With all rebuilding, we will have a new brand of Colts football that is looking more and more like it's built by solid O line combined with a fullback, that's right a fullback with the horseshoe on their helmet, and a 3-4 scheme.

Yes, acquiring power pigs in the trenches on both the online & defensive lines is a much needed improvement along with coaches who teach the value of hand, leg, arm, & feet movement. It's all about leverage & the lowest man always wins.

5) No more Polian speak.

Bill Polian's problem is not his media double speak. It's his annual failure to address offensive line weaknesses, defensive line issues, running back weaknesses, & allowing multiple player contracts to expire at the same time. Polian singlehandedly destroyed our cap for decades.

6) A coach that will show different emotions where our previous coach showed the same whether we just advanced to the super bowl over the Jets or got thumped by the Saints by 50 points.

Another valid point here. Caldwell's real problem stemmed from a failure to grasp situational football & he took way too long to make player changes. See Curtis Painter. How is Peyton responsible for this?

7) The potential of having another QB wearing the #12 that is better than any other QB wearing the same # in the league.

The Luck vs. Brady rivalry will never match the Manning Vs. Brady rivalry in a million years okay.

8) No more Peyton happy feat

Peyton is constantly scanning the field, manipulating safeties, looking for the slightest crack in the secondary. Velocity & accuracy on the ball always derive from the feet, hips, & lower body. No Happy Feet at all here.

9) The joy in winning as the underdog always outweighs the satisfaction from winning as the favorite

Personally I love leads because the pass rushers get to pin their ears back, reek havoc, & eat QBs for dinner.

10) A scrambling QB and a possible return of the stretch play.

The best QBs in this league are pure pocket passers not scramblers...Manning, Brady, Brees, & Rogers only move when the pocket breaks down, implodes, & they have no other choice.

[BProland85]

Man - the Ravens! How many Super Bowls have they been to in the past 10 years? Do you hope to duplicate that feat?

I said but with a BETTER QB. That means we will have a better offense than the Ravens have had. Luck is WAY better than Flacco.

[PreManningColtsFan]

Two post - I am excited about this franchise's future. How lucky are we as fans to get Manning in 98, then Luck right after.

Second - I liked the post and the tongue in cheek humor in it..until the OP called "pre-manning" fans "Punks."

LISTEN OP - that was an ignorant statement - fans becomes fans at certain times of their lives. Peyton brought a lot of young fans to this team who are not only Manning fans, but are Colts fans and FOOTBALL fans. So essentially a fan is a "pre-something" fans.

Those bandwagon fans are the ones who helped built LOS stadium......

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can embrace the future without tarnishing the past.

Let me clarify my "punks" reference. This references the fans who will bail on this club now that 18 is gone. No question PM did inmeasurable good things for this franchise, including growing the fan base. As a fan that grew up going to Colts games in a 3/4 full dome and was only full when a well traveled opposing team's fan base came to play, I can fully appreciate a sold out LOS complete with Blue jerseys. What I can't appreciate is fans bailing on the Colts now that PM is gone. These fans aren't Colts fans. Their spoiled rotten fans who are loyal to a player, not a franchise, and are the same fan who maintained the "there's always next year" montra in all the years we crashed and burned in the playoffs as they never experienced the misery that existed prior to PM getting to Indy. I get it. I understand it. But my member name is as much about being a colts fan before the greatest QB of all time arrived in Indy as it is about still being a huge fan now that he's gone. I bleed blue for the horseshoe. Anyway, don't take offense chief. If you are still a fan with PM gone, then great. If you are one of the bandwagon fans who is bailing and/or trashing the Colts now that 18 is gone, then the punk reference applies.

[PreManningColtsFan]

Maybe our new qb will be better than 9-10 with an 88.4 qb rating and 7 first round flameouts in the postseason?

[FireJimCaldwell]

Embarrassing.

[dgambill]

Look any list is laughable about us being better without Peyton. Might as well be a David Letterman top 10. Just remember if Luck is as good as you think he is going to be...he will have a 4 year rookie contract that means by year 3 we will be signing him to a long term LUCRATIVE contract just as big as Peyton's and you can kiss all that money goodbye. Sure he is younger and will hopefully lead us back to the playoffs but the teams that are in contention year after year like NE, PITT, NO, NY, and GB all have qbs signed to huge contracts just like Peyton was. They were still able to build championship caliber teams around them just as we did around Peyton. I see nothing positive about losing Peyton Manning from this team. We could have kept both he and Luck or traded the pick and used those draft picks in return to build around Peyton. There are many variables and I simply don't see any of them that makes us better without Peyton.

[dgambill]

Let me clarify my "punks" reference. This references the fans who will bail on this club now that 18 is gone. No question PM did inmeasurable good things for this franchise, including growing the fan base. As a fan that grew up going to Colts games in a 3/4 full dome and was only full when a well traveled opposing team's fan base came to play, I can fully appreciate a sold out LOS complete with Blue jerseys. What I can't appreciate is fans bailing on the Colts now that PM is gone. These fans aren't Colts fans. Their spoiled rotten fans who are loyal to a player, not a franchise, and are the same fan who maintained the "there's always next year" montra in all the years we crashed and burned in the playoffs as they never experienced the misery that existed prior to PM getting to Indy. I get it. I understand it. But my member name is as much about being a colts fan before the greatest QB of all time arrived in Indy as it is about still being a huge fan now that he's gone. I bleed blue for the horseshoe. Anyway, don't take offense chief. If you are still a fan with PM gone, then great. If you are one of the bandwagon fans who is bailing and/or trashing the Colts now that 18 is gone, then the punk reference applies.

Well bandwaggon fans or not without them we could likely say that Indy wouldn't still have a team. No franchise in as small a market as Indy can survive without all types of fans. Hopefully those Peyton fans will still feel some loyalty and spend money and root for the franchise but who knows. Its really easy for people to sit here and scream their "fandom" and question others. I am a huge Colts fan ever since they came to Indy. My whole family is Bears fans. Only when we got Peyton did they become fans and likely will stop now unless the Colts give them a reason to root for them. Its hard for those fans to root for a team that turned its back on the very reason they have been successful for the last dozen years. The very reason they even made the playoffs. Sorry he could only carry the team that far! When all parts worked together they got to two super bowls. Anyways...I have been a Colts fan since they arrived in Indy and as a young kid that was all I knew but as a loyal die hard fan I also feel it is my right to absolutely rip them when I am upset and hurt by a decision they made. That is my right and many people on this forum felt the same way. Made them no less loyal. It was the team that wasn't loyal to Peyton not the other way around so many people didn't like that. Now I am very grateful and respectful of all our fans..the hardcore and the casual...and I don't get off on telling people they are not as good a fan as I am like some. My point is just be careful who you perhaps are targeting because some of those fans that are truely upset with the Colts right now are just as loyal as you. They just speak their displeasure. It is kinda like being patriotic...sometimes you have to speak out and stand up to the govt to be truely patriotic if you feel it is in the best interest of the country....or this case the team.