Honest Question.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I really hope they turn it around. So far after the long wait because of covid it’s been pretty disappointing. Then you think if next year and how uncertain things will be with another new QB. I just don’t want to go into next season with another stop gap QB. It would sure be nice to know we have at least a guy we can think of as the future. It may not work but we really need some stability at that position.

[Nesjan3]

I think if the price tag wasn't so high and we didn't have a coach wearing blinders it would be a hard yes. Unfortunately those two things will likely keep him in their till the end.

[JR Indy]

It depends, if they continue to have QB1 play like that and we continue to lose-YES. If he can play good enough to win games No. 

A Luck really destroyed this franchise for the foreseeable future with that decision last year. Coaches and front office people normally lose their jobs over that one. And strange enough they are still paying the guy.

If or when they make that move we might as well kiss this season good bye. Because that move tears a locker room down quickly.

[Colt.45]

3 minutes ago, chickenMan said:

No, I actually think you’re being quite realistic. Looking at the positives, Rivers was under duress all day because Reich refused to give Clark any help against Garrett. I believe at least one of Rivers’ INTs came as he was being pressured by Garrett. If we can help Rivers with play calling and get the run game going, we will do better on O. While we have struggled in the Red Zone, we haven’t struggled moving the ball as much as last year.

 

Also, I think the OL is playing fine with run blocking, JT is just a rookie who’s still developing his vision. Part of why our run game was so good last year was because Mack has incredible vision, which JT is still developing.

True. The Browns saw the backup LT and did to him exactly what elite D-Lines do to backups, they ate his lunch and dinner. We loved it when Dru Samia was victimized by #99. Honestly I've seen clips were they double or even tripled Garrett. The guy was a problem.

 

You're right, O-line isn't playing the worst in the league however it is merely league average by most metrics which isn't what is needed of it. Mack (for me) is the biggest loss this team has right now followed by Pittman then Parris. The O-line play was better last year but Mack was also a crucial part of that, the dude was/is a very good player. The plus side is JT does seem to be improving game by game.

 

The fact is, Cleveland threw their haymaker, the Colts offense wasn't at the races YET the loss was by 9 points....the Niners lost by 100 to the Dolphins and have paid their young star QB and have a superb running game and one of the best coaches in the league. Things can be much worse. 

[BigO]

Rivers won't be benched (1) Because Frank is very stubborn and loyal we saw that with Adam last year. (2) 25 million dollar contract. (3) If they would bench him it would make management look bad because they all agreed he could still play at a high level especially Frank!

[Colt.45]

1 minute ago, BigO said:

Rivers won't be benched (1) Because Frank is very stubborn and loyal we saw that with Adam last year. (2) 25 million dollar contract. (3) If they would bench him it would make management look bad because they all agreed he could still play at a high level especially Frank!

 

No, he won't get benched because he's the best QB on the team. 

Contract has nothing to do with anything, you've seen Ballard cut his losses several times already, what makes you think he wouldn't do that now? The management want to win games far more than you do.

 

 

[Fisticuffs111]

Like this thread is evident of, not everybody is calling for Rivers head. As is with most extreme opinions, it’s a vocal minority...and Twitter fans.

 

Anyways, I think most of us know, regardless of what we think of Rivers (I think he’s pretty much toast), at least one of two things: #1. Rivers gives us the best chance to win right now (even with diminished arm talent) And/or #2. Reich’s not going to bench him.

[onebad150]

2 hours ago, Colt.45 said:

 

I'll give you AV. The others are simply emotional responses that don't have any factual foundation.

JB was starter because last year he was the Colts best QB. We all saw Hoyer and hope never to see him again. Chad Kelly? Well the less said the better.

 

Rivers? You want to bench him 5 games in? For who exactly? 

Rivers locks on to his intended receiver before ball is hiked, he has more interceptions than TD,s  and he does not get ball out fast. This is not an emotional response, just my observations from watching the games

[Colt.45]

2 minutes ago, onebad150 said:

Rivers locks on to his intended receiver before ball is hiked, he has more interceptions than TD,s  and he does not get ball out fast. This is not an emotional response, just my observations from watching the games

Maybe it is not emotional but it's not based on fact. His time to throw is top 3/5 in the current season (at least in the stats before the CLV game). Brissett was constantly in the bottom of that stat last year. If there's one argument you definitely shouldn't make, it's saying that Rivers doesn't get the ball out fast....that is simply untrue.

[Four2itus]

5 hours ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Reich seems heavily on the stubborn side and only recognizes mistakes when it's too late to recover. 

Ya, I'm going to disagree with this take

Another coach, in another state, would have already cut bait and gone to Eason. 

Strawman logic

There's a military technique of reinforcing success and cutting failure off, while exploiting weakness in the opponent.  The Colts never heard of such organizational flexibility and agility.

Last time I checked, they have an ex-Marine on their staff.

Ah well, we're on to 2021.

I'm right here, enjoying the NFL. 

 

[indyagent17]

I think its quite possible that if we are getting blown out you could see Brisette or Eason

[pacolts56]

If and when we are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.... which I don’t think will happen.... then and only then should Reich consider a switch to Eason.

 

Not a minute sooner.

[Four2itus]

43 minutes ago, pacolts56 said:

If and when we are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.... which I don’t think will happen.... then and only then should Reich consider a switch to Eason.

 

Not a minute sooner.

Perfectly said.

[DontEverGiveUp]

By the logic and knee-jerk reaction some of you are expressing, Brady and Brees should also be benched now.  Should also bench Wentz, Cousins, and Murray too.  Oh, and Josh Allen cost the Bills the game last night with his multiple INTs, might as well bench him too.

 

Surely Chad Kelly will be the starting QB for somebody next week.

[DontEverGiveUp]

6 hours ago, Bolts2Colts said:

Rivers almost never gets blown out. He can keep it close and exciting. Unfortunately it always makes him the scapegoat when they lose close games. As Zak Keefer said “We lost by 9 points and Rivers cost us 9 therefore it’s all his fault!”  Never mind the mistakes by the rest of the team.  Hines fair catching on 4 is just one example. Why isn’t he getting reamed by media? 

This is a great point.

 

In comparison, Rivers' old team has gone 0-4 with their star rookie QB, and the reaction is the exact opposite.  That is despite the fact that Herbert had at least 1 turnover in every game until this past Monday.  He's also had 3 chances at a game winning drive and came up short each time.

 

Herbert has looked great, so don't take my comment the wrong way, but for years the media blamed pretty much every Chargers loss on Rivers, even if he did everything possible to win.  

 

It's just funny to me how quickly the narrative in LA changed once Rivers left.  That roster used to be "loaded" with a "great coach".  Now people are saying Herbert is surrounded by trash and his coach is on the hot seat.

 

Colts need to get to 4-2 this weekend, and then the mouth-breathers will go away for at least a couple weeks...until we lose again.

[crazycolt1]

6 hours ago, BigO said:

Rivers won't be benched (1) Because Frank is very stubborn and loyal we saw that with Adam last year. (2) 25 million dollar contract. (3) If they would bench him it would make management look bad because they all agreed he could still play at a high level especially Frank!

I don't think the management looking bad has anything to do with anything.

Frank is coaching for his job. He is starting every player he thinks gives up the best chance to win. 

Management brought in a few kickers last season to replace Adam but none of them did till McLaughlin was available. 

So saying Frank was stubborn with Adam is wrong. 

[IinD]

No I don't think so. Of it did I think only in December if it's a total train wreck like a 3-10 record type deal.

We don't even know if Eason is any good, he could be 100% not ready and terrible at this point.

 

I'll be praying nightly for that next stud QB though.. Lol

[Coltsman1788]

Barring injury...Reich will ride Rivers until his arm falls off. We might see more random plays inserted featuring Jacoby though if the Colts continue their struggles in the red zone. Eason will stay on the sidelines with clipboard in hand and head phones on.  

[HectorRoberts]

I’ve never been big on the Chad Kelly train but I really think we should bring him back and use him on trick plays and red zone plays similar to how the saints use hill. Rivers is just so slow and 1 dimensional where Kelly would give us the opportunity to scramble for the touchdown if our receivers are totally covered instead of kicking field goals. To clarify I don’t think we need to bench Rivers but I think we just need to bring in Kelly or some other mobile qb to give us another weapon.

[crazycolt1]

6 hours ago, HectorRoberts said:

I’ve never been big on the Chad Kelly train but I really think we should bring him back and use him on trick plays and red zone plays similar to how the saints use hill. Rivers is just so slow and 1 dimensional where Kelly would give us the opportunity to scramble for the touchdown if our receivers are totally covered instead of kicking field goals. To clarify I don’t think we need to bench Rivers but I think we just need to bring in Kelly or some other mobile qb to give us another weapon.

Ask yourself this question.

If the Colts or any other team even thought that Kelly brought any game to the NFL why hasn't one team even shown an interest? 

 

[BigO]

21 hours ago, Colt.45 said:

 

No, he won't get benched because he's the best QB on the team. 

Contract has nothing to do with anything, you've seen Ballard cut his losses several times already, what makes you think he wouldn't do that now? The management want to win games far more than you do.

 

 

Give me an example where they signed somebody for 25 million and cut them after 5 games. Frank praised Rivers before they signed him saying that he watched every throw from last year and that he thought he was still good and then management signed him for 25 mil. and then New England signs Cam for 1 million. Would not reflect well on Frank if they made a change after 5 games. And as far as management wanting to win more than I do I have been a fan over 50 years and I think I have the right to express my opinions

[Colt.45]

3 hours ago, BigO said:

Give me an example where they signed somebody for 25 million and cut them after 5 games. Frank praised Rivers before they signed him saying that he watched every throw from last year and that he thought he was still good and then management signed him for 25 mil. and then New England signs Cam for 1 million. Would not reflect well on Frank if they made a change after 5 games. And as far as management wanting to win more than I do I have been a fan over 50 years and I think I have the right to express my opinions

This is a strawman. 

You're assuming the people who paid the money have a problem with the player. They don't He's the best QB on the team, the rest of the points are moot.

If he was detrimental to winning, they'd bench him, 25M or not. Something folks tend to forget is these guys want to win VERY much. 

[BigO]

13 minutes ago, Colt.45 said:

This is a strawman. 

You're assuming the people who paid the money have a problem with the player. They don't He's the best QB on the team, the rest of the points are moot.

If he was detrimental to winning, they'd bench him, 25M or not. Something folks tend to forget is these guys want to win VERY much. 

So are you saying he is not detrimental to winning with 4 td's and 5 interceptions. I am just saying it was a bad decision to sign him. . I said that at the beginning of the season. Sometimes management does make bad decisions and Frank was the one that wanted him and their was better options like Cam Newton at the beginning of the season. Of course everybody wants to win especially when your job depends on it.

[HectorRoberts]

7 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

Ask yourself this question.

If the Colts or any other team even thought that Kelly brought any game to the NFL why hasn't one team even shown an interest? 

 

I’m not saying Kelly specifically but a mobile available qb and Kelly is the only one that comes to mind.

[NewColtsFan]

On 10/14/2020 at 7:09 AM, Colt.45 said:

 

Reich was extremely stubborn with Vinatieri. The guy was clearly washed or struggling with injury, that was a mistake not bringing someone in earlier. 

 

This case is different though. One they chose Rivers as their option then his success was couched on certain things. Everyone assumed a great running game would be there, the best O-line in the league, a superb young opportunistic defense was hoped for, wideouts would bounce back. He'd take the chances that Brissett didn't. Now tell me, how much of those pluses have been present?

 

On the flip side, Rivers was known for risky play occasionally, it was known that he might struggle in shootouts and force things. It was known that arm strength was an issue. It was known that if the team was leaning too heavily on him then it'd be bad. Is any of that a surprise?

 

Honestly if we look at how things are, Rivers has been EXACTLY what we expected, go read the articles written about how this could go. He is better than Brissett. No question.

 

You mention another coach bringing in Eason. Please show me which coach has done anything remotely close to that. The Eason you crave is a fiction of your imagination not based on anything factual. When Mahomes was backing up Smith, there were constant leaks about how SUPERB he was in practice, there was talk about how the Chiefs definitely needed to move from Smith because this kid they drafted had abilities that Smith couldn't dream of. Even with all that, they only moved on from Smith AFTER the season.

 

Rivers isn't getting benched, and that is 100% the right decision. Bringing Rivers in was questionable, he wasn't my choice but deed is done, he's the Colts most-ready QB. 

 

Onto the other things you brought up

I don’t know why posters keep putting this on Reich?   The decision also involved Ballard as well.  He had input too. 
 

And they said all year long, that they brought in other kickers for tryouts all the time and AV won every challenge.   Most posters here refuse to accept it.  Par for the course around here. 

[DougDew]

On 10/14/2020 at 7:15 AM, BleedBlue4Shoe86 said:

Okay, so everyone says the sky is falling and that Rivers is horrible and we need to put in JB or Eason or trade for a Darnold or Ryan or Haskins. So my honest question is do we really see Reich and Ballard benching Rivers at all this season. I was listening to Kevin Bowen and he put the percent chance of a benching AT SOME POINT THIS SEASON, at 20%. So simple question, honestly, do we bench Rivers at some point this season. 

No chance he is benched for performance.  That ship has sailed with JB being on the field only in case of injury to Rivers or in case of a blowout.

 

Any trade for Darnold would not be about this season.  Takes too long to get up to speed with the playbook.  He would not be more efficient than Rivers this year, IMO.  Darnold's value is that of an insurance policy in case Eason is slow to progress, or as a direct competitor to Eason.  A trade for Darnold is about next season and beyond, not this season.

 

IMO, any trade for a QB would have to involve moving JB, because we can't simply add a QB and have 4 on the roster.  That actually hurts the team by having to jettison a position player.

 

Frankly, having Darnold on the roster next year along with Eason sounds like a good thing to me.

[DougDew]

18 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

I don’t know why posters keep putting this on Reich?   The decision also involved Ballard as well.  He had input too. 
 

And they said all year long, that they brought in other kickers for tryouts all the time and AV won every challenge.   Most posters here refuse to accept it.  Par for the course around here. 

You've been around long enough to know that this forum chooses an annual whipping boy to pile on.  This year, it looks like its shaping up to be Reich.  And Rivers too.

[Colt.45]

42 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

I don’t know why posters keep putting this on Reich?   The decision also involved Ballard as well.  He had input too. 
 

And they said all year long, that they brought in other kickers for tryouts all the time and AV won every challenge.   Most posters here refuse to accept it.  Par for the course around here. 

 Great point. That wasn't just Frank Reich. 

[Bert Johns]

Between Chris Ballard and Frank Reich they are not going to sit Rivers and admit to a $25,000,000 mistake. They could of let Brissett play for one more season at his $21,000,000 contract and then moved on if he didn't pan out. Yes he didn't through the ball down field much but neither does Rivers. Rivers turns the ball over more then Brissett. They also never put Chad Kelly in a game either to see what the kid had in him. I'll say it like Allen Iverson said practice you talking bout practice. The only way you can tell what someone has is shoot live bullets at them. Just a saying meaning live game action. Coaches are not willing to take risks due to job security. Frank is known for playing it close to the vest and it's a shame. Roll the darn dice and see what you get. Yes they are 3-2 but the offence is not getting it done. The defence is carrying this team right now. Brissett had a winning record till he had that knee injury and went south from there.

[Four2itus]

27 minutes ago, Bert Johns said:

Roll the darn dice and see what you get.

Seriously, if the coach was to put a rookie QB in over a 17 year vet and a 3 year vet who was just replaced....and that player got hurt and put on the IR, it would simply be the destruction of a 3 and 2 team only 1/4 of the way in. At that point you can't just go back to the other QB. You would lose the locker room. Decisions like that are only made in desperation......like being 11-1 and out of the playoffs. 

 

Just because fans feel desperate, does not, thank goodness, mean that the Colts staff feels desperate. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

No, I dont.

But if his play becomes so bad they have to, they will invent a injury to not embarrass him and themselves for signing him.

[danlhart87]

3 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

No, I dont.

But if his play becomes so bad they have to, they will invent a injury to not embarrass him and themselves for signing him.

Invent an injury?

 

 

[PrideOfAthens17]

You're all going to make fun of me for this, which is quite alright, by the way, but what I've seen from this team so far has me even more firmly believing they can still finish 12 - 4. They may not, of course, but this team is extremely talented. Even against the best teams they'll play, they'll be in every game because of that talent.

 

And the one thing that has my confidence increasing is that they have a number of these talented guys getting better each week. Plus they've done all they've done so far with far from complete rosters due to a higher than normal number of missed snaps/games to injury. If that moves in the direction of more complete rosters as the season continues, this is going to be about as complete a team as there is in the league.

 

That's what I see, anyway. Now commence the poking fun of me .

[crazycolt1]

8 hours ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

No, I dont.

But if his play becomes so bad they have to, they will invent a injury to not embarrass him and themselves for signing him.

[crazycolt1]

8 hours ago, PrideOfAthens17 said:

You're all going to make fun of me for this, which is quite alright, by the way, but what I've seen from this team so far has me even more firmly believing they can still finish 12 - 4. They may not, of course, but this team is extremely talented. Even against the best teams they'll play, they'll be in every game because of that talent.

 

And the one thing that has my confidence increasing is that they have a number of these talented guys getting better each week. Plus they've done all they've done so far with far from complete rosters due to a higher than normal number of missed snaps/games to injury. If that moves in the direction of more complete rosters as the season continues, this is going to be about as complete a team as there is in the league.

 

That's what I see, anyway. Now commence the poking fun of me .

I will not poke fun at you for being optimistic. 

[colts8718]

On 10/14/2020 at 9:03 AM, Mitch Connors said:

 

Thinking the exact same thing. Everyone on the planet knew there was a better option than Vinny last year but they stuck with him anyway. Theres no better option for Rivers.

Adam cost at least 3 or 4 games last year 

[2006Coltsbestever]

9 hours ago, PrideOfAthens17 said:

You're all going to make fun of me for this, which is quite alright, by the way, but what I've seen from this team so far has me even more firmly believing they can still finish 12 - 4. They may not, of course, but this team is extremely talented. Even against the best teams they'll play, they'll be in every game because of that talent.

 

And the one thing that has my confidence increasing is that they have a number of these talented guys getting better each week. Plus they've done all they've done so far with far from complete rosters due to a higher than normal number of missed snaps/games to injury. If that moves in the direction of more complete rosters as the season continues, this is going to be about as complete a team as there is in the league.

 

That's what I see, anyway. Now commence the poking fun of me .

I think 10-6 is still very achievable, we need to win the next 2 games though because we are better than those teams (Bengals/Lions). After a loss some just do this , a win today and everything will be calm.

[BleedBlue4Shoe86]

Another great question is what if the Colts do continue to win... but they do it in spite of Rivers. Like for example, the Colts might be 5-2 after the next 2 games but what if Rivers has a stat line that shows more interceptions than touchdowns. Would you continue to ride him or make a move. 

[CoachLite]

I'm just here for the snarky comments.

[2006Coltsbestever]

8 minutes ago, BleedBlue4Shoe86 said:

Another great question is what if the Colts do continue to win... but they do it in spite of Rivers. Like for example, the Colts might be 5-2 after the next 2 games but what if Rivers has a stat line that shows more interceptions than touchdowns. Would you continue to ride him or make a move. 

As long as we win that is the only thing that matters. When we got to 5-2 with JB I was happy, we were winning. The wheels came off last year but I think our team is better this year.