Mid Season Coaching Grades - Discussion and Poll

[EastStreet]

Poll questions, but also, what specifically are you happy, or unhappy with. 

 

Save the anecdotal stuff please, Feel free to be negative or positive, but be specific with facts or examples. Facts, stats, examples, film, etc., are your friends.

 

Also, this isn't a safe space, or "keep your head up" thread lol. Save the sunshine pumping, but also please keep it classy.

 

 

[EastStreet]

Voted

D for O Coaching,

C+ for D coaching (we are not utilizing the talent we have)

Let Sirianni call plays

 

Still looking at the play by play from today's game, and will likely post specifics later tonight or tomorrow.

[DougDew]

Facts:  The QB is old, immobile, and has to square up and set his feet to  get any zip on the pass.  The RBs are either inexperienced or are marginal late round talent.  The WRs are mid to late round or waiver wire talent, roll on and off the roster, and scheme can't make up for that.  (The only good one today was the second rounder...golly...what a surprise). The TEs are mid to late round or UDFA talent and the one consistent player has chronic injury issues.

 

The oline seems to have taken a step back, revealing how its not really possible to have a perennially dominating oline in the NFL.

 

Play calling could be better, especially the 4th down play calls since he seems to like to go for them, but the main issue with the Colts offense is not Frank Reich.   Its talent.  Overabundance of talent in less important areas, but woefully poor in most.

[Fat Clemenza]

East Street, I just want to say thank you for the effort, knowledge, and hysteria-free analysis you bring to this board on a near- daily basis. Appreciate you man.

[Malakai432]

I'm pretty unhappy with the coaching however I guess they really don't have much to work with on the offensive side of the ball lol........  That D though, this might be the best Colts D I've ever seen.  Holding the Ravens O to 17 points was huge, scoring 10 however bleah!!!!!

[Mr.Debonair]

My overall feel with the offense is, there are NO playmakers. Might be the least talented WR position wise in the AFC South. I would take every teams WR corps over ours. I would take every teams QB also. I will reserve judgement on Reich with this group of skilled players. 

[indykmj]

12 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Facts:  The QB is old, immobile, and has to square up and set his feet to  get any zip on the pass.  The RBs are either inexperienced or are marginal late round talent.  The WRs are mid to late round or waiver wire talent, roll on and off the roster, and scheme can't make up for that.  (The only good one today was the second rounder...golly...what a surprise). The TEs are mid to late round or UDFA talent and the one consistent player has chronic injury issues.

 

The oline seems to have taken a step back, revealing how its not really possible to have a perennially dominating oline in the NFL.

 

Play calling could be better, especially the 4th down play calls since he seems to like to go for them, but the main issue with the Colts offense is not Frank Reich.   Its talent.  Overabundance of talent in less important areas, but woefully poor in most.

+100

 

But, but,,,they have a great locker room !

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

My biggest disappointment is the inconsistency. When something works on offense we never see it again. Where is the MAC we saw the first three games. Where was the Hines we saw last week. This offense is so vanilla. 

[EastStreet]

22 minutes ago, Fat Clemenza said:

East Street, I just want to say thank you for the effort, knowledge, and hysteria-free analysis you bring to this board on a near- daily basis. Appreciate you man.

I appreciate the appreciation. 

 

Leave the gun. Take the cannoli my friend.

[2006Coltsbestever]

I went C, B+, don't know right now but not really happy.

[coltfaninnewyork]

Reich a C Defense gets a B 

[VaAllDay757]

1 hour ago, EastStreet said:

Voted

D for O Coaching,

C+ for D coaching (we are not utilizing the talent we have)

Let Sirianni call plays

 

Still looking at the play by play from today's game, and will likely post specifics later tonight or tomorrow.

C+ for the number 3 ranked defense? Lol ok

[2006Coltsbestever]

Overall, the team probably deserves a B- because 5-3 is still 5-3 despite your schedule, circumstance, injuries, etc.. 5-3 is above average to good. We will see what we do against Tennessee? A lot of teams would love to be 5-3 at the midway point. 

[Thunderbolt]

HC-play calling, being out coached every time. Inability to put opponents away due to subpar talents.

 

Defensive side- Flus, I would give him a C or C+. Avg to above avg in some games.

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, VaAllDay757 said:

C+ for the number 3 ranked defense? Lol ok

Yeah I had that a B+. Can't go lower than that IMO.

[EastStreet]

3 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

My biggest disappointment is the inconsistency. When something works on offense we never see it again. Where is the MAC we saw the first three games. Where was the Hines we saw last week. This offense is so vanilla. 

Yep, this is a huge issue with Reich. He forgets what works, and gets too stubborn when his game plan isn't working. Those sail routes to Moe that worked so well a few games ago would have been perfect today against their depleted secondary. Instead, they ran Burton on some deeper routes. Wut??

 

And why on earth are you calling a 1st read 50/50 to a guy like Johnson on the sideline in the first place. Number one, he's gimpy with a knee. Second, he's not a "big ups" ladder climber guy in the first place. Third, Johnson is still struggling with routes. It was obvious a few times on sideline throws he was supposed to either run a comeback or back shoulder, but kept going. He's just not that guy. Had no separation today. Give him posts, slants, or digs and drags. 2 catches on 7 targets.... Almost everyone else had a good catch rate. 

 

I started looking at the play by play, and looking at the mix, and I got so frustrated I had to stop... I'll do a little right up tomorrow when I'm less crabby. 

[EastStreet]

9 minutes ago, coltfaninnewyork said:

Not to be a downer but rivers was a underachiever in playoffs in his prime .Did the colts really believe he could take us to the promised land ? until we get more than a stop gap quarterback we will fall short .

meh. You could also say Frank was an under achiever calling plays in SD/LA, and never called plays in Philly. 

[EastStreet]

8 minutes ago, VaAllDay757 said:

C+ for the number 3 ranked defense? Lol ok

We have the 32nd ranked strength of schedule. We've played some horrible Os, with horrible QBs and horrible OLs.

 

We're top 10-15, not top 5. Our run D is very good. Pass D is not near as good as our #5 rating. We made Minshew look like a surgeon due to charmin soft zone. Today we let a 60% QB throw for 82%. Any QB in a dink and dunk scheme eats us up. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

9 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

Yep, this is a huge issue with Reich. He forgets what works, and gets too stubborn when his game plan isn't working. Those sail routes to Moe that worked so well a few games ago would have been perfect today against their depleted secondary. Instead, they ran Burton on some deeper routes. Wut??

 

And why on earth are you calling a 1st read 50/50 to a guy like Johnson on the sideline in the first place. Number one, he's gimpy with a knee. Second, he's not a "big ups" ladder climber guy in the first place. Third, Johnson is still struggling with routes. It was obvious a few times on sideline throws he was supposed to either run a comeback or back shoulder, but kept going. He's just not that guy. Had no separation today. Give him posts, slants, or digs and drags. 2 catches on 7 targets.... Almost everyone else had a good catch rate. 

 

I started looking at the play by play, and looking at the mix, and I got so frustrated I had to stop... I'll do a little right up tomorrow when I'm less crabby. 

Johnson has been a pretty good route runner. Could that have been just bad communication? 

 

Reich is just way to stubborn. I wish he would throw the analytics out and just play simple. He over thinks way to much.

[VaAllDay757]

1 minute ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Yeah I had that a B+. Can't go lower than that IMO.

This is the best defense we had in over 10 year and you give a C+ right now? Lol ok if that's how you feel

[VaAllDay757]

1 minute ago, EastStreet said:

We have the 32nd ranked strength of schedule. We've played some horrible Os, with horrible QBs and horrible OLs.

 

We're top 10-15, not top 5. Our run D is very good. Pass D is not near as good as our #5 rating. We made Minshew look like a surgeon due to charmin soft zone. Today we let a 60% QB throw for 82%. Any QB in a dink and dunk scheme eats us up. 

We don't make our schedule we play who we play rather they're great or not you play to win period....we slowed down the #1 rushing team today if that doesn't say anything....he had to throw it because their running game got bottled up

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, EastStreet said:

Voted

D for O Coaching,

C+ for D coaching (we are not utilizing the talent we have)

Let Sirianni call plays

 

Still looking at the play by play from today's game, and will likely post specifics later tonight or tomorrow.

I was vague earlier so to explain it better:

 

I went C for O Coaching because one game it is good than the next game it is bad, so I went average.

 

I went B+ for D Coaching, we do have the 3rd ranked defense in the league but I couldn't go an A, because some of the adjustments have been questionable.

 

I went - I don't know but not really happy.

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, VaAllDay757 said:

This is the best defense we had in over 10 year and you give a C+ right now? Lol ok if that's how you feel

No I have a B+

[VaAllDay757]

1 minute ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

No I have a B+

Got you

[VaAllDay757]

6 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

We have the 32nd ranked strength of schedule. We've played some horrible Os, with horrible QBs and horrible OLs.

 

We're top 10-15, not top 5. Our run D is very good. Pass D is not near as good as our #5 rating. We made Minshew look like a surgeon due to charmin soft zone. Today we let a 60% QB throw for 82%. Any QB in a dink and dunk scheme eats us up. 

And our pass D is #6 allowing about 62% comp

[2006Coltsbestever]

19 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Overall, the team probably deserves a B- because 5-3 is still 5-3 despite your schedule, circumstance, injuries, etc.. 5-3 is above average to good. We will see what we do against Tennessee? A lot of teams would love to be 5-3 at the midway point. 

I just added this in as my own opinion.

[EastStreet]

1 minute ago, Chloe6124 said:

Johnson has been a pretty good route runner. Could that have been just bad communication? 

He's not a great sideline guy. He's never been that guy. He was filling in for TY today so likely running routes he normally doesn't. 

 

1 minute ago, Chloe6124 said:

 

Reich is just way to stubborn. I wish he would throw the analytics out and just play simple. He over thinks way to much.

I don't think analytics are his problem. Analytics don't tell you to run stuff like Hines up the gut on shard yardage situations lol, or a short and slow TE up the seam.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

11 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

We have the 32nd ranked strength of schedule. We've played some horrible Os, with horrible QBs and horrible OLs.

 

We're top 10-15, not top 5. Our run D is very good. Pass D is not near as good as our #5 rating. We made Minshew look like a surgeon due to charmin soft zone. Today we let a 60% QB throw for 82%. Any QB in a dink and dunk scheme eats us up. 

Just wat until we play the raiders. Lol. Harbaugh made the offensive adjustments when their run game wasn’t working. Reich made no adjustments. It’s like he goes into a game with no plan B.

[EastStreet]

16 minutes ago, VaAllDay757 said:

We don't make our schedule we play who we play rather they're great or not you play to win period....we slowed down the #1 rushing team today if that doesn't say anything....he had to throw it because their running game got bottled up

Don't spin away from simple facts. It's very logical to conclude our high defensive ranking is due in large part to the competition we've played. 6 of the teams we've played are bottom half in the league in passing, include the very bottom 2. We've played zero teams in the top 10.

 

Like I said, our run D is very good. It was last year too. Our pass D is way over rated. And it's simply not effective vs dink and dunk schemes.

[EastStreet]

5 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

Just wat until we play the raiders. Lol. Harbaugh made the offensive adjustments when their run game wasn’t working. Reich made no adjustments. It’s like he goes into a game with no plan B.

He has plan A. When we're getting blown out, or late in the 4th, he goes straight to plan Z.

[EastStreet]

16 minutes ago, VaAllDay757 said:

And our pass D is #6 allowing about 62% comp

And we just gave up 82% to the the 31st ranked passing O.

 

Our 62% is a product of playing bad Os and bad QBs. Zero in the top 10

[VaAllDay757]

3 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

Don't spin away from simple facts. It's very logical to conclude our high defensive ranking is due in large part to the competition we've played. 6 of the teams we've played are bottom half in the league in passing, include the very bottom 2. We've played zero teams in the top 10.

 

Like I said, our run D is very good. It was last year too. Our pass D is way over rated. And it's simply not effective vs dink and dunk schemes.

Spin away? I said we can't control who play on our schedule so you think you would have a better at the defense if all we played was top rank offenses all season long? That's impossible lol so by your logic the steelers defense isn't really number because of the competition they have played lol don't pick and choose on certain things

[VaAllDay757]

Just now, EastStreet said:

And we just gave up 82% to the the 31st ranked passing O.

 

Our 62% is a product of playing bad Os and bad QBs. Zero in the top 10

Ok one game again it doesn't changed what we have done before today's game....I don't care about what the other team has done as long as my colts gets the job done that's all that matters

[SR711]

Went B-, C+ and dont know, but not happy

 

Offensively before we castigate Reich, the injuries to skill position guys needs to be kept in mind.  Coming into this season Mack, Campbell and Hilton figured to arguably be our top playmakers and none of them were on the field today.  Two of those guys have been gone for most of the season.  You add in that the rushing offense has not meshed to anything close to what it was the last two years and we end up relying on a 38 year QB whose best days are behind him.  Hard for Reich to look good calling anything in that scenario.

 

I give the defense a lower grade because they have not had anywhere the loss of key players the offense has and I think our scheme is too inflexible to adjust to what offenses are doing to us at times.  For example, today, during the Ravens 1st 3 drives after halftime, there was zero adjustment schematically to Baltimore opening on 1st down throwing the ball in the intermediate middle zone on those quick one read play actions.  My suspicion is that there was way too easy free access into those areas based on the coverage without any attempt made to jam receivers at LOS or creatively blitz to throw his timing off.    Seen way too much of similar things this year. 

 

As far as dont know not happy, the offense is way too inconsistent and choppy to beat good teams.  We are going to have to play more consistently on this side of ball to have any chance this year.  

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I can’t wait for Ballard’s comments tomorrow. We aren’t as bad as last year on offense but we aren’t good enough on offense to hang with the better teams.

 

Offseason needs to include figuring out the QB. Finding the future left tackle. Then draft a bunch of WR and a TE. We need to keep drafting speed at WR until we get that position figured out.  We can always find cornerbacks on the open market but Rhodes has played well. We need to resign Houston for two more years so we don’t create a hole. Resign Grover. If AQM is s free agent bring him back. Don’t mess with the defense to much. Just get the QB figured out and keep adding skilled players. We really are close. Right now I don’t think Rivers will be back. So it’s Eason and a draft pick to compete for the starting job.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

6 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

And we just gave up 82% to the the 31st ranked passing O.

 

Our 62% is a product of playing bad Os and bad QBs. Zero in the top 10

I don’t care to much about that percentage today holding them to 17 was pretty damn good. This was all about the offense.

[EastStreet]

Just now, VaAllDay757 said:

Spin away? I said we can't control who play on our schedule so you think you would have a better at the defense if all we played was top rank offenses all season long? That's impossible lol so by your logic the steelers defense isn't really number because of the competition they have played lol don't pick and choose on certain things

I'm saying this about coaching. I'm saying the high ranking is a product of playing bad teams, therefore not truly #3. 

 

That is why the D coaching gets a C+ from me. Our blitz % is bottom 10 in the league. We have the talent to be much better and the play calling/scheme/adjustments is holding us back. When we allow poor throwing QBs like Minshew and Jackson to carve us up underneath, there is a very clear failure to adapt. Our passing D fell from #2 to #6 from game 6 to game 7 because we let Stafford go for 300+. We're just lucky Jackson isn't throwing like he did last year.

[EastStreet]

7 minutes ago, VaAllDay757 said:

Ok one game again it doesn't changed what we have done before today's game....I don't care about what the other team has done as long as my colts gets the job done that's all that matters

It's not one game. And again, it's vs bad Os with bad QBs, with bad OLs. 

 

When you say you don't care, you're saying you're simply not interested in looking objectively at the context surrounding our rankings. And that's fine. Just don't be surprised as our D ranking continues to drop as the year progresses. I've predicted we're going to be in the 12 range +/- 4 spots come end of year as we play better Os and better QBs.

[VaAllDay757]

4 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

I'm saying this about coaching. I'm saying the high ranking is a product of playing bad teams, therefore not truly #3. 

 

That is why the D coaching gets a C+ from me. Our blitz % is bottom 10 in the league. We have the talent to be much better and the play calling/scheme/adjustments is holding us back. When we allow poor throwing QBs like Minshew and Jackson to carve us up underneath, there is a very clear failure to adapt. Our passing D fell from #2 to #6 from game 6 to game 7 because we let Stafford go for 300+. We're just lucky Jackson isn't throwing like he did last year.

If the 4 man rush gets to the qb there's no need to blitz alot anyway and we're already known not to blitz alot anyway so I don't know why that would be a surprise anyway....ravens took advantage of our tired defense because the offense didn't do much in the 2nd half....stafford came from garbage time plays the game was practically over he had to throw the ball because their run game was irrelevant 

[EastStreet]

6 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

I don’t care to much about that percentage today holding them to 17 was pretty damn good. This was all about the offense.

We held the run in the 1H which was awesome. I predicted that. We got gashed though with a combination of running and dink/dunk in the 2H. When he started passing well, we all of sudden couldn't stop the run.