Losing Sunday has its advantages

[danlhart87]

Hear me out

 

Making the playoffs is the first choice cause its a whole new ballgame once you get there but a lot of very good players are going top 20.

 

I am afraid being in the 25 onward range we are gonna miss some key opportunities to go out and improve the future of the squad.

 

Losing sucks especially when you have a chance at the playoffs but the Colts would be in a great spot come draft time. 

 

I trust Ballard completely and could see a number of options at 18.

 

He could take best available QB at 18 and prepare him behind Rivers to start in 22 or he could take best available OT DE.

 

He could even do what we expect and trade down with a team desperate for a QB. Saints might come offer good picks to move up. Its looking like Brees doesn't have much left.

 

Just remember in the end after Week 17 no matter the outcome playoffs or not there is always a silver lining. 

 

Look at the glass half full if you will!

[csmopar]

7 minutes ago, danlhart87 said:

Hear me out

 

Making the playoffs is the first choice cause its a whole new ballgame once you get there but a lot of very good players are going top 20.

 

I am afraid being in the 25 onward range we are gonna miss some key opportunities to go out and improve the future of the squad.

 

Losing sucks especially when you have a chance at the playoffs but the Colts would be in a great spot come draft time. 

 

I trust Ballard completely and could see a number of options at 18.

 

He could take best available QB at 18 and prepare him behind Rivers to start in 22 or he could take best available OT DE.

 

He could even do what we expect and trade down with a team desperate for a QB. Saints might come offer good picks to move up. Its looking like Brees doesn't have much left.

 

Just remember in the end after Week 17 no matter the outcome playoffs or not there is always a silver lining. 

 

Look at the glass half full if you will!

We miss the playoffs at 10-6 and this forum will implode. Hell we may not even get in if we win

[danlhart87]

Just now, csmopar said:

We miss the playoffs at 10-6 and this forum will implode. Hell we may not even get in if we win

It will and being upset is fine but 90% of the forum will overreact which is unwarranted 

[indyagent17]

It’s amazing how tightlipped this franchise is about Eason. We didn’t have a preseason or training camp to watch him but you have to wonder if he going to be our next QB or just fade away

[Lancer1]

It's better to make the playoffs and if there is some prospect that we covet in the middle of the 1st Round, we could always trade up for them.

[danlhart87]

1 minute ago, Lancer1 said:

It's better to make the playoffs and if there is some prospect that we covet in the middle of the 1st Round, we could always trade up for them.

Ballard isn't trading up 

2 minutes ago, indyagent17 said:

It’s amazing how tightlipped this franchise is about Eason. We didn’t have a preseason or training camp to watch him but you have to wonder if he going to be our next QB or just fade away

Most likely he will be backup but he might surprise 

[Lancer1]

Just now, indyagent17 said:

It’s amazing how tightlipped this franchise is about Eason. We didn’t have a preseason or training camp to watch him but you have to wonder if he going to be our next QB or just fade away

I think if Philip is brought back and Jacoby isn't, Eason is the #2 all next year and we'd have a pretty good idea if he'll be the guy going forward, or if we should acquire 1 of the numerous QBs that will be available.

[Defjamz26]

At this point the whole thing about having a higher draft pick is getting old. It’s time to start winning games against good teams and making deep playoff runs. 

[TimetobringDfence!]

This team is way too talanted and capable of beating anyone to fold. I rather play with a winning mentality and go for it all than to loose for a better pick.

[CurBeatElite]

2 minutes ago, indyagent17 said:

It’s amazing how tightlipped this franchise is about Eason. We didn’t have a preseason or training camp to watch him but you have to wonder if he going to be our next QB or just fade away

 

The few clips I've read from Ballard, Reich, Sirianni all say they're impressed with the way Eason is developing.  They have said he's shown maturity in the QB room picking the brains of Rivers and Jacoby.

 

The fact that he's been on the 53 man but a healthy scratch all year, to me, says they see something in him.  They obviously don't want to risk putting him on the PS and having him get snagged by another team.  That was pretty much the plan this year anyway.  

 

No clue if he's going to the be answer for our future, but if nothing else, I assume he'll at least be a solid back-up moving forward.  If the FO/coaching staff didn't at least see that in him, I would think they would have sent him to the PS at some point this year.

[danlhart87]

4 minutes ago, TimetobringDfence! said:

This team is way too talanted and capable of beating anyone to fold. I rather play with a winning mentality and go for it all than to loose for a better pick.

By all means try to win but if they miss out thats what I mean in this thread

[CurBeatElite]

1 minute ago, TimetobringDfence! said:

This team is way too talanted and capable of beating anyone to fold. I rather play with a winning mentality and go for it all than to loose for a better pick.

Exactly.. if you're a Jets fan, I could see disappointment in the team losing out on the first overall pick, as at 0-13, obviously the team has no shot and you pretty much have nothing to hope for.  We beat Green Bay who is likely to get the #1 seed in the NFC, we beat the Titans pretty handily the first go-round (when we weren't missing Buckner, Autry, Oke), and we dominated the Steelers who win the AFC North and started the season 11-0 in the first half yesterday.  This Colts team can play with any team in the league if they keep it together for 60 minutes.  IMO, there is no reason to hope we lose when we're knocking on the door to the playoffs and have shown we can play with and beat some of the better teams in the NFL.  If we get to the playoffs, I am fairly hopeful we can make a splash.  I'll be pretty bummed if we don't make the playoffs and in all honesty, having the 18th overall pick vs. an early-mid 20 pick is nowhere near as much of a difference as having the #1 vs. #2 overall pick.  Ideally, we'll be picking 32.

[Colt.45]

Draft talk is for losers. We've been there before. This year we shouldn't be talking about the draft until we're absolutely done.

This is a very good football team right now. 

Whether we pick 18 or 32 shouldn't be the question right now. We will likely make the playoffs, i'd be shocked if we dont'. The only question in my mind is how we hold up when we get there, and if we can finally start playing four quarters of football. 

Draft? Draft? New QB? Save that for the NFC East fans.

[Dingus McGirt]

24 minutes ago, danlhart87 said:

It will and being upset is fine but 90% of the forum will overreact which is unwarranted 

So, sir - you are in the Frank Reich mode of being absolutely stoic...to the point of being robotic?   LOLOL

[danlhart87]

11 minutes ago, CurBeatElite said:

Exactly.. if you're a Jets fan, I could see disappointment in the team losing out on the first overall pick, as at 0-13, obviously the team has no shot and you pretty much have nothing to hope for.  We beat Green Bay who is likely to get the #1 seed in the NFC, we beat the Titans pretty handily the first go-round (when we weren't missing Buckner, Autry, Oke), and we dominated the Steelers who win the AFC North and started the season 11-0 in the first half yesterday.  This Colts team can play with any team in the league if they keep it together for 60 minutes.  IMO, there is no reason to hope we lose when we're knocking on the door to the playoffs and have shown we can play with and beat some of the better teams in the NFL.  If we get to the playoffs, I am fairly hopeful we can make a splash.  I'll be pretty bummed if we don't make the playoffs and in all honesty, having the 18th overall pick vs. an early-mid 20 pick is nowhere near as much of a difference as having the #1 vs. #2 overall pick.  Ideally, we'll be picking 32.

Jets had # 1 pick for 13 weeks and the media was clamoring for Lawrence and saying get rid of Darnold. Now they lost out on TL and are now saying take Sewell or trade down.

 

Maybe Darnold deserves another shot lol

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

24 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

At this point the whole thing about having a higher draft pick is getting old. It’s time to start winning games against good teams and making deep playoff runs. 

even high draft picks are not a sure playmaker, the only season that counts is this one, the future is now

[coltfaninnewyork]

If we do not make the playoffs the season was disastrous ,nothing will be positive IMO 

[danlhart87]

15 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

So, sir - you are in the Frank Reich mode of being absolutely stoic...to the point of being robotic?   LOLOL

Most posters will make fire Ballard and Reich threads which would be s bit much. 

 

I could tolerate losing Reich but firing Ballard wouldn't be the best idea!

Just now, danlhart87 said:

Most posters will make fire Ballard and Reich threads which would be s bit much. 

 

I could tolerate losing Reich but firing Ballard wouldn't be the best idea!

Plus to add on to this if fired who do the Colts go after?

[John Hammonds]

38 minutes ago, Lancer1 said:

I think if Philip is brought back and Jacoby isn't, Eason is the #2 all next year and we'd have a pretty good idea if he'll be the guy going forward, or if we should acquire 1 of the numerous QBs that will be available.

I see CB going with a combination of a veteran QB and Eason next year.  But which veteran QB?  Despite the recent loss, I think that Rivers has played well enough that he deserves to be in the conversation.  (Put it this way, would we even have 10 wins if JB was starting?)  But there's also Wentz, who is much younger than Rivers, and has also worked with Reich previously.  Wentz still has talent, when he has pass protection and time.  But he's also an injury risk.  And he's gonna have to build rapport with our WR's all over again, just like Rivers had to.  It's gonna be a hard decision.  The hardest of the off season.

[Btown_Colt]

1 hour ago, danlhart87 said:

Hear me out

 

Making the playoffs is the first choice cause its a whole new ballgame once you get there but a lot of very good players are going top 20.

 

I am afraid being in the 25 onward range we are gonna miss some key opportunities to go out and improve the future of the squad.

 

Losing sucks especially when you have a chance at the playoffs but the Colts would be in a great spot come draft time. 

 

I trust Ballard completely and could see a number of options at 18.

 

He could take best available QB at 18 and prepare him behind Rivers to start in 22 or he could take best available OT DE.

 

He could even do what we expect and trade down with a team desperate for a QB. Saints might come offer good picks to move up. Its looking like Brees doesn't have much left.

 

Just remember in the end after Week 17 no matter the outcome playoffs or not there is always a silver lining. 

 

Look at the glass half full if you will!

Yea, no sorry, it doesn’t work that way. I bet if you poll the Colts front office, not 1 person would say there was an advantage to losing that game the way they did, or any game for that matter. 
 

The point of the draft is adding players so your team can win. If your always positioning yourself for the draft, what’s the point of the game or seeing how good you are at finding talent? If the players isn’t very good, oh well, you’ll most likely be drafting higher next year? 

[danlhart87]

14 minutes ago, John Hammonds said:

I see CB going with a combination of a veteran QB and Eason next year.  But which veteran QB?  Despite the recent loss, I think that Rivers has played well enough that he deserves to be in the conversation.  (Put it this way, would we even have 10 wins if JB was starting?)  But there's also Wentz, who is much younger than Rivers, and has also worked with Reich previously.  Wentz still has talent, when he has pass protection and time.  But he's also an injury risk.  And he's gonna have to build rapport with our WR's all over again, just like Rivers had to.  It's gonna be a hard decision.  The hardest of the off season.

Said it before and will again the only veteran (If Rivers retires)I want probably won't be available 

 

 

 

[danlhart87]

9 minutes ago, Btown_Colt said:

Yea, no sorry, it doesn’t work that way. I bet if you poll the Colts front office, not 1 person would say there was an advantage to losing that game the way they did, or any game for that matter. 
 

The point of the draft is adding players so your team can win. If your always positioning yourself for the draft, what’s the point of the game or seeing how good you are at finding talent? If the players isn’t very good, oh well, you’ll most likely be drafting higher next year? 

Again don't lose on purpose but the silver lining is getting a higher pick

 

It sucks being eliminated but Ballard could do some work at 18!

[danlhart87]

1 minute ago, danlhart87 said:

Said it before and will again the only veteran (If Rivers retires)I want probably won't be available 

 

 

 

So just to follow up more

I don't want 

Wentz

Carr

Stafford 

Prescott 

Darnold

Etc...

 

None of them but Rodgers is worth the price of losing high picks 

[AlanNC]

Since the game has been moved to 4:25 Sunday,  we will know if we are in or out of the playoffs.  If all the teams win that we need to lose why not play Eason?  They can see what they have or need to draft a QB.

[CoachLite]

Now, if we just lose again this Sunday everyone can relax until next year. DWS (dripping with sarcasm)

[danlhart87]

7 minutes ago, AlanNC said:

Since the game has been moved to 4:25 Sunday,  we will know if we are in or out of the playoffs.  If all the teams win that we need to lose why not play Eason?  They can see what they have or need to draft a QB.

We play same time as Titans who could lose so you play to win the South

[CurBeatElite]

4 hours ago, danlhart87 said:

Jets had # 1 pick for 13 weeks and the media was clamoring for Lawrence and saying get rid of Darnold. Now they lost out on TL and are now saying take Sewell or trade down.

 

Maybe Darnold deserves another shot lol

 

Maybe Darnold does deserve another shot.  He probably does.

 

Doesn't really apply here, though.  Even if the Jets had the #1 pick, and wanted to give Darnold another shot, they could have traded back and got very well compensated with more draft picks and still gotten Sewell. 

 

The haven't had a shot at the playoffs, mathematically, since about week 8 or 9.  In that case, I can see the idea of playing backups, seeing what you have, not worrying about winning, etc.

 

We are still mathematically in the playoff hunt and we have a shot at making a run if we do make the playoffs.  There's no reason right now to be thinking we'll be better off if we lose and get the 18th pick in the draft.  The only way to think, as a Colts fan right now, is we need to win next week and hope for some help to get us into the playoffs.  Once we get there, we should be rooting for them to advance every week.  

 

It is 100% a loser's mentality to think we're better off losing next week and getting the 18th draft pick, rather than winning next week and hoping we get the 32nd draft pick.  It seems like your original post suggests we'll be better off losing and missing the playoffs than going to the dance.  That's the stance a weak fan would take, if you ask me.

[danlhart87]

5 minutes ago, CurBeatElite said:

 

Maybe Darnold does deserve another shot.  He probably does.

 

Doesn't really apply here, though.  Even if the Jets had the #1 pick, and wanted to give Darnold another shot, they could have traded back and got very well compensated with more draft picks and still gotten Sewell. 

 

The haven't had a shot at the playoffs, mathematically, since about week 8 or 9.  In that case, I can see the idea of playing backups, seeing what you have, not worrying about winning, etc.

 

We are still mathematically in the playoff hunt and we have a shot at making a run if we do make the playoffs.  There's no reason right now to be thinking we'll be better off if we lose and get the 18th pick in the draft.  The only way to think, as a Colts fan right now, is we need to win next week and hope for some help to get us into the playoffs.  Once we get there, we should be rooting for them to advance every week.  

 

It is 100% a loser's mentality to think we're better off losing next week and getting the 18th draft pick, rather than winning next week and hoping we get the 32nd draft pick.  It seems like your original post suggests we'll be better off losing and missing the playoffs than going to the dance.  That's the stance a weak fan would take, if you ask me.

Most people will overreact if Colts miss playoffs. I see the glass half full no matter what. 

[GoColts8818]

6 hours ago, indyagent17 said:

It’s amazing how tightlipped this franchise is about Eason. We didn’t have a preseason or training camp to watch him but you have to wonder if he going to be our next QB or just fade away

Why show your hand before you have too?

[ReMeDy]

This team is built to win. Anything less than the playoffs will be a huge disappointment. We didn't sign Phillip Rivers so we could watch the playoffs from our couches while he babysits his 9,000 kids.

[GoColts8818]

1 hour ago, danlhart87 said:

Most people will overreact if Colts miss playoffs. I see the glass half full no matter what. 

Oh I can hear now if the Colts go 11-5 and miss the playoffs become just the third team to do so people are going to ignore that that matches the best season any Indianapolis Colts coach has had without a guy named Peyton Manning under center and that they missed the playoffs in fluky year and want Reich fired.  Rivers is going to have to go even though he was major reason the win total had improved by four games over last year.  They had better fire Ballard because he wasn’t perfect as General Manger and had some misses.  The nerve!  Heck even Irsay better sell the team I mean after all one lousy Super Bowl win as Owner he’s clearly the worst owner and sports.  Also did you know we are going to have play Lawerence twice a year for the next 20 years!  Better just fold the franchise...

[GoColts8818]

5 minutes ago, ReMeDy said:

This team is built to win. Anything less than the playoffs will be a huge disappointment. We didn't sign Phillip Rivers so we could watch the playoffs from our couches while he babysits his 9,000 kids.

If they go 11-5 and miss the playoffs or even 10-6 and miss them that’s not the same as going say 7-9 or 8-8 and missing the playoffs.  That’s being the odd team out when just about any other year your in if not hosting a playoff game, heck the year the Falcons went to the Super Bowl they got a bye at 11-5.  So people are going to have to look at things beyond they just missed the playoffs that means signing Rivers was a failure.  If I had told people last year they would sign Rivers and go 11-5 people would have been going where do I sign up for that?  It’s a fluky year.  Like Frank said today this is still a good team regardless of what happens.  Would it be disappointing to miss the playoffs? Without question.  However they aren’t the Texans who imploded after going all in by trading away all their picks.  

[IinD]

Only way to win a SB is too get to the playoffs. Anything can happen at that point.

 

Draft is way too much of a crap shoot, I'm shocked how fixated legions of fans are when it comes to the draft. I feel if you're not getting one of the top handful of blue chip guys, it's all a crapshoot anyway.

 

Draft 5th and many will say we missed out on the top talent, same argument every few slots after that. Coulda had this guy at 12, but we drafted 15th. 

 

So many can't miss guys on the streets right now and buried on depth charts.

 

Get to the playoffs as often as you can in the hopes of a SB eventually.

 

It's like some people forget we wait 9 months for a new season every year. When it's here I want to see more than 16 games if possible.

 

Colts are getting in Sunday, it's our late Christmas gift.. Hopefully...

[funktacious2]

I mean... I don't WANT to think about losing but imagining being 10-6 and getting the 18th pick but then Washington goes 7-9 and gets like the 22 pick or something definitely brings a smile to my face. xD

[Dingus McGirt]

11 hours ago, danlhart87 said:

Most posters will make fire Ballard and Reich threads which would be s bit much. 

 

I could tolerate losing Reich but firing Ballard wouldn't be the best idea!

Plus to add on to this if fired who do the Colts go after?

Definitely not moving away from Ballard.  Don't want to "fire Frank."  Just believe he needs to be the head coach - and not the offensive play caller. 

[coltsfeva]

  I know people are frustrated with how the Colts had a meltdown Sunday.

   But what I saw in the first half was a team that dominated; a QB that was accurate; (hitting receivers in stride), a running game that was efficient, a special teams that was solid and a defense that was capable of stopping the opponent.

   Granted, Pittsburg looked inept, pathetic at times but the point is, this Colts team does have the ability to be competitive and if they can put together 60 minute games and play their best, they can go far into the playoffs.

    As Tom Moore once said; “football is a game of players and players make plays”. We’ve got some playmakers on this team.        Maybe they’ll learn a lesson from the Pittsburg game, that every game is 60 minutes and a good first half means nothing if you don’t finish strong. 
     Unfortunately, they’ve put themselves in a situation where they need help. On the other hand, they still have to win, no matter what happens at 1:00. 
      I trust Ballard to draft well and perhaps even find a gem in a very unusual year. 

[Dingus McGirt]

1 minute ago, coltsfeva said:

  I know people are frustrated with how the Colts had a meltdown Sunday.

   But what I saw in the first half was a team that dominated; a QB that was accurate; (hitting receivers in stride), a running game that was efficient, a special teams that was solid and a defense that was capable of stopping the opponent.

   Granted, Pittsburg looked inept, pathetic at times but the point is, this Colts team does have the ability to be competitive and if they can put together 60 minute games and play their best, they can go far into the playoffs.

    As Tom Moore once said; “football is a game of players and players make plays”. We’ve got some playmakers on this team.        Maybe they’ll learn a lesson from the Pittsburg game, that every game is 60 minutes and a good first half means nothing if you don’t finish strong. 
     Unfortunately, they’ve put themselves in a situation where they need help. On the other hand, they still have to win, no matter what happens at 1:00. 
      I trust Ballard to draft well and perhaps even find a gem in a very unusual year. 

The game is now at 4:25.  :^)

[Dingus McGirt]

8 hours ago, AlanNC said:

Since the game has been moved to 4:25 Sunday,  we will know if we are in or out of the playoffs.  If all the teams win that we need to lose why not play Eason?  They can see what they have or need to draft a QB.

Eason will likely be inactive...again.

[coltsfeva]

Just now, Dingus McGirt said:

Definitely not moving away from Ballard.  Don't want to "fire Frank."  Just believe he needs to be the head coach - and not the offensive play caller. 

  It’s interesting how bad execution can turn into bad “play calling”. A tackle misses a block or a receiver drops a ball and we automatically blame Reich for his play calling. Are there things he would have done differently, having the benefit of a “20-20” perspective? No doubt. But lack of execution plays into our “assessment” of how good a play caller he is.

[Myles]

15 minutes ago, coltsfeva said:

  It’s interesting how bad execution can turn into bad “play calling”. A tackle misses a block or a receiver drops a ball and we automatically blame Reich for his play calling. Are there things he would have done differently, having the benefit of a “20-20” perspective? No doubt. But lack of execution plays into our “assessment” of how good a play caller he is.

There can be bad execution on bad play calls.  Going away from the running game was a bad idea.  Going to the soft zone coverage was a bad idea.