Who's To Blame?/What went wrong? (merge)

[stitches]

Just now, SchlicterSZN said:

You lost me on not blaming the D.

I mean... I understand people disliking what the D did... they were not good. But they weren't the primary culprit for that loss. We lost it because we had 3 points until 5 minutes before the end of the game when the Jags started playing the softest of soft prevent. 

[coming on strong]

16 minutes ago, DEFENSE said:

ballard his method of getting talent , and his system of building a playing system is not working

he has had some hits but he missed a lot also on pass rushers and getting weapons . after 5 years defense is middle of the pack  colts have below average  weapons .   kari willis is also really bad in coverage and blackmon might be injury prone .   there are so many holes we cant ignore them because he had a good 2018 and 2020 draft when you only build through the draft you have to hit every year multiple times to keep it going .

[Fisticuffs111]

I think it’s interesting that guys Ballard was rumored to be interested in as coaches were Vrabel and even Dan Campbell.

 

I always felt that he wanted a fiery motivator. Instead we’ve got one of the more even keeled coaches in Reich. There’s something to be said about the lack of fight the past couple weeks.

[Beardog]

16 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

people dont realize the line doesnt magically become horrible in one year .    wentz makes his offensive lines look much worse on simple throws he holds the ball stares down the guys and has a slow release .    the eagles offensive line pass blocking was rated higher than the colts last year but wentz is sacked 40 plus times while rivers is sacked like 17 times .  then wentz comes here and is sacked so much .   its easier to blame the line and wrs who were getting open today .   no one wants to admit when you are in a bad spot a QB

Wentz had a couple decent games this year but I remember thinking don’t take Rivers for granted last year.  They got to the playoffs last year with him and are sitting at home now.  Everyone was obsessed with Wentz last offseason and I’ve never been a fan.  Not saying Rivers is perfect or getting you to the Super Bowl- but bottomline this team has regressed and it’s at QB

 

[bestQBever]

I still can't believe that 3 weeks ago we were thinking of a somewhat possible chance of winning the division and now here we are at with TN at the 1 seed and us out of the playoffs...

[Malakai432]

I'd definitely say everyone, coaching, players, all fronts.  It's not like it was a competative game.  If it was it might be a little bit different of a story but they just flat out got their butts kicked.  

[coming on strong]

1 minute ago, bestQBever said:

I still can't believe that 3 weeks ago we were thinking of a somewhat possible chance of winning the division and now here we are at with TN at the 1 seed and us out of the playoffs...

teams started daring the colts to throw the ball and they cant .  we need a real QB  and we are stuck for another season with wentz at least

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

2 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

he has had some hits but he missed a lot also on pass rushers and getting weapons . after 5 years defense is middle of the pack  colts have below average  weapons .   kari willis is also really bad in coverage and blackmon might be injury prone .   there are so many holes we cant ignore them because he had a good 2018 and 2020 draft when you only build through the draft you have to hit every year multiple times to keep it going .

yes he has had too many misses in the draft

[bluephantom87]

43 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

Reich and Wentz.

Add Ebs too with that VANILLA scheme of his today!!! 10 yd cushions on receivers?!!!! Plus allowing Lawrence to get comfortable and gain confidence EARLY instead of putting the disappointing ROOKIE in headlights like EVERYBODY else has this season!

[Smoke317]

18 minutes ago, DEFENSE said:

ballard kept reich as coach, ballard traded for wentz, ballard has not got us receivers or a pass rush, it falls on ballard

Reich was Irsay’s choice. He couldn’t fire Frank if he wanted to.  Why do you think Irsay extended both last offseason?  To ensure that Ballard would be forced to make it work with Frank no matter what.  Maybe someone else in the organization will be able to convince the owner that something has to change with Frank (be it firing or relinquishing play calling).  But it will be Irsay’s call.  Ballard and the rest of us are stuck with Frank (and unfortunately his QB choice: Wentz). 

[JColts72]

And now; our Indy Colts from 5th seed to out of here.

[tvturner]

I am still waiting for the Fire Ballard crowd to name a worthy replacement.

 

Hell, a replacement at all

[JColts72]

2 minutes ago, bluephantom87 said:

Add Ebs too with that VANILLA scheme of his today!!! 10 yd cushions on receivers?!!!! Plus allowing Lawrence to get comfortable and gain confidence EARLY instead of putting the disappointing ROOKIE in headlights like EVERYBODY else has this season!

All goes to schemes and coaching. 

[coming on strong]

2 minutes ago, DEFENSE said:

yes he has had too many misses in the draft

 every gm hits on draft picks at some point the elite gms build elite rosters.  i cant say this roster is elite with zero pass rush bad pass defense and zero weapons out side of pittman .   nelson was the safest pick in the draft by far its like giving grison credit for drafting luck .    leonard smith taylor and pittman were good picks  but that is 4 hits out 30 plus picks .    it has to be more consistent  guys like rock bobby and willis are so up and down its hard to call them great picks and paris never sees the field .  turray leiws flopped hard  .

[Blueblood23]

52 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

Reich and Wentz.

Don’t forget about the 7 pro bowlers. What did they do today? 

[Jeff Monday]

11 minutes ago, relkins said:

A pic I don't want to see 

After today, it was hard to even type the name in to search for it.

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

8 minutes ago, Beardog said:

Wentz had a couple decent games this year but I remember thinking don’t take Rivers for granted last year.  They got to the playoffs last year with him and are sitting at home now.  Everyone was obsessed with Wentz last offseason and I’ve never been a fan.  Not saying Rivers is perfect or getting you to the Super Bowl- but bottomline this team has regressed and it’s at QB

 

ballard fills the coaching and player positions, it is on him. time to move on from ballard and his method

[Never_Quit]

I blame the Colts organization. That was a complete collapse from top to bottom. Worst performance I've ever seen, and to do that against the worst team in the NFL in a must win game is just inexcusable. 

 

The "best drafting GM in the NFL" has spent 5 premium picks on the D line and we have zero pass rush. Tough to leave that out. 

 

 

[JColts72]

9 minutes ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

I think it’s interesting that guys Ballard was rumored to be interested in as coaches were Vrabel and even Dan Campbell.

 

I always felt that he wanted a fiery motivator. Instead we’ve got one of the more even keeled coaches in Reich. There’s something to be said about the lack of fight the past couple weeks.

Have not such coach since Mora. Jim likes the bland coaches; Dungy, Chuck , Caldwell and Frank.

 

 

[DougDew]

10 minutes ago, IinD said:

No clue who does what, but Reich can't be the play caller next season. I agree though I'd love to know how responsibilities are handed out.

 

Just a disappointing end to the season.

We settled back down to 9-8 and just missing the playoffs.  About where many of us predicted we'd be before the season started, given the talent on the squad.

 

And we achieved that with backups along the way.  So I say it was a good year for Reich.

[JColts72]

1 minute ago, Blueblood23 said:

Don’t forget about the 7 pro bowlers. What did they do today? 

Didn't Leonard promise a shut out? 

[coming on strong]

Just now, Blueblood23 said:

Don’t forget about the 7 pro bowlers. What did they do today? 

pro bowl is a popularity contest colts benefited from being on it . kelly was not a pro bowler buckner got out played by simmons  all year .

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

The whole team and the coaching staff, just a HORRRFIC EFFORT!! 

[JColts72]

Just now, DougDew said:

We settled back down to 9-8 and just missing the playoffs.  About where many of us predicted we'd be before the season started, given the talent on the squad.

 

And we achieved that with backups along the way.  So I say it was a good year for Reich.

Not at all. His coaching cost a few games that should have won.

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

3 minutes ago, Never_Quit said:

I blame the Colts organization. That was a complete collapse from top to bottom. Worst performance I've ever seen, and to do that against the worst team in the NFL in a must win game is just inexcusable. 

 

The "best drafting GM in the NFL" has spent 5 premium picks on the D line and we have zero pass rush. Tough to leave that out. 

 

 

yes he is wiffing big time in the draft

[masterlock]

57 minutes ago, GoatBeard said:

Ultimately, this is on Frank. I feel like he convinced the team they already made the playoffs after that win against the Cards. 

 

This is his football team led by his favorite QB. 

 

There is no excuse for these last 2 games.

Well, we can only speculate as to whether Reich psyched the team into one of the worst playoff losses in recent memory. But what we DO know for sure is that, with the season on the line, Wentz wasn't up to the challenge. Reich made some questionable play calls for sure. And this loss is partly on him. But he didn't make Wentz fumble or miss those throws.

[Numba1Colt]

45 minutes ago, Nesjan3 said:

Team seemed uninspired and unprepared. Have to put that on Frank. Wentz didnt help

there is no explanation for that against a divisional rival where they have lost to on the road for 7 yrs in a row besides...

 

IT'S NFL MANIPULATION

 

i once again see confirmation to my beliefs that late season games are predetermined when the results are needed to get a better storyline for the league

 

BIG BEN'S LAST STAND.... before he loses a playoff game to a better overall team and retires like Brees....

 

 

[DougDew]

4 minutes ago, JColts72 said:

Not at all. His coaching cost a few games that should have won.

There is no way to tell that the thing that he DIDN'T do would have turned out better than the thing he did do.  Its easy to point out when a play doesn't work to list all of the other kinds of plays he should have tried.  Or say that because he doesn't do enough other kinds of plays during a game, it means that calling more different kinds of plays would have produced a better result.

 

He coached backups on an average talented starting roster to a 9-8 record.  A pretty good job.

[coming on strong]

6 minutes ago, Never_Quit said:

I blame the Colts organization. That was a complete collapse from top to bottom. Worst performance I've ever seen, and to do that against the worst team in the NFL in a must win game is just inexcusable. 

 

The "best drafting GM in the NFL" has spent 5 premium picks on the D line and we have zero pass rush. Tough to leave that out. 

 

 

look at the titans gm guy never had a losing season .  they had the most injuries in the nfl lost henry for half the year lost all their starting wrs half of their defense and beat elite teams and have the number 1 seed. they did this  all with a QB who stinks just as much as wentz .   yet ballard is a elite gm somehow i dont get the worship  even grigson never had a losing season they had luck go down for long periods and would win games with back up QB play .  its a win or lose league  i just have a fear the colts will be a 500 team for a couple years and jim will hold on to ballard for far to long .

[Blueblood23]

10 minutes ago, Never_Quit said:

I blame the Colts organization. That was a complete collapse from top to bottom. Worst performance I've ever seen, and to do that against the worst team in the NFL in a must win game is just inexcusable. 

 

The "best drafting GM in the NFL" has spent 5 premium picks on the D line and we have zero pass rush. Tough to leave that out. 

 

 

Ballard has paid a ton of money to keep his own players though. Oh my that doesn’t look so good right now either.

[JColts72]

O line got stomped on badly today; 6 sacks and no running lanes for Taylor. 

[Numba1Colt]

5 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

look at the titans gm guy never had a losing season .  they had the most injuries in the nfl lost henry for half the year lost all their starting wrs half of their defense and beat elite teams and have the number 1 seed. they did this  all with a QB who stinks just as much as wentz .   yet ballard is a elite gm somehow i dont get the worship  even grigson never had a losing season they had luck go down for long periods and would win games with back up QB play .  its a win or lose league  i just have a fear the colts will be a 500 team for a couple years and jim will hold on to ballard for far to long .

Titans QB is LEVELS above Wentz in decision making and going through reads.... scrambling... everything

 

[DoubleE Colt]

If you have a collection of players that can beat the Pats, the Bills, the Cardinals and the 49ers who are all playoff caliber teams but lose their final 2 games with the playoffs on the line and against the worse team in the league then you can't blame anyone but Reich and the coaches. It's obvious they have the players to beat the Raiders and the Jags they just didn't turn up with the right game plan and preparation.

[richard pallo]

Vic Fangio is available now to take over the defense.  Make the change please.

[Patagonia Chris]

1 hour ago, BProland85 said:

Reich and Wentz.

Are you sure? Thought this was a great roster, with a great HC game who values relationships? This organization and fan base don’t know anything about professional football.

[GRUMPY OLD MAN]

24 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

 every gm hits on draft picks at some point the elite gms build elite rosters.  i cant say this roster is elite with zero pass rush bad pass defense and zero weapons out side of pittman .   nelson was the safest pick in the draft by far its like giving grison credit for drafting luck .    leonard smith taylor and pittman were good picks  but that is 4 hits out 30 plus picks .    it has to be more consistent  guys like rock bobby and willis are so up and down its hard to call them great picks and paris never sees the field .  turray leiws flopped hard  .

ballards trade for wentz has set us back for years, time for ballard to go

[JColts72]

More horrible news; Colts are the 1st team since merger; to lose to a 2-14 team with playoffs on line.

[ThorstenDenmark]

 

Wentz tries to get into the playoffs be like Scrat hiding his acorn... just wont ever happen.

[Les Poulains]

Ballard, Wentz, and Reich.

 

It's big picture stuff. Fisher is a flop signing at left tackle, we didn't address receiver or the secondary, the pass rush didn't improve enough given the draft capital spent and Wentz has thus far been a failure. So you have to blame the GM, that's undoubted.

 

Reich is probably most to blame for Wentz because that's his guy. He's hitched his wagon to a loser.

[coming on strong]

4 minutes ago, DEFENSE said:

ballards trade for wentz has set us back for years, time for ballard to go

i always had the feeling ballard was overrated i bought the hype the media was selling .   i dont see it like that anymore ballard nonstop drafted defensive players for 5 years and the defense is average .  the offensive line already had two pro bowl caliber guys ballard just needed to replace the rest .   once AC retired the we see how the line started falling apart , the colts were always banking on AC shutting down the defenses top rusher one on one .  this let the colts line the tight end on bradens side giving him help and making him look better .