Where has Ballard been??

[lollygagger8]

It's kind of disturbing how little Chris Ballard has been available/talking to the media. 

 

Over the years as GM, he's been on a lot of talk shows, done lots of pressers, and this year (and last) he's been a ghost. 

 

He's also pretty much left Frank out on his own with this whole QB change. 

[chad72]

He has left the others out to dry. Maybe he knows he’s on his way out as well as Reich is. Just speculating, of course.  

[krunk]

I dont recall him doing a bunch of talking during the season. Thats usually during the offseason. Theres usually a couple points during the season when he speaks. He will eventually im sure.

[MPStack]

[Patrick Miller]

[OffensivelyPC]

He's not on the way out.  He's made some mistakes, like not finding suitable long term replacements at LT, knowing Castanzo verbally was nearing retirement, missing on several DL, and I'm still out on whether he's addressed the WR position, although Alec Pierce seems to be coming along nicely and will be a good longer term answer, apparently economically wasting JT's best years cuz we probably don't sign him to a second contract.  Then of course there's the QB assembly line recycling older QBs.  

 

But I think Reich is not the QB whisperer we once thought of him before he arrived.  And I think he's more of the problem we're running into.  He abandons the run WAAY to early.  His challenges are often just throwing the red flag at critical moments hoping for the best wihtout any regard to how bad the challenge looks on film.  It feels like no matter how we look one week, we come out completely flat the next and look just unprepared and outcoached.

 

Luck retiring obviously kicked off the QB circus.  He got average at best production out of JB which that was probably all you could really expect, but by the time opponents figured out he rarely ever threw downfield, they started lining up in the box and JB still wouldn't push up the field and we finished the season like 2-7 or something and missed the playoffs.  Rivers was are best start to the season under Frank and while Rivers couldn't throw the ball nearly as far as he had in the past, he was still able to challenge coverage and we got put out by an up and coming Bills team in a close game.  Bummer, but that was the most acceptable season in the Ballard/Reich era after Luck.  Wentz and Ryan were obviously not getting it done.  But the slow starts have been a staple except the Rivers year.  Putting us in a massive hole to start the season off.  That's coaching.  

 

You can blame it on "oh new QB every year."  And part of that is true, but for 1 or 2 games games, maybe.  You cant start the season behind the 8 ball and go 1-4 like under Wentz or 1-2-1 under Ryan and say, "eh a couple of plays go our way and its a winning record.  Particularly after we've proven we can start off 5-2 (I think, under both JB and Rivers).  No, coming out unprepared is the bigger culprit and that's a Frank Reich problem.

[Nickster]

[RollerColt]

[coming on strong]

With Alex pierce and woods looking very good I changed my mind on Ballard .  Paye also was on pace for 10 sacks before being injured . The team has talent at wr now and pass rush .    
 

Ballards issues now are the left tackle and guard .  The line would look good with two new starters . 
 

we also could use another corner or two . I don’t think the team overall is that bad . We played with a horrible Qb and averaged 13 points a game and are still 3 -3 . This tells me the team has talent 

[gspdx]

2 minutes ago, coming on strong said:

With Alex pierce and woods looking very good I changed my mind on Ballard .  Paye also was on pace for 10 sacks before being injured . The team has talent at wr now and pass rush .    
 

Ballards issues now are the left tackle and guard .  The line would look good with two new starters . 
 

we also could use another corner or two . I don’t think the team overall is that bad . We played with a horrible Qb and averaged 13 points a game and are still 3 -3 . This tells me the team has talent 

 

Might need a QB too. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I think it’s ridiculous Reich is out there taking blame for some of Ballard’s mistakes.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 hour ago, krunk said:

I dont recall him doing a bunch of talking during the season. Thats usually during the offseason. Theres usually a couple points during the season when he speaks. He will eventually im sure.

He usually does a couple during the season but I think what has happened last few days he needs to show his face. Take some responsibility for the oline ect. Not leave your coach out to dry.

[Shive]

22 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

One of my all-time favorite gifs.

[Shadow_Creek]

[gspdx]

Working on his resume...

[LJpalmbeacher2]

2 hours ago, lollygagger8 said:

It's kind of disturbing how little Chris Ballard has been available/talking to the media. 

 

Over the years as GM, he's been on a lot of talk shows, done lots of pressers, and this year (and last) he's been a ghost. 

 

He's also pretty much left Frank out on his own with this whole QB change. 

 

He obviously going to the same place in season now  as he does every off season, especially when the Top FA period starts. Lol. 

 

Wherever he goes, he certainly is eating well....he's been putting on the lbs..

[csmopar]

2 hours ago, lollygagger8 said:

It's kind of disturbing how little Chris Ballard has been available/talking to the media. 

 

Over the years as GM, he's been on a lot of talk shows, done lots of pressers, and this year (and last) he's been a ghost. 

 

He's also pretty much left Frank out on his own with this whole QB change. 

During the season, he rarely talks. Ever. Most I’ve seen is twice per season. 
 

then if you notice, Riech disappears in the off-season and Ballard does majority of the media.. 

 

 

nothing to see here

[Shive]

2 hours ago, lollygagger8 said:

It's kind of disturbing how little Chris Ballard has been available/talking to the media. 

 

Over the years as GM, he's been on a lot of talk shows, done lots of pressers, and this year (and last) he's been a ghost. 

 

He's also pretty much left Frank out on his own with this whole QB change. 

He did quarterly press conferences in his first couple of years, but has only been doing a presser at the halfway mark and end of season more recently. I don't think he's trying to hide. He just doesn't come out and do press conferences willy nilly. I get that people think that with the decision to bench Ryan that Ballard should come out and say something, but if nothing else, Ballard has proven that he doesn't change his processes just because people want him to. I expect to see him in a few weeks for the mid-season presser, but that's it.

[lollygagger8]

[Colt Overseas]

I think Ballard will be given a shot by Irsay to draft a QB (assuming Elhinger doesn't work out). That would constitute as Ballard's last chance.   

[DougDew]

I'd like to hear him do a Dan Dakich interview soon.

[MPStack]

2 minutes ago, Colt Overseas said:

I think Ballard will be given a shot by Irsay to draft a QB (assuming Elhinger doesn't work out). That would constitute as Ballard's last chance.   

[MPStack]

8 minutes ago, Colt Overseas said:

I think Ballard will be given a shot by Irsay to draft a QB (assuming Elhinger doesn't work out). That would constitute as Ballard's last chance.   

So, now the owner is actually the GM. 
 

Irsay: Chris get a QB or else, because this is your last chance.

 

Ballard: Yes Sir. I know I’m on a thin lease, but it was Grigson, Frank and Andrew’s fault.

[PRnum1]

[BeanDiasucci]

1 hour ago, OffensivelyPC said:

He's not on the way out.  He's made some mistakes, like not finding suitable long term replacements at LT, knowing Castanzo verbally was nearing retirement, missing on several DL, and I'm still out on whether he's addressed the WR position, although Alec Pierce seems to be coming along nicely and will be a good longer term answer, apparently economically wasting JT's best years cuz we probably don't sign him to a second contract.  Then of course there's the QB assembly line recycling older QBs.  

 

But I think Reich is not the QB whisperer we once thought of him before he arrived.  And I think he's more of the problem we're running into.  He abandons the run WAAY to early.  His challenges are often just throwing the red flag at critical moments hoping for the best wihtout any regard to how bad the challenge looks on film.  It feels like no matter how we look one week, we come out completely flat the next and look just unprepared and outcoached.

 

Luck retiring obviously kicked off the QB circus.  He got average at best production out of JB which that was probably all you could really expect, but by the time opponents figured out he rarely ever threw downfield, they started lining up in the box and JB still wouldn't push up the field and we finished the season like 2-7 or something and missed the playoffs.  Rivers was are best start to the season under Frank and while Rivers couldn't throw the ball nearly as far as he had in the past, he was still able to challenge coverage and we got put out by an up and coming Bills team in a close game.  Bummer, but that was the most acceptable season in the Ballard/Reich era after Luck.  Wentz and Ryan were obviously not getting it done.  But the slow starts have been a staple except the Rivers year.  Putting us in a massive hole to start the season off.  That's coaching.  

 

You can blame it on "oh new QB every year."  And part of that is true, but for 1 or 2 games games, maybe.  You cant start the season behind the 8 ball and go 1-4 like under Wentz or 1-2-1 under Ryan and say, "eh a couple of plays go our way and its a winning record.  Particularly after we've proven we can start off 5-2 (I think, under both JB and Rivers).  No, coming out unprepared is the bigger culprit and that's a Frank Reich problem.

Let's not understate Ballard's accomplishments. He has managed to managed to make the Colts offensive line both the highest paid in the NFL and the team's most glaring weakness. And that's before Nelson's mega contract kicks in next year. To pair with the league's top-paid but perhaps worst pass protecting line, he signed an immobile 37-year old who when presented with inadequate pass protection hands the ball over to the other team on a historic record pace. Now, he's left with a starter at the game's most important position who's never played a down in a regular season game and was drafted No. 218. I'd be hiding, too. 

[MPStack]

1 hour ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

I think it’s ridiculous Reich is out there taking blame for some of Ballard’s mistakes.

I don’t think Frank picks the majority of the groceries. Doesn’t excuse the horrible play calling though. 

[CoachLite]

Ballard may have his hands full trying to figure out how to actually fix the problems. I think there are lots of problems! There's no time for talk shows and interviews.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Just now, CoachLite said:

Ballard may have his hands full trying to figure out how to actually fix the problems. I think there are lots of problems! There's no time for talk shows and interviews.

Ten minutes our of his day should not be a big deal. Letting Reich take all the blame for some of the issues he created is ridiculous.

[MikeCurtis]

He is in a dark room repeating to himself......

I must build the lines....... 

I must build the lines.......

 

 

I WISH he would say......

 

"I need a young, long term QB

"I need a young, long term QB

"I need a young, long term QB

 

 

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

6 minutes ago, MPStack said:

I don’t think Frank picks the majority of the groceries. Doesn’t excuse the horrible play calling though. 

You do realize there is only so much you can do with a guy like Ryan. Just wait and see in the next few weeks as San gets comfy how different it is. Sam opens up the playbook a ton.

[MPStack]

16 minutes ago, BeanDiasucci said:

Let's not understate Ballard's accomplishments. He has managed to managed to make the Colts offensive line both the highest paid in the NFL and the team's most glaring weakness. And that's before Nelson's mega contract kicks in next year. To pair with the league's top-paid but perhaps worst pass protecting line, he signed an immobile 37-year old who when presented with inadequate pass protection hands the ball over to the other team on a historic record pace. Now, he's left with a starter at the game's most important position who's never played a down in a regular season game and was drafted No. 218. I'd be hiding, too. 

Colts history repeating itself, in a nutshell.

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

52 minutes ago, Colt Overseas said:

I think Ballard will be given a shot by Irsay to draft a QB (assuming Elhinger doesn't work out). That would constitute as Ballard's last chance.   

Having A lame duck GM hiring a new coach is not the smartest thing to do. Especially since Ballard is the biggest reason for this disaster.

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, csmopar said:

During the season, he rarely talks. Ever. Most I’ve seen is twice per season. 
 

then if you notice, Riech disappears in the off-season and Ballard does majority of the media.. 

 

 

nothing to see here

That’s actually not the case.  
 

Ballard used to talk quarterly during the season.   After weeks 4, 8, 12 and of course, 16.    He did this every season until 2021. 
 

Last year he stopped that.   He spoke only after week 8.   I’m expecting that again.  But this year, things are so weird, nothing would surprise me now. 

[MPStack]

1 minute ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

You do realize there is only so much you can do with a guy like Ryan. 

Don’t understand why you brought Sam into the conversation. Starting him admits failure by trading for Ryan to be the QB when they were All-In. 
 

Why trade for an aging veteran, who as you say is limited. And the team is in win now mode.

[Scott Pennock]

You folks are hilarious! Ballard is still considered (within the industry) as one of the best GM's in the NFL - though he is not without his faults, but in the current situation it is easy for me to see what's going on! The lion's share of the blame goes to the guy who states that they were unprepared and outcoached. Why would you look any farther than those statements?

 

The team has come out flat every week since week 16 of last year against the Raiders, for example:

 

Week 16 (Loss): 10 Points in the second quarter

Week 17 (Loss): 3 points in the second quarter

Week 1 (Tie): 3 points in the first quarter

Week 2 (Loss): 0 points for the ENTIRE game

Week 3 (Win): 7 points in the first quarter and 3 in the second quarter

Week 4 (Loss): 10 points in the second quarter

Week 5 (Win): 3 points in the second quarter

Week 6 (Win): 13 points in the second quarter

Week 7 (Loss): 0 points in the first half

 

Last 9 Games: 3-5-1

 

Reich has lost this team. They no longer respond to his voice as a leader.

 

1st Quarter: 10 points in 9 games = 1.11 points per quarter

2nd Quarter: 42 Points in 9 games = 4.67 points per quarter

 

Frank Reich is one of those coaches that is better at just being the OC and not the Head Coach imho......

 

[MPStack]

3 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

You folks are hilarious! Ballard is still considered (within the industry) as one of the best GM's in the NFL - though he is not without his faults, but in the current situation it is easy for me to see what's going on! The lion's share of the blame goes to the guy who states that they were unprepared and outcoached. Why would you look any farther than those statements?

 

The team has come out flat every week since week 16 of last year against the Raiders, for example:

 

Week 16 (Loss): 10 Points in the second quarter

Week 17 (Loss): 3 points in the second quarter

Week 1 (Tie): 3 points in the first quarter

Week 2 (Loss): 0 points for the ENTIRE game

Week 3 (Win): 7 points in the first quarter and 3 in the second quarter

Week 4 (Loss): 10 points in the second quarter

Week 5 (Win): 3 points in the second quarter

Week 6 (Win): 13 points in the second quarter

Week 7 (Loss): 0 points in the first half

 

Last 9 Games: 3-5-1

 

Reich has lost this team. They no longer respond to his voice as a leader.

 

1st Quarter: 10 points in 9 games = 1.11 points per quarter

2nd Quarter: 42 Points in 9 games = 4.67 points per quarter

 

Frank Reich is one of those coaches that is better at just being the OC and not the Head Coach imho......

 

[richard pallo]

4 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

You folks are hilarious! Ballard is still considered (within the industry) as one of the best GM's in the NFL - though he is not without his faults, but in the current situation it is easy for me to see what's going on! The lion's share of the blame goes to the guy who states that they were unprepared and outcoached. Why would you look any farther than those statements?

 

The team has come out flat every week since week 16 of last year against the Raiders, for example:

 

Week 16 (Loss): 10 Points in the second quarter

Week 17 (Loss): 3 points in the second quarter

Week 1 (Tie): 3 points in the first quarter

Week 2 (Loss): 0 points for the ENTIRE game

Week 3 (Win): 7 points in the first quarter and 3 in the second quarter

Week 4 (Loss): 10 points in the second quarter

Week 5 (Win): 3 points in the second quarter

Week 6 (Win): 13 points in the second quarter

Week 7 (Loss): 0 points in the first half

 

Last 9 Games: 3-5-1

 

Reich has lost this team. They no longer respond to his voice as a leader.

 

1st Quarter: 10 points in 9 games = 1.11 points per quarter

2nd Quarter: 42 Points in 9 games = 4.67 points per quarter

 

Frank Reich is one of those coaches that is better at just being the OC and not the Head Coach imho......

 

Prediction.  Frank Reich is the new OC for the Patriots next year.  Mac Jones flourishes again.

[RollerColt]

9 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

That’s actually not the case.  
 

Ballard used to talk quarterly during the season.   After weeks 4, 8, 12 and of course, 16.    He did this every season until 2021. 
 

Last year he stopped that.   He spoke only after week 8.   I’m expecting that again.  But this year, things are so weird, nothing would surprise me now. 

With the hostility of the Indy media, I wouldn't be surprised if he just doesn't talk to anyone. Maybe at season's end... 

 

We're in both familiar and unfamiliar territory here... I'm feeling very conflicted. Doubting, hopeful, lost, praying? 

[MPStack]

Just now, RollerColt said:

With the hostility of the Indy media, I wouldn't be surprised if he just doesn't talk to anyone. Maybe at season's end... 

 

We're in both familiar and unfamiliar territory here... I'm feeling very conflicted. Doubting, hopeful, lost, praying? 

[DougDew]

13 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

it is easy for me to see what's going on!

Can you tell me what the number of turnovers were by the QBs during the first halves of those games ?

 

As far as losing the locker room.  Irsay meddled with the locker room chemistry when he divided the players over vax.  Then when they actually got Covid and it became an issues in week 16, they naturally point fingers or wonder what the owner is going to do about it.  Its a huge distraction.  Then he gets into the middle of it again by demanding his Qb, the guy who he targeted his vax comments at during the season, be removed from the team. 

 

You can pretty much chart the decline of the team beginning with the covid issue in week 16, where it effected the Colts more than others because our owner kinda got in the middle of it for whatever reason.  Kinda like how he now has to get in the middle of the Snyder thing, for whatever reason.