The reason Ballard is being kept

[bluephantom87]

5 minutes ago, #12. said:

This team is much, much closer than the Bengals, for example,, were before they got a QB.  No one will hand out medals for it, but for a 4 win team, this is a pretty good team.  Truly horrible teams like early 90's Colts teams couldn't dream of competing with elite teams.  This team beat the Chiefs and should have beaten some of the best teams in the league, and they competed relatively well with some of the worst QB play in the NFL.

 

Just a few years ago the Bengals and Bills were the biggest jokes in the league, neither winning a playoff game in almost 30 years.  Now, next Monday, it's the matchup of the year.  With a QB, we can get there quicker than either of them did.

 

Both teams came up while Ballard was slowly building this NON contending team. Everyone keeps saying all we need is yada yada BUT the man has been here SIX YEARS!!! As a matter of fact Skip and Shannon were just laughing about the Colts and how one team can have SO many bad qbs on one roster or have a defense that gave up 55 pts combined in back to back 4th quarters prior to the Charger game. 

[Mr.Debonair]

6 minutes ago, #12. said:

 

Family video from your honeymoon night?

Lol grow up. Leave my family out of any commentary. Period. Joke or not. Don’t try and disrespect me

[csmopar]

1 hour ago, BProland85 said:

Yes Indy has a good defense. But pass rush has still evaded this team which Ballard has swung and missed on multiple times. Outside of Buckner, no other DL player can create much pass rush on his own. 

Did you even read this article? Our pass rush is the best it’s been since 2005….

[LJpalmbeacher2]

If Ballard is retained, it will be for only two reasons.

1. It's financially beneficial for irsay.

2. Not able to get a proven or even desirable GM to come to Colts and work for irsay. 

 

It won't be because of the Defense. 

 

[BeanDiasucci]

30 minutes ago, #12. said:

This team is much, much closer than the Bengals, for example,, were before they got a QB.  No one will hand out medals for it, but for a 4 win team, this is a pretty good team.  Truly horrible teams like early 90's Colts teams couldn't dream of competing with elite teams.  This team beat the Chiefs and should have beaten some of the best teams in the league, and they competed relatively well with some of the worst QB play in the NFL.

 

Just a few years ago the Bengals and Bills were the biggest jokes in the league, neither winning a playoff game in almost 30 years.  Now, next Monday, it's the matchup of the year.  With a QB, we can get there quicker than either of them did.

But it's not like the Bengals picked Burrow with the #1 overall pick and that fixed everything. They had a terrible offensive line his rookie year, resulting in him taking more sacks than any qb in the league and suffering a torn ACL and MCL in week 11 as the Bengals went 4-11. Besides fixing their offensive line, they also drafted JaMarr Chase the year after Burrow. The Colts will need to make a series of good moves, not just draft a franchise QB, which itself is easier said than done. 

[OLD FAN MAN]

4 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

If Ballard is retained, it will be for only two reasons.

1. It's financially beneficial for irsay.

2. Not able to get a proven or even desirable GM to come to Colts and work for irsay. 

 

It won't be because of the Defense. 

 

if ballard is retained it makes me wonder if jim thinks it is not cost effective to try to win a super bowl. will it put more money in his pocket to just go with a bottom tier team? can it be all about money in jims pocket?

[Patrick Miller]

I wonder if Ballard will have a end of the season press conference this year?

[Crunked]

I have went from a Ballard Supporter to a Ballard Skeptic, end of last year and this year. (His lack of drafting a LT, RT, Difference making pass rusher) although the sum of the parts is working this year so Ill give him credit for "group think fix" QB.........I actually think WR group is fine totally under utilized this year because of line and QB play..............Letting so much O line talent walk without addressing it this year I think was his biggest 2022 fail..................Ryan would have still been washed up but we still could have finished at or slightly better than 500 if the line play was the same or better than last year........ Here is a way we could address all offensive problems in one draft. (Now it may take a season or two for it to pan out, like with any draft pick ultra rare to walk in the door and be an all pro) Draft a quality RT, move Smith to RG, where he was drafted to play, and has proven to be very competent. This creates a situation where your LG is being paid LT money and your RG is being paid RT money. The upside to that is you then have a LT, RT on rookie contracts. So at some point you will have to jump the shark and let LG, RG go when LT and RT hit their 2nd contract, but it makes finances managable until that day. Draft some developmental pieces to go with French Fries and Pinter and you are on your way to good healthy O-Line play. Draft a QB......we can still free agent sign a 15-20 mil a year QB to fill in 2023 and give the rook the time to develop. Of course this plan is being typed in a vacuum, as free agent contracts on the team are not being factored in, but I think we have to let a somebody or two walk either way to make the improvements necessary here. We are upside down in that we are paying some level two positions level one money, so that means some level two free agents will have to walk without a big salary cap increase somewhere along the way. Thats my arm, my chair, my GM thought. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

12 minutes ago, Crunked said:

I have went from a Ballard Supporter to a Ballard Skeptic, end of last year and this year. (His lack of drafting a LT, RT, Difference making pass rusher) although the sum of the parts is working this year so Ill give him credit for "group think fix" QB.........I actually think WR group is fine totally under utilized this year because of line and QB play..............Letting so much O line talent walk without addressing it this year I think was his biggest 2022 fail..................Ryan would have still been washed up but we still could have finished at or slightly better than 500 if the line play was the same or better than last year........ Here is a way we could address all offensive problems in one draft. (Now it may take a season or two for it to pan out, like with any draft pick ultra rare to walk in the door and be an all pro) Draft a quality RT, move Smith to RG, where he was drafted to play, and has proven to be very competent. This creates a situation where your LG is being paid LT money and your RG is being paid RT money. The upside to that is you then have a LT, RT on rookie contracts. So at some point you will have to jump the shark and let LG, RG go when LT and RT hit their 2nd contract, but it makes finances managable until that day. Draft some developmental pieces to go with French Fries and Pinter and you are on your way to good healthy O-Line play. Draft a QB......we can still free agent sign a 15-20 mil a year QB to fill in 2023 and give the rook the time to develop. Of course this plan is being typed in a vacuum, as free agent contracts on the team are not being factored in, but I think we have to let a somebody or two walk either way to make the improvements necessary here. We are upside down in that we are paying some level two positions level one money, so that means some level two free agents will have to walk without a big salary cap increase somewhere along the way. Thats my arm, my chair, my GM thought. 

We have A RT. Paye and Dayo are going to ne very good. he finally hit there.

[cdgacoltsfan]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

Great post I couldn’t have said it better.  Agree with everything you said.  It’s amazing how many people want Ballard gone.   They want Gus gone too.  We have a great defense, without Leonard btw, and they want Gus gone too.  You can’t make this nonsense up.  Thank goodness Ballard will be back.  I also have faith he will get it right.  It won’t take long.  Irsay knows it as well.

I know what Irsay said, but he also said firing Frank wasn't even a consideration....then he fired Frank a week later. Irsay is meddling and compulsive..don't be surprised if Ballard isn't the GM a month from now.

[KB]

15 minutes ago, Crunked said:

I have went from a Ballard Supporter to a Ballard Skeptic, end of last year and this year. (His lack of drafting a LT, RT, Difference making pass rusher) although the sum of the parts is working this year so Ill give him credit for "group think fix" QB.........I actually think WR group is fine totally under utilized this year because of line and QB play..............Letting so much O line talent walk without addressing it this year I think was his biggest 2022 fail..................Ryan would have still been washed up but we still could have finished at or slightly better than 500 if the line play was the same or better than last year........ Here is a way we could address all offensive problems in one draft. (Now it may take a season or two for it to pan out, like with any draft pick ultra rare to walk in the door and be an all pro) Draft a quality RT, move Smith to RG, where he was drafted to play, and has proven to be very competent. This creates a situation where your LG is being paid LT money and your RG is being paid RT money. The upside to that is you then have a LT, RT on rookie contracts. So at some point you will have to jump the shark and let LG, RG go when LT and RT hit their 2nd contract, but it makes finances managable until that day. Draft some developmental pieces to go with French Fries and Pinter and you are on your way to good healthy O-Line play. Draft a QB......we can still free agent sign a 15-20 mil a year QB to fill in 2023 and give the rook the time to develop. Of course this plan is being typed in a vacuum, as free agent contracts on the team are not being factored in, but I think we have to let a somebody or two walk either way to make the improvements necessary here. We are upside down in that we are paying some level two positions level one money, so that means some level two free agents will have to walk without a big salary cap increase somewhere along the way. Thats my arm, my chair, my GM thought. 

I agree with most of this except letting o line talent walk. Eric Fisher, while great at run blocking, was a liability in pass pro. It made sense to let him walk. Glowinski has not played well this year. Having him here this year would of only helped with continuity along the line. Chris Reed still hasn't played a snap for the Vikings, and during the game a couple weeks ago the commentators stated they allow pressure/sacks on 35% of their passing plays. Which was one of the worst in the league. If he can't Crack that line up then he probably wasn't going to be much help here.

 

I will say going with Pryor with little to no competition was an absolute failure. Pinter was disappointing. He is a solid backup. It is what it is there. Good backups are still needed. Raimann has looked good the longer he has played. Hit the weight room this off-season and be ready to earn the spot in camp. Also, the oline coach does need to go. The fact that each year the line has gotten worse and worse is telling that he isn't cut out for the job. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

16 minutes ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

if ballard is retained it makes me wonder if jim thinks it is not cost effective to try to win a super bowl. will it put more money in his pocket to just go with a bottom tier team? can it be all about money in jims pocket?

 

Sure it can.

Ballard not signing FA's and saying he wants to build a culture first and blah blah blah while creating more cap space and unspent money season after season than other teams. Who benefited with that approach and so called blueprint??? Irsays bank account did, that's who. lol. 

Since maybe the Football Gods denied us the green light to win anyway, why should a thrifty, small market team waste money??? 

 

Ballard may have only been doing his job as instructed and maybe not as much to blame as we think???

Who knows? 

 

But the Bottom line is colt fans most likely in for more Dark days ahead which is too well known for us.

[cdgacoltsfan]

39 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

If Ballard is retained, it will be for only two reasons.

1. It's financially beneficial for irsay.

2. Not able to get a proven or even desirable GM to come to Colts and work for irsay. 

 

It won't be because of the Defense. 

 

It's reason #1. $$$$$$

Irsay owes Frank 9 million bananas a year through 2026. He can't afford to pay Chris and a new GM and a new HC on top of that. 

[cdgacoltsfan]

Our next HC will be someone found at the Dollar General. None of the big names are going to want to come into this meddling owner created situation.

If Saturday isn't retained, the next HC will be a lower tier type guy...like a Chuck Pagano type hire.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

 

[Solid84]

35 minutes ago, Patrick Miller said:

I wonder if Ballard will have a end of the season press conference this year?

I think Irsay will. I doubt we see Ballard for a while. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

1 minute ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

It's reason #1. $$$$$$

Irsay owes Frank 9 million bananas a year through 2026. He can't afford to pay Chris and a new GM on top of that. 

 

Yeah I agree. 

I haven't kept up with HC salaries BUT how does Reich get paid $ 9 million a year???? How???

Talk about highway robbery. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

8 minutes ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

It's reason #1. $$$$$$

Irsay owes Frank 9 million bananas a year through 2026. He can't afford to pay Chris and a new GM and a new HC on top of that. 

There is a good chance Reich might get another HC after this season. Denver has been mentioned along with Carolina. They won’t have to pay him if he takes one of those jobs.

[philba101]

1 hour ago, bluephantom87 said:

This defense is solid but NOT championship caliber. Those types of defenses don't give up HISTORICAL type of scoring numbers. Teams are scoring TD's at will. Turnovers are part of the game and this defense is a Ballard mirage. When the team needs an ABSOLUTE stop they can't get it or the SACK they need WHEN IT COUNTS!!!! Now is this defense so dominant that it JUSTIFIES Ballard being retained? I say no. It's NOT like we're top 5!! So...

 

If you want to OVERLOOK this train wreck of an offense, the sub .500 record, not ONE division title, no franchise qb, no explosive receivers, or cornerstone LT, no elite DE or young shutdown corner, don't forget about the HIGHEST paid o-line in the league giving you bottom 5 production and this team has NEVER been a SB contending team in Ballard’s SIX year tenure so I guess he gets a pass but the truth is that Ballard is stealing money BASED on the minimal results. Meanwhile other teams in the division as well as the AFC have left the Colts in the rear view mirror.

Not only all of what you said but they were discussing on a local sports radio station this morning that the most damning thing about Ballard 6-years into his tenure is that the Colts have absolutely no identity or sense of direction right now. What are we as a team? What is our identity? Why does Ballard absolutely refuse to use free agency to help this offense? Why is it that the personnel that he puts on the field annually are not even good enough to win home games, let alone a mediocre division. Why is it that not once in six years has Ballard added a player in-season or at the trade deadline to improve this team (unless you consider the swap of Hines for Moss an improvement)? Someone stated earlier that we should stop letting the coaches and the owner intervene and give Ballard more power. First of all, if Ballard is letting the coaches call the shots, then he is not doing his job as the GM.  Subsequently, if things have gotten so bad that the owner feels like he needs to keep intervening all the time because the team is not performing, then perhaps the GM is failing on that end as well. Ballard deserves credit for some good draft picks and some credit for a decent defense. Other than that it is hard to make the case that he is building a solid core and people are optimistic that the team is heading in the right direction. 

[OLD FAN MAN]

15 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

 

Sure it can.

Ballard not signing FA's and saying he wants to build a culture first and blah blah blah while creating more cap space and unspent money season after season than other teams. Who benefited with that approach and so called blueprint??? Irsays bank account did, that's who. lol. 

Since maybe the Football Gods denied us the green light to win anyway, why should a thrifty, small market team waste money??? 

 

Ballard may have only been doing his job as instructed and maybe not as much to blame as we think???

Who knows? 

 

But the Bottom line is colt fans most likely in for more Dark days ahead which is too well known for us.

you nailed it, that tells the real story

[Solid84]

4 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

 

I would expect the defense to not be too happy with the offense currently. It’s probably not on that scale, of course, but towards individuals on the offense. 

[csmopar]

1 hour ago, Moosejawcolt said:

He does not have a solid D against balanced offences and  his D cannot close out games. People want to give  to give the excuse that it is gassed. 

It’s true. Though. 

[Mr.NotSoCreative]

This is a crucial off-season. Do we trust Ballard? There seems to be a lack of evaluation for QB position somewhere.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Just now, Mr.NotSoCreative said:

This is a crucial off-season. Do we trust Ballard? There seems to be a lack of evaluation for QB position somewhere.

It goes beyond even the QB position. The team locker room is broken. 

[JColts72]

19 minutes ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

It's reason #1. $$$$$$

Irsay owes Frank 9 million bananas a year through 2026. He can't afford to pay Chris and a new GM and a new HC on top of that. 

Jim may just hire Jeff due to money matters.

[Moosejawcolt]

6 minutes ago, csmopar said:

It’s true. Though. 

so through 6 years this D has been gassed? I agree that the offence has not done its job this year but I think people are ignoring the fact that this is a very simple D. Yes, they played well last night, but Chargers are not a balanced O. They have a horrible Oline and they don't run the football. Therefore, they are one dimensional and this D does well when it faces one dimensional teams

[LJpalmbeacher2]

6 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

There is a good chance Reich might get another HC after this season. Denver has been mentioned along with Carolina. They won’t have to pay him if he takes one of those jobs.

 

Denver is in the mind set to start winning again, imo. You don't hire people like Reich if your serious about winning big. I'm guessing Sean Payton goes to Denver, who on a short list is one of the leagues more favourable teams.

Now Carolina is definitely the kind of organization to hire a Frank Reich type of coach.

[OLD FAN MAN]

3 minutes ago, JColts72 said:

Jim may just hire Jeff due to money matters.

jeff is as good as any with this poor talent and he may be able to improve the oline

[Moosejawcolt]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

Pass rush is a problem?   Hate to say it but you are in another world with that comment.  Can’t believe you posted that.

look at the games. Yes the pass rush has been better this year. However, they have been no shows late in games and people will excuse them and say they are gassed.

[richard pallo]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

It goes beyond even the QB position. The team locker room is broken. 

What locker room doesn't have issues when you have only won four games.  Especially when one unit is playing well and another unit is failing to hold up.  It's human nature.  I'm not really worried.  I would be if everyone was in la la land going through the motions to end the season.  Clearly we have some players holding others accountable.  Jeff is seeing it too.  Probably a good thing when year end evaluations are right around the corner.

[chad72]

5 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

 

Denver is in the mind set to start winning again, imo. You don't hire people like Reich if your serious about winning big. I'm guessing Sean Payton goes to Denver, who on a short list is one of the leagues more favourable teams.

Now Carolina is definitely the kind of organization to hire a Frank Reich type of coach.

 

If I am one and done, I would give Brandon Staley the Mike Mularkey treatment, to be honest, who was fired after a playoff win with Mariota by the Titans before they hired Mike Vrabel. Then turn around and hire Sean Payton to pair with Herbert and that offense that has greater potential than the Broncos, IMO, and Herbert >>> RW.

[chad72]

22 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

There is a good chance Reich might get another HC after this season. Denver has been mentioned along with Carolina. They won’t have to pay him if he takes one of those jobs.

 

I really doubt it but if it happens, I will be happy for him. 

[Moosejawcolt]

1 minute ago, richard pallo said:

What locker room doesn't have issues when you have only won four games.  Especially when one unit is playing well and another unit is failing to hold up.  It's human nature.  I'm not really worried.  I would be if everyone was in la la land going through the motions to end the season.  Clearly we have some players holding others accountable.  Jeff is seeing it too.  Probably a good thing when year end evaluations are right around the corner.

I really don't like when people say there are locker room issues.  I bet every team has some locker room issues of some sort. When you put 60+ players together  in the same room, there are bound to be issues. Now are the issues so bad that they are directly impacting this team being able to win? I doubt. It is talent as to  why this team is not being able to win. Any so called locker room issues are probably the result of a lot of frustrated players who thought they were going to be playing for a super bowl.  These so called locker room issues most likely developed when the players knew it was over. Now if players have given up and calling each other out, then that is a character issue. However that cannot be as Ballard valued character or so we were told!!

[Fluke_33]

30 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

 

Why can't he give any specifics? Isn't he a reporter? 

[Crunked]

38 minutes ago, KB said:

I agree with most of this except letting o line talent walk. Eric Fisher, while great at run blocking, was a liability in pass pro. It made sense to let him walk. Glowinski has not played well this year. Having him here this year would of only helped with continuity along the line. Chris Reed still hasn't played a snap for the Vikings, and during the game a couple weeks ago the commentators stated they allow pressure/sacks on 35% of their passing plays. Which was one of the worst in the league. If he can't Crack that line up then he probably wasn't going to be much help here.

 

I will say going with Pryor with little to no competition was an absolute failure. Pinter was disappointing. He is a solid backup. It is what it is there. Good backups are still needed. Raimann has looked good the longer he has played. Hit the weight room this off-season and be ready to earn the spot in camp. Also, the oline coach does need to go. The fact that each year the line has gotten worse and worse is telling that he isn't cut out for the job. 

I will take you at your word on how those guys have performed I havent followed them...So I will amend my statement to say he let non starters walk and tried to fill their positions with inexperience, couple that with nagging Nelson and Kelly (and for that matter the other Kelly history of nagging known injuries.) Example Ryan Kelly when healthy is all pro center, last two seasons has had nagging injuries and has been bad to below average when playing through them. Nelson, I know has had some on and off back issues, but I have seen him get stood up and pushed back way more this year than in years past....dunno if that is an injury sitch. or not....but his decreased dominance, with a rookie on one side and Kelly's on again off again injury history is the tri-fecta of fail.......not having a solid RG, on the other side is the primary problem on that side....maybe its fixed, but we clearly need some quality depth that can step in when Q or Kelly are dinged to hold the fort while they heal....and 0-line coach should have been the first guy fired I still don't understand keeping him through all this putrid play...cant handle a twist, cant technique or scheme our way around line short comings.......(maybe we dont have the talent to do so, but I havent witnessed even giving it a try) that is the biggest mystery to me demonstrating that we have a weakness and trying an adaptation to technique or scheme to correct it we were trotting random personnel out there at the start of the season like we were pulling bingo balls from the hopper, lets see what this combo does, nope ok how about this combo, nope....and so on. Given that approach any of us could have made the starting card for the 0 line cause trial and error eventually yields the correct answer. 

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, chad72 said:

 

That is why if we go full court press on a guy like Jim Harbaugh (am hoping he wins the national championship at Michigan), we promise him full control. If he wants to bring in his own GM, let him and bring back Vic Fangio, let him. That is just an example.

 

Similarly, if you trust Ballard, give him full control over all his coaching selections and let him rise and fall on the fruits of his labor that are entirely his, you know what I mean. That is truly the only way it would work, like it did for the most part with Bill Polian.

That's why I'm thinking more like the Harbaugh rumors might have some tooth...not saying that it happens, but there might be a desire on Irsay's part..  When Irsay says that Ballard is the GM, he can more easily back out of that if some "celebrity" HC comes in and wants total control.  Irsay has also said twice, and the media has reported, that he is taking a broad look at candidates which includes the college ranks.   

 

Its early, but events and statements do not discount Harbaugh coming here with total control...which is probably the only way he comes here given his experiences with the GM when he was at SF.

[OLD FAN MAN]

if ballard is retained jim is not taking winning serious, it costs money to win and does jim want to spend it? if jim is not serious how can fans be let down when we lose? i for one am not let down , i expect us to be bad because that is what jim is paying for.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

5 minutes ago, Fluke_33 said:

Why can't he give any specifics? Isn't he a reporter? 

Because if he did he wouldn’t get any inside info anymore. Just trust him. He is always right. No he isn’t a reporter.

[Nesjan3]

I honestly wouldn't believe Ballard is staying just cause Irsay said so at this point. He said Franks job was safe 10 days before he was fired. However I think it is very possible he is here another year. A 1 last chance kind of thing. 

 

I dont agree with it. His philosophy is outdated. He is too slow to react to positional needs. He has failed mightily at QB, and seriously don't tell me it was all Frank. He is the GM its his roster, his job on the line.

 

Oline is highest paid and its very poor. WR is average at best.

 

Pass rush has been terrible till this year and we are likely to lose our 1 year rental Yannick.

 

Massive contracts to a G and a LB. The most important positions in NFL football year 2022. QB, LT, WR, Pass Rush. We lack in all of it.

 

So maybe he changes knowing he is on thin ice. Guess we will see.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

If Michigan loses to Georgia this weekend we should here all kinds of rumors about Harbaugh pretty quick.