Colts vs Texans post game

[Gramz]

Overall a good season.  Better than most of us expected. 

 

It would have been good to be in playoffs, and we almost made it, but honestly don't think we'd have gone very far. 

 

Ravens look primed for SB this year.

 

Still a fun year to be a Colts fan.  

 

Here's to even better next year!

 

[chad72]

Unfortunately we have to channel our inner football fandom moving forward while reconciling to our Colts not being there the rest of this season. It’s definitely less tense not watching the Colts. I get anxious when I have a horse in the race.

[IinD]

And a little extra gut punch for us northeastern Colts fans. Jags/Titans game is on TV here which would literally never happen... Lol.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Colts need a mix of proven players and draft picks  at safety and cornerback.  

[KB]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Colts need a mix of proven players and draft picks  at safety and cornerback.  

With us having to deal with Lawrence and Stroud/ Kirk and Collins 4 times total a year, yeah we need to shore up this secondary fast. If we can't get a game breaking WR or stud pass rusher, I hope we can get our hands on a lock down corner. Brent's and Jones showed promise but adding in one more talented player would make our secondary nothing but better.

 

We need a FS bad. Thomas's regression was the worst I've ever seen for this team. I think SS will work itself out. A Moore backup/replacement should be looked for too.

[richard pallo]

20 minutes ago, stitches said:

Holder is horrible. 

I don’t like Holder but this time he is right on.

[RollerColt]

I’m really disappointed. Mainly because we could’ve had that game. We left plays on the field. And it just… sucks…

 

Stroud and the rest of the nation will no doubt feel emboldened and justified in calling us a weak city and state. But it sure as hell didn’t sound weak in the stadium. 
 

Too bad no one will remember.

[JediXMan]

The way our defense played against their only main WR threat in Collins was way more egregious than the offensive game plan. Even my GF who doesn’t watch sports said why is the same guy getting the ball over and over again. I hope they fire Bradley and let Shane find his D coordinator.

[stitches]

Just now, richard pallo said:

I don’t like Holder but this time he is right on.

He's not right on. Holder is being a reactionary on a play that any 2 players should be able to execute. 

[JediXMan]

This is what Pierce had to deal with this most of the season Minshew was so awful last night.

[John Hammonds]

11 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

I’m really disappointed. Mainly because we could’ve had that game. We left plays on the field. And it just… sucks…

 

Stroud and the rest of the nation will no doubt feel emboldened and justified in calling us a weak city and state. But it sure as hell didn’t sound weak in the stadium. 
 

Too bad no one will remember.

I think the reason it feels this way is that we didn't lose because of an amazing play the Texans made, but by our own failure.  The Texans didn't make an interception, or a sack, or a defended pass, or a tackle for loss to end the game.  We called a good play, got the guy wide open, threw it (behind him a little).... and it was dropped.  The final play to kick us out was our own failure.  That's why it feels this way.

[TheEdgeis1]

3 minutes ago, JediXMan said:

This is what Pierce had to deal with this most of the season Minshew was so awful last night.

I really feel bad for Pierce.  He seems like a really good dude and never lost his cool even though Minshew never looked his way (except maybe 1 game).  I hope AR and him can make a connection.  PS Minshew has a noodle arm that’s why he was scared to throw deep. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

2 minutes ago, TheEdgeis1 said:

I really feel bad for Pierce.  He seems like a really good dude and never lost his cool even though Minshew never looked his way (except maybe 1 game).  I hope AR and him can make a connection.  PS Minshew has a noodle arm that’s why he was scared to throw deep. 

To his credit he blocked his butt off and didn’t complain. 

[chad72]

12 minutes ago, John Hammonds said:

I think the reason it feels this way is that we didn't lose because of an amazing play the Texans made, but by our own failure.  The Texans didn't make an interception, or a sack, or a defended pass, or a tackle for loss to end the game.  We called a good play, got the guy wide open, threw it (behind him a little).... and it was dropped.  The final play to kick us out was our own failure.  That's why it feels this way.

I can live with it as opposed to a pick six in a SB thrown by Peyton intended for Wayne while Collie was open for a first down in the middle, just like Peyton didn’t take the open guy in the flat in Edge and opted for a home run ball to Wayne before the ill fated Vanderjagt FG. 

I  can also live with Peyton handing it off to the “rookie” Joseph Addai on 3rd and 2 to essentially take the first lead of the 2006 season AFCCG with the game on the line vs the Patriots. 

 

Just saying.  Results have a way of us ignoring the process. 

[Superman]

8 hours ago, GoColts8818 said:

no I don’t because they are different situations.  One you need a yard to keep your season alive.  The other you need 10 yards to get a first down and you have at least two more chances if you fail.  No one is going to fault you for turning to your best player with the season on the line to get you one yard. 

 

Yeah, it's more reasonable to be stubborn on 1st and 10 than it is to be stubborn on 4h and 1. IMO you're backward on this. 

 

I don't think Steichen should care whether anyone faults him for his play call. He should keep putting his players in position to succeed.

 

Quote

The common theme has been Shane has tried out smart his opponents and more times than not it hasn’t worked and that includes tonight because it doesn’t matter how pretty the play design is if it doesn’t get executed by the personal you put out there it still failed.

 

This is silly. There is simply no comparison between trying to catch a team off guard before a punt, and scheming a player wide open on 4th down. None.

 

Quote

stop with the professional running back stuff.  All these guys play in the NFL it’s not a debate if they are a professional running back or not.  What is a debate is it wise to take your best player, and the best player on the field that night off the field with the season on the line and go with a third string running back that has six career receptions and hadnt played all night?  Saying he’s professional running back is like saying it would have been okay to take Peyton Manning out for a play in the Super Bowl and put Sorgi in because he’s a professional Quarterback.  One is clearly is much better than the other and should be in there if your season is on the line.

 

No I don't think I will stop. It's the very point. Expecting a skill player to catch the ball when he's wide open is not unreasonable. It's literally his job, and he should be capable of executing. Again, they didn't set him up to fail, they put him in position to succeed, and he didn't do his job.

 

And your hypothetical about Manning and Sorgi is nonsense and doesn't apply, for obvious reasons.

 

Quote

The play design looked good but the execution just wasn’t there.  So again, no matter how much you try to spin it it didn’t do exactly what it was supposed to do because it was supposed to get a first down and didn’t.  It doesn’t matter how perfect of a play call you make if you don’t execute it the play ultimately failed and didn’t do exactly what it was supposed to do, especially when you make a questionable decision as the personal you out on the field to execute the play.  I don’t know maybe they can hang a banner that says “but the play design was good”

 

It's not spin, the guy dropped a wide open pass. If you call a perfect play and the guy whose job it is to catch the ball doesn't catch the ball, the problem is the player, not the play.
 

Quote

we are simply going to have to agree to disageee.

 

If that isn't the richest irony...

[stitches]

I still cannot believe that people are acting like we asked Goodson and Minshew to execute some superstar play...  where Minshew layers it between 2 levels of defenders and into a pinhole size target and Goodson had to one-hand contest catch a ball and then break 3 tackles in order to get the 1st down...

 

NO! STOP IT! Stop acting like this was some extraodrinary thing we wanted both Minshew and Goodson to do. They are professional football players! This is one of the simplest plays either of them will EVER get asked to execute. To borrow Holder's analogy. No, this is not like having Steph Curry and giving the ball to an end of the bench guy to score. This is like creating a perfect play that produced a WIDE OPEN LAYUP for... who cares for whom? ANY NFL player should be able to execute that. 

[bluebombers87]

9 minutes ago, JediXMan said:

This is what Pierce had to deal with this most of the season Minshew was so awful last night.

I think this particular example isn’t a good one. Asking any non-freak of nature qb to bomb it while being on the run laterally is a tall order. Stroud could do it and AR could do it but they’re specimens.

 

I get what you’re saying however. I feel like most teams know Pierce is a decoy most of the time and will take the risk of letting him get behind them. Once we get a QB who has even a breath of accuracy deep I think we’ll see. I would’ve like to see him used in different ways once teams figured out he wasn’t really a threat.

 

However pierce has had his moments where’s he’s dropped “easy” passes. He dropped a contested pass early in the game I believe.

[richard pallo]

I hope Ballard and Irsay both have a conversation with Steichen about the importance of playing situational football and player utilization.  You don’t pay your best playmakers to sit on the bench when the game is on the line.  He failed miserably yesterday.  From the obvious last play to going for it on 4th down in th middle of the field late in the game when they could have pinned them back deep like their punter did to us on numerous occasions.  Field position matters in games especially in a win it all game.  He was out coached yesterday.  Every one knows it and saw it.  He is being criticized every where for how he coached yesterday.  Irsay should be angry and so should Ballard.   I’m sure they were not expecting that kind of performance from him.  Only one third down conversion the entire game and it came at the end of the game.  That’s remarkable.  And not putting the game in the hands of your best playmaker is mind boggling.  Not even on the field when he’s averaging 6 yards per carry.  He could have been a decoy if you wanted to try to trick them.  A wasted opportunity and all the coach has to do is look into the mirror to see who is at fault.  He let all the fans and his team down yesterday.   That is the Gods honest truth.

[Boondoggle]

Failure is a group lift in this game.  There is sufficient blame to go around.  No need to focus in on one bad guy here.

 

Did Steichen have a better option there at RB.  Couldn't Minshew have just put the ball on the back.  Couldn't the back just run that route better or make the catch.

 

Goodson probably blames himself.  But I'm sure Minshew blames himself too.  And Steichen probably questions himself with who was in the backfield for a play of that magnitude.  They're all gonna have to carry this one though.

[bluebombers87]

1 minute ago, richard pallo said:

I hope Ballard and Irsay both have a conversation with Steichen about the importance of playing situational football and player utilization.  You don’t pay your best playmakers to sit on the bench when the game is on the line.  He failed miserably yesterday.  From the obvious last play to going for it on 4th down in th middle of the field late in the game when they could have pinned them back deep like their punter did to us on numerous occasions.  Field position matters in games especially in a win it all game.  He was out coached yesterday.  Every one knows it and saw it.  He is being criticized every where for how he coached yesterday.  Irsay should be angry and so should Ballard.   I’m sure they were not expecting that kind of performance from him.  Only one third down conversion the entire game and it came at the end of the game.  That’s remarkable.  And not putting the game in the hands of your best playmaker is mind boggling.  Not even on the field when he’s averaging 6 yards per carry.  He could have been a decoy if you wanted to try to trick them.  A wasted opportunity and all the coach has to do is look into the mirror to see who is at fault.  He let all the fans and his team down yesterday.   That is the Gods honest truth.

I think the under-discussed issue of yesterday was field position. We were constantly pinned back. Part of that is on the defense not forcing 3 and outs or getting them off the field sooner but also Steichen twice should have punted it and didn’t. I’m usually pro-aggression but that was not wise.

[chad72]

32 minutes ago, KB said:

 

We need a FS bad. Thomas's regression was the worst I've ever seen for this team. 

That’s one of the reasons I’m wondering if our secondary coach leaving with Eberflus set us back and if we need to look elsewhere, even if we decide to keep Bradley.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 minute ago, bluebombers87 said:

I think the under-discussed issue of yesterday was field position. We were constantly pinned back. Part of that is on the defense not forcing 3 and outs or getting them off the field sooner but also Steichen twice should have punted it and didn’t. I’m usually pro-aggression but that was not wise.

100%
 

Anyone  think Hughes faked that injury to kill the colts MO

[Superman]

48 minutes ago, stitches said:

He's not! I would take that call for Minshew and Goodson over Taylor smashing into a wall on a telegraphed play 10 out of 10 times. We watched that one again and again and again and again last few years. It was ugly then and it would have been even more ugly now. Give Steichen better talent. DO NOT stifle his creativity. The stars of this team had PLENTY of opportunity to show themselves and to make a difference. And they did! Precisely because of Steichen's playcalling and not being predictable as F---k ... 

 

People are acting like this was a mad scientist play call. He schemed a RB wide open on a simple pass, and the QB and RB didn't do their jobs. 

 

You want to see a coach get "cute," go watch the Lions/Cowboys ending again.

 

In general I hate this criticism. No one accuses a coach of trying to get cute when the offense is making huge plays. It's entirely reactionary and based only on the outcome.

[bluebombers87]

3 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

100%
 

Anyone  think Hughes faked that injury to kill the colts MO

Did he come back on after one play?

[JColts72]

Seeing play over and over. So wide open, lousy throw and just overall bad execution. Colts always find ways to choke in big games.

Edited January 7 by JColts72

[Superman]

11 minutes ago, bluebombers87 said:

I think this particular example isn’t a good one. Asking any non-freak of nature qb to bomb it while being on the run laterally is a tall order. Stroud could do it and AR could do it but they’re specimens.

 

I get what you’re saying however. I feel like most teams know Pierce is a decoy most of the time and will take the risk of letting him get behind them. Once we get a QB who has even a breath of accuracy deep I think we’ll see. I would’ve like to see him used in different ways once teams figured out he wasn’t really a threat.

 

However pierce has had his moments where’s he’s dropped “easy” passes. He dropped a contested pass early in the game I believe.

 

It's true that this isn't a play that most QBs can make. My bigger problem is that Minshew isn't even aware of the possibility that this play can be made, because he appears to be complete oblivious to the fact that Pierce is coming open. He's totally consumed by the pass rush, he panics, and the play is over.

 

I'd probably be less disappointed in plays like that if Minshew at least appeared to see the blown coverage and acted like he might be trying to make the play. But over and over we've seen plays just like this -- including plays that wouldn't require a freak athlete at QB -- and Minshew doesn't recognize them. Then people come online and talk about how Pierce doesn't get any separation...

[stitches]

1 minute ago, Superman said:

 

People are acting like this was a mad scientist play call. He schemed a RB wide open on a simple pass, and the QB and RB didn't do their jobs. 

 

You want to see a coach get "cute," go watch the Lions/Cowboys ending again.

 

In general I hate this criticism. No one accuses a coach of trying to get cute when the offense is making huge plays. It's entirely reactionary and based only on the outcome.

Absolutely. And Indy media are kings of this. They know SO LITTLE about the game. I have no idea how you can watch a game your whole life and be a professional around that game... having to talk about it, having the best resources and access to the best minds and players in the game to talk to and gain knowledge and insight from... and when your analysis is most needed all you can muster is - did they get the 1st down(amazing play) or not(horrible decision)? 

[JColts72]

4 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

People are acting like this was a mad scientist play call. He schemed a RB wide open on a simple pass, and the QB and RB didn't do their jobs. 

 

You want to see a coach get "cute," go watch the Lions/Cowboys ending again.

 

In general I hate this criticism. No one accuses a coach of trying to get cute when the offense is making huge plays. It's entirely reactionary and based only on the outcome.

Don't use a RB who rarely plays and had 6 catches all year in that situation.

[husker61]

7 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

100%
 

Anyone  think Hughes faked that injury to kill the colts MO

if you ever played a sport, that would never come across your mind. Even more for top athletes that think they can make the play every time.

[Superman]

21 minutes ago, bluebombers87 said:

I think the under-discussed issue of yesterday was field position. We were constantly pinned back. Part of that is on the defense not forcing 3 and outs or getting them off the field sooner but also Steichen twice should have punted it and didn’t. I’m usually pro-aggression but that was not wise.

 

I didn't like the long FG, but it's hard for me to be too upset about it when the kicker had plenty of leg and just barely missed. 

 

However, on the flip side, Demeco Ryans had a similar situation, punted, and they pinned us at the 1 yard line. We could have used a favorable sequence like that...

[bluebombers87]

1 minute ago, Superman said:

 

It's true that this isn't a play that most QBs can make. My bigger problem is that Minshew isn't even aware of the possibility that this play can be made, because he appears to be complete oblivious to the fact that Pierce is coming open. He's totally consumed by the pass rush, he panics, and the play is over.

 

I'd probably be less disappointed in plays like that if Minshew at least appeared to see the blown coverage and acted like he might be trying to make the play. But over and over we've seen plays just like this -- including plays that wouldn't require a freak athlete at QB -- and Minshew doesn't recognize them. Then people come online and talk about how Pierce doesn't get any separation...

It’s one thing to say he can’t make those throws with the level of accuracy needed but it’s another to assume he isn’t seeing them. He’s prolly aware that the route exists but he knows (and the defense knows) it isn’t a viable option.

 

I’d also be curious to see how often he’s been pressured throughout the season. Last night felt like he was almost immediately flushed out.

2 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I didn't like the long FG, but it's hard for me to be too upset about it when the kicker had plenty of arm and just barely missed. 

 

However, on the flip side, Demeco Ryans had a similar situation, punted, and they pinned us at the 1 yard line. We could have used a favorable sequence like that...

At that point in the game flipping the field position battle would’ve been huge.

[Superman]

1 minute ago, JColts72 said:

Don't use a RB who rarely plays and had 6 catches all year in that situation.

 

I understand that viewpoint, trust me. I get it, it's a valid consideration. I don't have a problem with anyone saying they wish Taylor had been out there instead. I just think it's unreasonable to act like this was malpractice. 

 

Goodson is a pro football RB. He's more than capable of catching a pass when he's wide open. And the play call schemed him wide open for a first down.

 

Also, I think the bigger problem is the pass. 

[Superman]

7 minutes ago, bluebombers87 said:

It’s one thing to say he can’t make those throws with the level of accuracy needed but it’s another to assume he isn’t seeing them. He’s prolly aware that the route exists but he knows (and the defense knows) it isn’t a viable option.

 

I’d also be curious to see how often he’s been pressured throughout the season. Last night felt like he was almost immediately flushed out.

 

Just watching the clip you posted, I don't think he anticipates Pierce being an option at all. I've also watched this happen over and over again all season.

[RollerColt]

9 minutes ago, stitches said:

Absolutely. And Indy media are kings of this. They know SO LITTLE about the game. I have no idea how you can watch a game your whole life and be a professional around that game... having to talk about it, having the best resources and access to the best minds and players in the game to talk to and gain knowledge and insight from... and when your analysis is most needed all you can muster is - did they get the 1st down(amazing play) or not(horrible decision)? 

% like what you’re talking about is the reason I’ll be taking a break from this website indefinitely.

[indyagent17]

Stroud said Indy is a lazy town. Talk about locker room material and our defense weren’t very pumped up. We sit in the 60 yard line so a great view of our bench. Houston was jumping around before the game snd we looked stoic. It just seemed a bit strange.

 

So thoughts about the game seeing it live and on tv..

 

The offense was out of sync and we run the ball like that and we do not use play action??  It worked perfectly on the 2 point conversion but seldom used again. Houston would fill the box stopping the run and we still ran. They were daring us to throw the ball and with our run being so effective during the game it drives me crazy why we didn’t use play action to bring their safeties up. This is where I think coach really was weak I like him otherwise, but he’ll learn from this, hopefully, but Menchew was awful on the first drive, he missed a wide-open Goodson on the 5 yard line. He overthrew Cox on that sideline pattern. He only completed 13 passes last night so Houston dared us to let our quarterback beat them and Ryans was smarter.

[bluebombers87]

Just now, Superman said:

 

Just watching the clip you posted, I don't think he anticipates Pierce being an option at all. I've also watched this happened over and over again all season.

He shouldn’t. That’s not a throw he can make on the run like that. He only has had success throwing deep when he can fully plant and wind up.

 

Im sure there have been other examples where he should have seen a blown coverage and maybe take a shot but this wasn’t a good example of that. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

14 minutes ago, husker61 said:

if you ever played a sport, that would never come across your mind. Even more for top athletes that think they can make the play every time.

It happens. That’s why there is forced timeouts sometimes.

[stitches]

2 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

% like what you’re talking about is the reason I’ll be taking a break from this website indefinitely.

Don't leave us for too long... I enjoy your posts and we need more of them in times like this rather than less of them.  

 

This storm will pass too... Emotions are just heightened right now because we are still hurting from the loss and it's all fresh... In a week we will move onto the next thing... draft, FA, trades... should we fire Ballard(some have actually moved to that one already  ) 

 

Anyways... cheers and don't despair.

[Superman]

Just now, bluebombers87 said:

He shouldn’t. That’s not a throw he can make on the run like that. He only has had success throwing deep when he can fully plant and wind up.

 

Im sure there have been other examples where he should have seen a blown coverage and maybe take a shot but this wasn’t a good example of that. 

 

Pierce being open has nothing to do with Minshew being on the run. With some anticipation, he could have planted and thrown to Pierce.

 

I agree that this isn't the smoking gun example of Minshew missing Pierce, but for me, it's just the latest exhibit among a mountain of evidence that there have been opportunities to get Pierce more involved.

[bluebombers87]

1 minute ago, Superman said:

 

Pierce being open has nothing to do with Minshew being on the run. With some anticipation, he could have planted and thrown to Pierce.

 

I agree that this isn't the smoking gun example of Minshew missing Pierce, but for me, it's just the latest exhibit among a mountain of evidence that there have been opportunities to get Pierce more involved.

Again only freakish QBs could’ve done that without going into a full mechanical throw. He was being pursued and running. His release isn’t fast enough to get that ball out with accuracy before getting clobbered.

 

I’ll give him grief on some things but asking him to do that ain’t one of them. He’s a backup and for a reason.