Year 7 of Ballard

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, csmopar said:

Something tells me Shane will push for things that will have Ballard being far more aggressive than we have seen in the past. Infact, we’ve already seen Ballard do things that are atypical for him this season. 

This is the hope I'm hanging onto for the offseason. That Ballard was less aggressive because of Reich not pushing him to get players, and that Steichen will be more aggressive to get his guys and Ballard will budge on his philosophy because of that. Generally, Ballard listened to Reich to a fault, so I'm hoping it works to our advantage with Steichen as his impact was seen with the Eagles in how Howie Roseman operated.

[Two_pound]

Did any of you watch the steelers yesterday???????????? I will take Ballard and this loaded roster over that pathetic, zero talent steeler roster any day of the week. The steelers have no speed or athletic ability on defense. Their offensive line is worse than ours from last year when we weren't trying with Saturday at coach. I believe they have the same number of playoff wins in the past 7 years as we do. I will repeat what a friend of mine said after the 10th game when I told him I wish the the Colts could be that bad  and be 7-3. His reply, "we are not a 7-3 team, we are a 2-15 team". How does a team set nfl records for futility throughout the season as the steelers have this year and still be on the cusp of making the playoffs??????? I've seen a lot of bad Colt football over the years but nothing like the garbage the steelers have displayed this year(or the past 8-10 years for that matter).

[Solid84]

Drafting AR essentially got Ballard a freepass for a couple of seasons.

 

I do hope he gets a lot more aggressive this offseason. However, I also feel there are big holes to fill on this roster and one offseason may not be enough to get it done.

[Yoshinator]

3 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

Did any of you watch the steelers yesterday???????????? I will take Ballard and this loaded roster over that pathetic, zero talent steeler roster any day of the week. The steelers have no speed or athletic ability on defense. Their offensive line is worse than ours from last year when we weren't trying with Saturday at coach. I believe they have the same number of playoff wins in the past 7 years as we do. I will repeat what a friend of mine said after the 10th game when I told him I wish the the Colts could be that bad  and be 7-3. His reply, "we are not a 7-3 team, we are a 2-15 team". How does a team set nfl records for futility throughout the season as the steelers have this year and still be on the cusp of making the playoffs??????? I've seen a lot of bad Colt football over the years but nothing like the garbage the steelers have displayed this year(or the past 8-10 years for that matter).

I swear the majority of the Steelers success is because of Mike Tomlin. He is an incredible coach. He has never had a losing season with the Steelers. Through thick and thin with that team. I'll say this. They are less talented than us, but they have the better coach, and they are probably going to be in the playoffs. That's what matters. They made it to 10-7. We didn't. They did their job.

[Lancer1]

3 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

Did any of you watch the steelers yesterday???????????? I will take Ballard and this loaded roster over that pathetic, zero talent steeler roster any day of the week. The steelers have no speed or athletic ability on defense. Their offensive line is worse than ours from last year when we weren't trying with Saturday at coach. I believe they have the same number of playoff wins in the past 7 years as we do. I will repeat what a friend of mine said after the 10th game when I told him I wish the the Colts could be that bad  and be 7-3. His reply, "we are not a 7-3 team, we are a 2-15 team". How does a team set nfl records for futility throughout the season as the steelers have this year and still be on the cusp of making the playoffs??????? I've seen a lot of bad Colt football over the years but nothing like the garbage the steelers have displayed this year(or the past 8-10 years for that matter).

Yet the Steelers are still alive for the postseason (they'll probably be eliminated today) and they do have that impressive streak of 20 consecutive non-losing seasons.

[Two_pound]

So Tomlin did his job? Nico Collins was the texans only real threat yesterday and we didn't scheme to take him out of the game? A high school coordinator could have done that, why couldn't a guy with 20 years of nfl experience do that? Where were the blitzes??? I can recall 3 blitzes, the results of those 3 plays were 2 incomplete passes and a sack. We did the same thing yesterday that we have done for the past 51 years, came up short in a crucial game. We sat back and let the texans bring the game to us. At least we were better than 2 years ago when we slept through that disgraceful 26-11 loss in Jacksonville. That was an important loss for us though because it put the no talent steelers in the playoffs who then got beat by the chiefs 42-21 in a game the chiefs called off the dogs early. Honest question here, what do you guys expect? In the past 51 years we've had 3 generational qb's(Jones, Manning, and Luck) and have won 1 superbowel. We came up short numerous times with those guys at qb. What Ballard has done with below average qb's has been remarkable. If Richardson is as good as he looked before he got hurt this division will be us vs. Houston for the next 10-12 years, but we will have to do away with the triple vanilla, super soft zone defenses if we are going to win it all. Are we not allowed to play defense? How can the ravens play good defense EVERY year, regardless of how bad their offense is and we can play good defense 1 out of 10 years?? But then again, if every team played solid defense(which is easy to do) all the games would be 13-10 and no one would watch. 

[Dark Superman]

I was 29 years old when the Colts hired Chris Ballard in 2017.

I'll be turning 37 in May this year.

God, please kill me now. Time flies.

[Lancer1]

12 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

So Tomlin did his job? Nico Collins was the texans only real threat yesterday and we didn't scheme to take him out of the game? A high school coordinator could have done that, why couldn't a guy with 20 years of nfl experience do that? Where were the blitzes??? I can recall 3 blitzes, the results of those 3 plays were 2 incomplete passes and a sack. We did the same thing yesterday that we have done for the past 51 years, came up short in a crucial game. We sat back and let the texans bring the game to us. At least we were better than 2 years ago when we slept through that disgraceful 26-11 loss in Jacksonville. That was an important loss for us though because it put the no talent steelers in the playoffs who then got beat by the chiefs 42-21 in a game the chiefs called off the dogs early. Honest question here, what do you guys expect? In the past 51 years we've had 3 generational qb's(Jones, Manning, and Luck) and have won 1 superbowel. We came up short numerous times with those guys at qb. What Ballard has done with below average qb's has been remarkable. If Richardson is as good as he looked before he got hurt this division will be us vs. Houston for the next 10-12 years, but we will have to do away with the triple vanilla, super soft zone defenses if we are going to win it all. Are we not allowed to play defense? How can the ravens play good defense EVERY year, regardless of how bad their offense is and we can play good defense 1 out of 10 years?? But then again, if every team played solid defense(which is easy to do) all the games would be 13-10 and no one would watch. 

This is why Bradley should go

[Two_pound]

The steelers have a streak of 20 consecutive non losing seasons. Good for them. In the past 25 seasons we've only had 5 losing seasons. 2001 when Mora deserved to be fired. 2011 when Peyton didn't play and that brought Luck. 2017 and 2019 with Brissett(here's something to think about: Reich won 7 games in 2019 with Brissett,huh?????). And 2022 when Irsay made the strategic move to hire Saturday and finish 4-12-1 so we could draft Richardson. So we really aren't that far behind the legendary, iconic steeler franchise over the past 25 years but they are a traditional power and we SUCK and get no respect from the media jacks! I wonder why.

[Two_pound]

I agree 100% Bradley should go, and he needs to be replaced with an aggressive, attacking-minded coordinator, not just another bend-but-don't break super soft zone guy. It just doesn't work, 51 years have proven that!

[Mick J.]

2 hours ago, Lancer1 said:

I don't know how long Houston's GM has been there, but they may very well win the division today in Year 1 with their HC/QB combo.

 

The Colts overachieved this season, within a season of a lot of bad football teams. Now we are led to believe by many, that it's just a QB problem after the Texans loss. But, you have teams in the playoffs, without quality starters. 

 

 

[jemack]

I'll give Ballard another year (l called him and told him so).

We may have been Division Champs if it weren't for terrible officiating (Cleveland) and gambling addicts in the secondary.

I think we're back on track from Luck's untimely retirement and we gained tremendous depth this year.

AR had most of the season to get familiar SS's offense and hopefully no surgeries for JT.

Plus l don't think we're going to lose much to FA.

So in summary: l can't believe he dropped the @&+$?$  ball!!!!

[DattMavis]

We were a play from making the playoffs with Gardner Minshew. What more do people want? If AR plays, we dominate that game. Gus Bradley does need to go though.

[Indianapolis-Colts-Fan]

I’ve been patient with Ballard. I think for fans it comes down to the fear of getting someone worse than Ballard. But I think it’s time to be rid of him. If AR can stay healthy I think he’s the guy and he will save Ballards job, though. Having a QB that is good/great does a lot for your team. I think it’s pretty clear, teams without a top QB have similar to worse records than the Colts had this year. And for the love of God please let Bradley go. 

[runthepost]

6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Thank God your first sentence in bold declared that your post was NOT to say let’s fire Ballard.   
 

Because every other word you wrote sure SCREAMED fire Ballard as clearly as possible.     

I’m just laying out the facts that’s all

[a06cc]

Ballard is trash at finding secondary players. 

[a06cc]

23 minutes ago, Indianapolis-Colts-Fan said:

I’ve been patient with Ballard. I think for fans it comes down to the fear of getting someone worse than Ballard. But I think it’s time to be rid of him. If AR can stay healthy I think he’s the guy and he will save Ballards job, though. Having a QB that is good/great does a lot for your team. I think it’s pretty clear, teams without a top QB have similar to worse records than the Colts had this year. And for the love of God please let Bradley go. 

Ballard saved his job this season because we’ve won more than 5 games. If we didn’t he’d for sure be fired. I’m getting sick of him being overhyped by fans though. 

[csmopar]

14 minutes ago, a06cc said:

Ballard is trash at finding secondary players. 

Ummmm really? Rodgers was good before his gambling crap, Rock was more than serviceable. Kenny Moore is pretty good. Brents is a rookie but has flashed some very good potential.  

[Pat Curtis]

Overall the current roster going forward is strong.  QB, Oline, WR, TE, RB, DL, LB, P/K....all set.  A winning season with a backup QB 80% of the games and nearly every CB either hurt/cut/suspended will be enough to bring Ballard and his scouting staff back.

 

Things to do moving forward:

 

-Fire Gus Bradley (FGB)

-Get AR healthy

-Resign our key Free Agents

-Be aggressive to fill holes in Free Agency.  We have decent cap space.  Don't rely solely on the draft.

-BPA in the draft round 1.  Defense with a lot of our picks.

 

[SR711]

My thoughts on Ballard, overall direction of this franchise...

 

- To me, the credit for going from 4 wins in 2022 to 9 this year goes mostly to a having a largely unimposing schedule, having fresh ideas, schemes with our offense, better play calling, more competent QB play (the bar was set pretty low last year), improved O-line play.  Very little reflects on Ballard and his 7 years of "delayed gratification" roster construction.

 

- My issue Ballard's overall roster construction philosophy is that he continues to make (or not make) moves, save assets planning for a future that never comes into fruition.  In reality, IMO, the way the modern NFL roster rules are constructed with salary cap, draft, etc, it really is a year to year league.  What I mean by that is that the days of doing a methodical multi year build relying solely on the draft to bring in impact players are gone.  Teams have to be somewhat aggressive in filling holes that appear on a roster and adding talent (especially when its available for low cost) because that is what your competition is doing and that is how they leap frog you leaving those that dont cycling around the .500 mark or, possibly, worse and not true contenders. 

 

- The defense scheme needs to be revamped/Bradley needs to go.  There needs to be more blitz packages put in the playbook and mores aggressiveness that is put into the DNA of the defense.  There is no reason that the team should be in the bottom five in the league on how much they blitz when taken in context with how many points per game they were giving up.  However, I will be surprised if any substantial changes are made as this sit back, zone heavy, rely on turnovers scheme has been something that Ballard prefers and possibly may be mandating (look back at his comments regarding defensive scheme after 2016 season for reference). 

 

- Unfortunately, because of the AR injury, this season while entertaining and intriguing does very little to indicate whether this franchise is back on the road to contention.  The same question marks that were there going into the season will remain. The necessary invaluable game experience, teaching moments, growing pains that are realistically going to be there for AR in order for him reach his full potential are going to have to occur.  As a result, I don't it is a given that this team improves on its W-L record next year.  

[a06cc]

11 minutes ago, csmopar said:

Ummmm really? Rodgers was good before his gambling crap, Rock was more than serviceable. Kenny Moore is pretty good. Brents is a rookie but has flashed some very good potential.  

Rodgers: Issues and didn’t see the field

Rock: He was bad here

Kenny Moore: Drafted by Patriots and 50/50 each game

Brents: Gets cooked and looking like an injury liability

Blackmon: Always hurt

Thomas: Cooked

Are you serious right now?

[a06cc]

14 minutes ago, SR711 said:

My thoughts on Ballard, overall direction of this franchise...

 

- To me, the credit for going from 4 wins in 2022 to 9 this year goes mostly to a having a largely unimposing schedule, having fresh ideas, schemes with our offense, better play calling, more competent QB play (the bar was set pretty low last year), improved O-line play.  Very little reflects on Ballard and his 7 years of "delayed gratification" roster construction.

 

- My issue Ballard's overall roster construction philosophy is that he continues to make (or not make) moves, save assets planning for a future that never comes into fruition.  In reality, IMO, the way the modern NFL roster rules are constructed with salary cap, draft, etc, it really is a year to year league.  What I mean by that is that the days of doing a methodical multi year build relying solely on the draft to bring in impact players are gone.  Teams have to be somewhat aggressive in filling holes that appear on a roster and adding talent (especially when its available for low cost) because that is what your competition is doing and that is how they leap frog you leaving those that dont cycling around the .500 mark or, possibly, worse and not true contenders. 

 

- The defense scheme needs to be revamped/Bradley needs to go.  There needs to be more blitz packages put in the playbook and mores aggressiveness that is put into the DNA of the defense.  There is no reason that the team should be in the bottom five in the league on how much they blitz when taken in context with how many points per game they were giving up.  However, I will be surprised if any substantial changes are made as this sit back, zone heavy, rely on turnovers scheme has been something that Ballard prefers and possibly may be mandating (look back at his comments regarding defensive scheme after 2016 season for reference). 

 

- Unfortunately, because of the AR injury, this season while entertaining and intriguing does very little to indicate whether this franchise is back on the road to contention.  The same question marks that were there going into the season will remain. The necessary invaluable game experience, teaching moments, growing pains that are realistically going to be there for AR in order for him reach his full potential are going to have to occur.  As a result, I don't it is a given that this team improves on its W-L record next year.  

Bradley needs to go. I have defended him because we really do lack talent on Defense. It’s Buckner and backups. His defense can work, but you always need someone from the front 4 to get into the backfield. There really is no excuse to give up 3rd and 10+ plays regardless of personnel. That’s poor defensive play calling and coaching there. I’m pausing on AR next season because he didn’t play that much. He will be a year behind. Seeing it  is one thing and you need to be on the field to truly learn it. 

[Dark Superman]

26 minutes ago, a06cc said:

Rodgers: Issues and didn’t see the field

Rock: He was bad here

Kenny Moore: Drafted by Patriots and 50/50 each game

Brents: Gets cooked and looking like an injury liability

Blackmon: Always hurt

Thomas: Cooked

Are you serious right now?

Rock was playing his best football when the Colts traded him away.

[GoColts8818]

1 hour ago, csmopar said:

Ummmm really? Rodgers was good before his gambling crap, Rock was more than serviceable. Kenny Moore is pretty good. Brents is a rookie but has flashed some very good potential.  

Not to mention Jones, the seventh round corner, was probably their best outside corner all season.  Also Cross and Blackmon have been good at safety.

[Lancer1]

1 hour ago, DattMavis said:

We were a play from making the playoffs with Gardner Minshew. What more do people want? If AR plays, we dominate that game. Gus Bradley does need to go though.

 AR was bound to go through rookie growing pains, there is no guarantee that we'd be in the "win & in" position had he played all season but I agree, Bradley needs to go - he makes average QBs look good, and good ones look elite.

[csmopar]

59 minutes ago, a06cc said:

Rodgers: Issues and didn’t see the field

Rock: He was bad here

Kenny Moore: Drafted by Patriots and 50/50 each game

Brents: Gets cooked and looking like an injury liability

Blackmon: Always hurt

Thomas: Cooked

Are you serious right now?

[GoColts8818]

Just now, csmopar said:

Some people have a narrative to push and protect.

[#12.]

1 hour ago, SR711 said:

 

- To me, the credit for going from 4 wins in 2022 to 9 this year

 

I prefer to look at it like this.  Ballard went from 9 wins and a collapse in 2021 to 9 wins and a collapse in 2023.  It was a repeat performance.  In between, based on nothing, he handed Danny Pinter and Matt Pryor the starting RG and LT spots, leading to possibly the worst Colts season in Indianapolis.

 

If you're going to give Ballard credit for going from 4 wins to 9, you have to dock him for going from 9 to 4 in the first place.

[Lancer1]

6 minutes ago, #12. said:

 

I prefer to look at it like this.  Ballard went from 9 wins and a collapse in 2021 to 9 wins and a collapse in 2023.  It was a repeat performance.  In between, based on nothing, he handed Danny Pinter and Matt Pryor the starting LG and LT spots, leading to possibly the worst Colts season in Indianapolis.

If you're going to give Ballard credit for going from 4 wins to 9, you have to dock him for going from 9 to 4 in the first place.

I kinda agree, we had 3 "win & in" games in those 2 combined seasons, and failed in both of them. I fault personnel in 2021, and coaching  in 2023.

[a06cc]

45 minutes ago, Dark Superman said:

Rock was playing his best football when the Colts traded him away.

Had a good game followed by a not so good game and people wanted him gone. Went to play a scheme that fit him best and has been playing well 

[GoColts8818]

11 minutes ago, #12. said:

 

I prefer to look at it like this.  Ballard went from 9 wins and a collapse in 2021 to 9 wins and a collapse in 2023.  It was a repeat performance.  In between, based on nothing, he handed Danny Pinter and Matt Pryor the starting RG and LT spots, leading to possibly the worst Colts season in Indianapolis.

 

If you're going to give Ballard credit for going from 4 wins to 9, you have to dock him for going from 9 to 4 in the first place.

Go back and watch the Colts pre-manning, especially the 1991 Colts or the 2011 Colts to see the worst season in Colts history.  As for handing Pinter the starting RG spot it was the same move most fans called for based on his performance filling in for Kelly the year before.  Heck even before this season some fans were calling for letting Kelly go and playing Pinter at center. 

 

There is also a big difference between 2021 and this years team.  2021’s team was supposed to be a playoff team that got blown out vs the worst team in the league that year in the last game.  This team was thought by many to win three to five games before they lost their new franchise QB for the year and got beat in a one score game vs a playoff team to keep them out.  That’s not a collapse that’s a major overachievement.

[#12.]

Just now, GoColts8818 said:

10 minutes ago, #12. said:

in the first place.

Go back and watch the Colts pre-manning, especially the 1991 Colts or the 2011

 

Those were normal bad seasons, not the Jeff Saturday circus where it felt like the organization had completely lost its mind, culminating in the biggest choke job in NFL history.  

[chad72]

3 hours ago, Solid84 said:

Drafting AR essentially got Ballard a freepass for a couple of seasons.

 

I do hope he gets a lot more aggressive this offseason. However, I also feel there are big holes to fill on this roster and one offseason may not be enough to get it done.

Yep, if Ballard doesn’t deliver a division title by the 2025 season, I feel Irsay will make the move.

 

The key assumption is AR can be the QB he was drafted to be.

[csmopar]

9 minutes ago, a06cc said:

Had a good game followed by a not so good game and people wanted him gone. Went to play a scheme that fit him best and has been playing well 

You could be a politician 

[Solid84]

2 minutes ago, chad72 said:

Yep, if Ballard doesn’t deliver a division title by the 2025 season, I feel Irsay will make the move.

 

The key assumption is AR can be the QB he was drafted to be.

I think Irsay has 2025 marked in the calender. Good things need to start happening at that point.

 

If AR doesn't pan out it'll be on Ballard anyway, but even if AR does end up being a guy we can build around Ballard actually has to have a decent roster built at that point.

 

We'll see. He's pulled the trigger on AR, so that is what it is at this point. Now he needs to build the roster.

[GoColts8818]

Just now, Solid84 said:

I think Irsay has 2025 marked in the calender. Good things need to start happening at that point.

 

If AR doesn't pan out it'll be on Ballard anyway, but even if AR does end up being a guy we can build around Ballard actually has to have a decent roster built at that point.

 

We'll see. He's pulled the trigger on AR, so that is what it is at this point. Now he needs to build the roster.

If AR doesn’t pan out Ballard is gone.

[csmopar]

Just now, Solid84 said:

I think Irsay has 2025 marked in the calender. Good things need to start happening at that point.

 

If AR doesn't pan out it'll be on Ballard anyway, but even if AR does end up being a guy we can build around Ballard actually has to have a decent roster built at that point.

 

We'll see. He's pulled the trigger on AR, so that is what it is at this point. Now he needs to build the roster.

I agree. 2025 is the key year for Ballard

[Lancer1]

1 minute ago, GoColts8818 said:

Go back and watch the Colts pre-manning, especially the 1991 Colts or the 2011 Colts to see the worst season in Colts history.  As for handing Pinter the starting RG spot it was the same move most fans called for based on his performance filling in for Kelly the year before.  Heck even before the season some fans were calling for letting Kelly go and playing Pinter at center. 

 

There is also a big difference between 2021 and this years team.  2021’s team was supposed to be a playoff team that got blown out vs the worst team in the league that year in the last game.  This team was thought by many to win three to five games before they lost their new franchise QB for the year and got beat in a one score game vs a playoff team to keep them out.  That’s not a collapse that’s a major overachievement.

I sorta agree, but this year we should've been the playoff team - we were playing at home in primetime with the more experienced QB against a team with a rookie QB who had yet to play outside of the 1 pm EST window and missing his top TE & pass rusher, yet we failed to lead at any point (we almost led by 3 but hit the upright from 57 yards out) and it was the culmination of an entire season of missed opportunities. 

 

[a06cc]

1 minute ago, csmopar said:

I agree. 2025 is the key year for Ballard

This I agree with 

[Solid84]

2 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

If AR doesn’t pan out Ballard is gone.

100%

 

I'm saying he's gone if,

 

• AR doesn't pan out.
• There isn't a decent roster around AR at that point (2025).