Who on the current staff is the "scapegoat" in waiting?

[bluephantom87]

 

Just for arguments sake... Say the Colts finish below or around .500 this upcoming season and that's a strong possibility with a tougher schedule while also having to navigate inside their own division against teams which by all accounts have upgraded in talent level as they try to make a playoff push by first winning the division which gives you the easiest path to get in. 

 

IMO someone will take the blame because of the ground swell narrative of "one play away with a backup qb" that's been used as far as how good this team is by some who justify the lack of any DIFFERENCE making moves outside the resigning of our own. I do think the offense will improve with a healthy AR but I also think it won't matter in the end because the Colts will not benefit from one of the easiest schedules from a season ago. I say Gus will be the odd man out. His meh type defense set a Colt sack that came against  some bad offenses which were led by either backups or rookies.

[Jason_]

Justin Hamilton.  If AR gets hurt again, the DL struggles to get pressure consistently or if Gay misses one kick outside of 48 yards then there's no doubt in my mind that Hamilton will be shown the door... and rightly so. 

[stitches]

Gus is the most obvious answer IMO. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Bradley 

[Indyfan4life]

Ballard and Bradley. 100%. 

[RollerColt]

Ballard will be on the hot seat and Bradley would be gone. 
 

Just to play devils advocate, what will you all say if the defense continues to collect a large amount of sacks, stays within the top 20 and we make the playoffs?

[w87r]

8 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

Ballard will be on the hot seat and Bradley would be gone. 
 

Just to play devils advocate, what will you all say if the defense continues to collect a large amount of sacks, stays within the top 20 and we make the playoffs?

[RollerColt]

1 minute ago, w87r said:

I predict the fans will give themselves the credit for it. Shane, Ballard and Irsay will all take turns being burned and blamed as “flavors of the day”. 

[w87r]

10 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

I predict the fans will give themselves the credit for it. Shane, Ballard and Irsay will all take turns being burned and blamed as “flavors of the day”. 

I was talking about if we had another good season and stay in top 20.

 

 

People will say they were lucky. Think that's already been thrown out there this year.

[BProland85]

56 minutes ago, Indyfan4life said:

Ballard and Bradley. 100%. 

One can only hope. 

[GoColts8818]

Gus without question.

[stitches]

1 hour ago, RollerColt said:

Ballard will be on the hot seat and Bradley would be gone. 
 

Just to play devils advocate, what will you all say if the defense continues to collect a large amount of sacks, stays within the top 20 and we make the playoffs?

Sacks are not a great measure of how good/disruptive the DL is. If they stay at about the same level they were this year and we make the playoffs, it will likely be not because of the defense that we make the playoffs but despite it. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 hour ago, RollerColt said:

Ballard will be on the hot seat and Bradley would be gone. 
 

Just to play devils advocate, what will you all say if the defense continues to collect a large amount of sacks, stays within the top 20 and we make the playoffs?

I will admit I was wrong and glad it worked out. Usually though we can see the writing on the wall.

22 minutes ago, stitches said:

Sacks are not a great measure of how good/disruptive the DL is. If they stay at about the same level they were this year and we make the playoffs, it will likely be not because of the defense that we make the playoffs but despite it. 

Until the secondary is fixed the dline will continue as average. 

[RollerColt]

23 minutes ago, stitches said:

Sacks are not a great measure of how good/disruptive the DL is. If they stay at about the same level they were this year and we make the playoffs, it will likely be not because of the defense that we make the playoffs but despite it. 

I agree about sacks, but included it as many post about it as a metric. As they say. We’ll see. 

[JediXMan]

Bradley with all the young players he has in the secondary.

[NewColtsFan]

34 minutes ago, stitches said:

Sacks are not a great measure of how good/disruptive the DL is. If they stay at about the same level they were this year and we make the playoffs, it will likely be not because of the defense that we make the playoffs but despite it. 

If you think the 51 sacks the Colts had last year didn’t help the team get to 9-8 then I don’t know what to tell you.   ANY team would be happy with 51 sacks.   
 

 

You're complaining about the lack of pressures.  Everyone wants more pressures.   The Colts took a big step in trying to address it.  The new DL coach.  So Ballard is trying to get the most out of his unit and get more pressures.  

[stitches]

10 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

If you think the 51 sacks the Colts had last year didn’t help the team get to 9-8 then I don’t know what to tell you.   ANY team would be happy with 51 sacks.   
 

I'm happy with 51 sacks. But that's not sustainable if we play the same way. If we continue playing at that level, chances are we will be closer to 40 sacks than 50 next year... or in the long run in general. 

 

10 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

You're complaining about the lack of pressures.  Everyone wants more pressures.   The Colts took a big step in trying to address it.  The new DL coach.  So Ballard is trying to get the most out of his unit and get more pressures.  

What would constitute good season for the DL in your estimation? What would constitute the new DL coach having made a good positive impact? What improvements do you want to see? I'm trying to understand just what do you think the imact of the new coach will be... we were bottom 5 in the league in pressures and top 5 in the league in sacks. Based on some of your posts I feel like you have unrealistic expectations about the improvements a DL coach can bring to a team, but I'm not sure... that's why I'm asking. 

[bluephantom87]

11 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

Ballard will be on the hot seat and Bradley would be gone. 
 

Just to play devils advocate, what will you all say if the defense continues to collect a large amount of sacks, stays within the top 20 and we make the playoffs?

 

I'd say I'll believe it when I see it. 0 division titles under Ballard in going on 8 yrs with ONE playoff win courtesy of Andrew Luck who was known to carry below or avg teams led by nice but subpar first time head coaches and two mediocre at best gms.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Pretty soon there won’t be anyone else to scape goat and Ballard will be gone.

[RollerColt]

10 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Pretty soon there won’t be anyone else to scape goat and Ballard will be gone.

There will always be someone to blame. 

[ProblChld32]

3 hours ago, bluephantom87 said:

 

Just for arguments sake... Say the Colts finish below or around .500 this upcoming season and that's a strong possibility with a tougher schedule while also having to navigate inside their own division against teams which by all accounts have upgraded in talent level as they try to make a playoff push by first winning the division which gives you the easiest path to get in. 

 

IMO someone will take the blame because of the ground swell narrative of "one play away with a backup qb" that's been used as far as how good this team is by some who justify the lack of any DIFFERENCE making moves outside the resigning of our own. I do think the offense will improve with a healthy AR but I also think it won't matter in the end because the Colts will not benefit from one of the easiest schedules from a season ago. I say Gus will be the odd man out. His meh type defense set a Colt sack that came against  some bad offenses which were led by either backups or rookies.

Has to be Gus outside of the sack production the defense hasn’t been the greatest and it has also been the Achilles heel of this team at times. 

[chad72]

Go watch some March Madness and get some Underdogs in all of your bones, life will be better.  

 

 

Could use some positivity here, folks. It’s like four funerals and a wedding here.  

[richard pallo]

No playoffs No more Ballard.  Jim’s patience runs out.

[GoColts8818]

3 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

No playoffs No more Ballard.  Jim’s patience runs out.

Highly doubt it.

[richard pallo]

5 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Highly doubt it.

No doubt for me.

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

I'm happy with 51 sacks. But that's not sustainable if we play the same way. If we continue playing at that level, chances are we will be closer to 40 sacks than 50 next year... or in the long run in general. 

 

What would constitute good season for the DL in your estimation? What would constitute the new DL coach having made a good positive impact? What improvements do you want to see? I'm trying to understand just what do you think the imact of the new coach will be... we were bottom 5 in the league in pressures and top 5 in the league in sacks. Based on some of your posts I feel like you have unrealistic expectations about the improvements a DL coach can bring to a team, but I'm not sure... that's why I'm asking. 

To the best of my knowledge I don’t have access to a website that addresses pressures.   So I don’t know what a good number is or what a bad number is.   But if the Colts are in the bottom 5 in pressures, I’d like to be somewhere in the middle.  So, perhaps between ranks 11-20.   Does that seem reasonable?   Obviously the higher the better, maybe 15-17?   I’m reaching because I have no frame of reference for what is realistic or not.  

[jvan1973]

44 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

No doubt for me.

He isn't getting fired unless they have a top 5 pick.    Irsay doubled down on his confidence in Ballard.  They will have basically a rookie qb.  Ballard will be here unless an epic meltdown happens.   

[ColtStrong2013]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

No doubt for me.

What would give you the impression that there is “no doubt” in your mind that Ballard will be fired if they don’t make the playoffs in 2024. You think that if they are as close with a healthy Richardson as they were to a division title in 2023, that Irsay will want to blow it up? 

[throwing BBZ]

2 hours ago, stitches said:

I'm happy with 51 sacks. But that's not sustainable if we play the same way. If we continue playing at that level, chances are we will be closer to 40 sacks than 50 next year... or in the long run in general. 

 

What would constitute good season for the DL in your estimation? What would constitute the new DL coach having made a good positive impact? What improvements do you want to see? I'm trying to understand just what do you think the imact of the new coach will be... we were bottom 5 in the league in pressures and top 5 in the league in sacks. Based on some of your posts I feel like you have unrealistic expectations about the improvements a DL coach can bring to a team, but I'm not sure... that's why I'm asking. 

 

 How about we have our d-line quit focusing so much at stopping the run and more attacking like it's always a pass play and Steichen orders Gus to disguise his coverages like good defenses do and also we blitz 30% more like average teams do.

 Lets get the pressures up to suit our most knowledgeable fans. 

[SSColts]

No matter what happens this year, Ballard is coming back. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Only winning 7 or 8 games is a step back from last season. Yes he would be gone.

[ColtStrong2013]

4 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Only winning 7 or 8 games is a step back from last season. Yes he would be gone.

I don’t think so. I think he’s got minimum two years. If Anthony is healthy and shows he is progressing (even with struggles at times, or not being an immediate winner), they will continue the same path into 2025. Go watch the next pick from last year and tell me that’s a front office/coaching staff that is worried about their future. They believe they are building an environment to develop Anthony Richardson. The clock was reset for Ballard. 3 year deals across the board is not ironic. It ties the current veterans to AR’s rookie deal. Unless it’s just an utter meltdown in ‘24 or ‘25 and it’s obvious Richardson is not the guy, there’s no reason to assume that Ballard and company are not safe through the 2025 season and into 2026, playoffs or not. Everyone on here saying otherwise is just wishful thinking on their part. 

[jvan1973]

3 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Only winning 7 or 8 games is a step back from last season. Yes he would be gone.

Nope.  3 wins he may get fired,  7 he will absolutely be back if AR looks competent 

[ColtStrong2013]

Just now, jvan1973 said:

Nope.  3 wins he may get fired,  7 he will absolutely be back if AR looks competent 

something would be seriously wrong with 3 wins. That’s utter meltdown. Team’s floor is 7 wins, in my opinion. I think we easily split series (or go 2-4) with our division opponents, steal a few games we aren’t expected to win, and win more than not at home. I say that with or without Richardson. 

[RollerColt]

4 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

Nope.  3 wins he may get fired,  7 he will absolutely be back if AR looks competent 

I think a lot of us feel we’ll take a slight step back this season with Anthony developing. I’d say with how calm the front office is they feel the same way. The real expectations are set for 2025. 

[ColtStrong2013]

1 minute ago, RollerColt said:

I think a lot of us feel we’ll take a slight step back this season with Anthony developing. I’d say with how calm the front office is they feel the same way. The real expectations are set for 2025. 

and on… I’ve said it before on here, it’s not a short term mindset anymore. They felt they were close in 2020-2021, but they reset the clock after 2022. I think they are hopeful that the current vets that were just extended helps them win now and for the next 3 years, but they are resetting expectations for a longterm with a new franchise qb. 

[GoColts8818]

36 minutes ago, RollerColt said:

I think a lot of us feel we’ll take a slight step back this season with Anthony developing. I’d say with how calm the front office is they feel the same way. The real expectations are set for 2025. 

I mean Irsay pretty much reset the clock on Ballard when he didn’t fire him after 22.  Knowing his QB was hurt almost all of 23 I don’t see Irsay firing Ballard basically two years into a new QB with the QB missing almost all of the first year and being a glorified rookie in year two.  It would take something like going 0-17 with Richardson playing all year and clearly just not being a NFL level QB and I think we saw enough last year to at least know Richardson belongs in the NFL.

[RollerColt]

2 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

I mean Irsay pretty much reset the clock on Ballard when he didn’t fire him after 22.  Knowing his QB was hurt almost all of 23 I don’t see Irsay firing Ballard basically two years into a new QB with the QB missing almost all of the first year and being a glorified rookie in year two.  It would take something like going 0-17 with Richardson playing all year and clearly just not being a NFL level QB and I think we saw enough last year to at least know Richardson belongs in the NFL.

Agree 100%. If Ballard were to have been fired 2022 would’ve been it. 

[ColtStrong2013]

Just now, GoColts8818 said:

I think we saw enough last year to at least know Richardson belongs in the NFL.

I think we all saw enough to know if he can stay healthy (and I know it’s a big if) he is undoubtedly going to make big plays. That’s why he was brought here. He can win in this league, and especially with Steichen. It’s not going to come overnight, so expectations are far more tempered behind the doors at 56th street than they are on this forum. 

[GoColts8818]

8 minutes ago, ColtStrong2013 said:

I think we all saw enough to know if he can stay healthy (and I know it’s a big if) he is undoubtedly going to make big plays. That’s why he was brought here. He can win in this league, and especially with Steichen. It’s not going to come overnight, so expectations are far more tempered behind the doors at 56th street than they are on this forum. 

I don’t disagree I was just spelling out what I think it would take Ballard to get fired and then trying to say and we pretty much know half of that isn’t going to happen for sure.