Report: Brents to IR

[Indianapolis-Colts-Fan]

This topic was on fire all off season. It was under the microscope. Ballard did little to nothing to change that, and now Brent’s is hurt for a second straight year. If anyone is annoyed by the response by the fans, you really shouldn’t be surprised or annoyed. Is the topic old? Sure, but so is watching Ballard say he didn’t give Gus enough and then proceed to do the same thing the following year. 
 

Gus Bradley’s defense had pretty damn good corners in Seattle and it seemed to do alright there for a short amount of time. This isn’t Seattle, these arent those corners. 

I can’t rationalize the lack of attention put on this secondary by Ballard. I’ve given him a long leash when it comes to my emotions and my hopes, but I really can’t do it much anymore. I like aspects of this roster. I like where things COULD be headed with our QB and offensive tools (HC). But I can’t support Ballard anymore. 
 

On Sunday the first game we’ve seen in a long time (coming from someone who hast missed a game in 20 years), I watched the first series and then turned it off and opted for other things on my Sunday, and overall my day was better and I didn’t feel as if I wasted 3 hours of my life to rewatch the last 8 year rerun season opener. 
 

I’ll watch some games this year because I like football and I want to see ARs progress. But I won’t be watching all of them and I may skip out on inevitably what will be the last game of the season WIN AND IN and watch this team not show up ready to go in the biggest game of the season. 

 

[Archer]

Hate to turn the subject back to the original one.  (After all, who doesn’t enjoy a good anonymous forum argy-bargy.). But, did anyone notice Brents get hurt during the game?  I had to fast forward a lot, since I couldn’t get home to the game until it had been going for a couple of hours.  I never noticed Brents going down with an injury.  It seems like that happens z lot to the Colts.  Guy plays substantially the whole game, I don’t see him get hurt, but after the game we find out he has a not-insubstantial injury.

[Indianapolis-Colts-Fan]

1 minute ago, Archer said:

Hate to turn the subject back to the original one.  (After all, who doesn’t enjoy a good anonymous forum argy-bargy.). But, did anyone notice Brents get hurt during the game?  I had to fast forward a lot, since I couldn’t get home to the game until it had been going for a couple of hours.  I never noticed Brents going down with an injury.  It seems like that happens z lot to the Colts.  Guy plays substantially the whole game, I don’t see him get hurt, but after the game we find out he has a not-insubstantial injury.

 

brents said he didn’t even notice he was injured. 

[Yoshinator]

3 hours ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

I don’t know where you get I hate Ballard. It’s in the Colts  best interest to work because  the ramifications are bad. But I am not going to sit here not call out year after year where he is stubborn. He has built a competitive roster but doesn’t do enough up contend.  Until we get a few more really good players we will fall short. I think every position on this roster except the secondaryi is very very good and can be contenders with them. But the secondary is so week it’s going to cost us a few games where we will come up short of the playoffs again. That’s the frustration. Coming up just short because he fails at one position. One that a 2 year old could see needed fixed.

 

 

. 

Yep. You never said you hated Ballard. In fact, it was me who said I hated Ballard. I don't believe anyone else used that word personally. 

 

I actually think the roster is weak at multiple positions. You are giving Ballard a lot more credit than most people. I see the depth at RB as a weakness, the TEs as a weakness, the LBers as a weakness, the Secondary as a weakness, and possibly K as a weakness.

 

We are a mediocre team, and we had to get lucky with the injury bug, and that hasn't happened so far. With Ekubam and Brents out after 1 week of the regular season already, the defense will be much weaker.

 

The worst thing isn't even the injuries, it's the fact that Ballard didn't prepare for the injuries before the season with adequate depth. Now we get the leftovers that no one wanted to fill the injury holes and our team is much weaker because of it.

[Solid84]

9 hours ago, masterlock said:

What constitutes "making a run", and why do you think the Colts aren't making one?

Win now mode. Window is open. Essentially the Colts would have to think they’re ready to be a serious contender for the Super Bowl. 

[DavePSL]

8 hours ago, ColtStrong2013 said:

scanning through the rambling to get to this point, I will happily answer. 
 

enough will be when they show no success in growing young players they are drafting and competing with rosters filled with in house talent. Enough will be when his drafted qb Anthony Richardson doesn’t develop and the team stagnates (If that happens, not necessarily when.) same goes for the skilled players, the young defensive backs, Latu, etc. Same goes for Shane as a head coach. Do I support waiting until we win? Yes… as opposed to what? Hiring someone who statistically will be worse or have a radical change in philosophy that ownership doesn’t support? Tearing the entire thing down and starting over? That seems timely… I think I’ll happily be patient to watch a 22 year old develop and see if the tide changes. 
 

when will you stop being so angry though? 

Fair enough, then you dont care if they win or not as long as he continues to build the team a certain way. It's not "waiting until they win" because to this point, they haven't won and there is no guarantee they will win based on his past......That explains why you still support him with a losing record but people shouldn't be surprised about others that dont support him because he has a losing record. Believe it or not, there are fans that judge him by wins and losses.

[DavePSL]

9 hours ago, RollerColt said:

What does it matter? The only opinion on when “enough is enough” is Irsay’s. 
 

Prepare to be really upset at the end of the season when Ballard remains. 

If the team makes the playoffs and Ballard stays, I will be super happy. The question is, will you be "upset" if the team has another losing record and misses the playoffs and ballard stays?

 

BTW, it should MATTER to all Colts fans what "opinion" Irsay has if the team loses.

[RollerColt]

20 minutes ago, DavePSL said:

If the team makes the playoffs and Ballard stays, I will be super happy. The question is, will you be "upset" if the team has another losing record and misses the playoffs and ballard stays?

 

BTW, it should MATTER to all Colts fans what "opinion" Irsay has if the team loses.

I've stopped allowing sports to fully dictate my happiness in life. 

[ColtStrong2013]

31 minutes ago, DavePSL said:

Fair enough, then you dont care if they win or not as long as he continues to build the team a certain way. It's not "waiting until they win" because to this point, they haven't won and there is no guarantee they will win based on his past......That explains why you still support him with a losing record but people shouldn't be surprised about others that dont support him because he has a losing record. Believe it or not, there are fans that judge him by wins and losses.

1 play away from a division title with a backup qb in Steichen’s first season. AR is healthy and proving to be a big time playmaker right out of the gate. Yeah I think I’ll be patient because I know we’re going to win football games this year and compete our tails off. 
 

again- why are you so angry? Because we haven’t won to your standard? Boy Peyton spoiled you didn’t he brother? 

[cdgacoltsfan]

10 hours ago, Believe blue1306 said:

 

emotions hurt because this wasn’t an INT. 
I won’t let it go lol 

I know!...if this is in the end zone, it's a catch and TD

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 hour ago, Yoshinator said:

Yep. You never said you hated Ballard. In fact, it was me who said I hated Ballard. I don't believe anyone else used that word personally. 

 

I actually think the roster is weak at multiple positions. You are giving Ballard a lot more credit than most people. I see the depth at RB as a weakness, the TEs as a weakness, the LBers as a weakness, the Secondary as a weakness, and possibly K as a weakness.

 

We are a mediocre team, and we had to get lucky with the injury bug, and that hasn't happened so far. With Ekubam and Brents out after 1 week of the regular season already, the defense will be much weaker.

 

The worst thing isn't even the injuries, it's the fact that Ballard didn't prepare for the injuries before the season with adequate depth. Now we get the leftovers that no one wanted to fill the injury holes and our team is much weaker because of it.

In the end I don’t think depth at RB it TE makes a difference in a contender or not. But secondary will.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

The good news is we have only played one game. So he has chance to go fix this. The question will he.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

You only get so many opportunities. You have to take advantage of them.

[Mitch Connors]

16 hours ago, Solid84 said:

He's not conceding. The goal this year never was to contend. It's something you've made up in your head.

Why would a GM ever have a goal that centers around not contending? There have been way too many excuses for Ballard and this is just another one.

• Texans and Colts - both lost a franchise QB unexpectedly.
• Both started over with new head coaches.
• Both needed new franchise QBs.
• One is a legit playoff threat with aspirations of a deep playoff run and.....the other is content not winning? 

Could anyone objectively observe the last 6 years of Texans/Colts and say Ballard is doing a good job? At a minimum its crystal clear he could be doing a better job. 

[masterlock]

1 hour ago, Solid84 said:

Win now mode. Window is open. Essentially the Colts would have to think they’re ready to be a serious contender for the Super Bowl. 

I guess I still don't understand why you think the Colts don't think they're a serious contender for the Super Bowl. Is it because they didn't sign any outside free agents, and instead opted to re-sign their own in-house free agents? 

[Yoshinator]

34 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

In the end I don’t think depth at RB it TE makes a difference in a contender or not. But secondary will.

TE definitely makes a difference in who contends and who doesn't. It's a HUGE separator between playoff and contending teams and mediocre teams. Kelce on the Chiefs, Kittle on the 49ers, LaPorta on the Lions, Kincaid on the Bills, Andrews on the Ravens (though Likely may have taken over that role now), and Goedert on the Eagles are some of the top contenders where the common denominator is a top TE. We have no good TE's. That's going to be a big difference between us and the top playoffs teams every year until we get one. 

[Solid84]

12 minutes ago, Mitch Connors said:

Why would a GM ever have a goal that centers around not contending? There have been way too many excuses for Ballard and this is just another one.

• Texans and Colts - both lost a franchise QB unexpectedly.
• Both started over with new head coaches.
• Both needed new franchise QBs.
• One is a legit playoff threat with aspirations of a deep playoff run and.....the other is content not winning? 

Could anyone objectively observe the last 6 years of Texans/Colts and say Ballard is doing a good job? At a minimum its crystal clear he could be doing a better job. 

 

9 minutes ago, masterlock said:

I guess I still don't understand why you think the Colts don't think they're a serious contender for the Super Bowl. Is it because they didn't sign any outside free agents, and instead opted to re-sign their own in-house free agents? 

What the Colts want to (win the Super Bowl) is not the same as what the goal is a for given season. I'm sure the Panthers want to win the Super Bowl, but noone thinks that's realistic. So, you make goals for a season that're like step-stones on the way to that ultimate goal - the super bowl.

 

The Colts want to get AR comfortable with the NFL pace, the playbook and with his teammates. If he shows us this season he's our guy and he's one we can build around then up the ante.

[Dingus McGirt]

19 minutes ago, Mitch Connors said:

Why would a GM ever have a goal that centers around not contending? There have been way too many excuses for Ballard and this is just another one.

• Texans and Colts - both lost a franchise QB unexpectedly.
• Both started over with new head coaches.
• Both needed new franchise QBs.
• One is a legit playoff threat with aspirations of a deep playoff run and.....the other is content not winning? 

Could anyone objectively observe the last 6 years of Texans/Colts and say Ballard is doing a good job? At a minimum its crystal clear he could be doing a better job. 

At least acknowledge the Texans fleeced the hapless Browns, thus making it a bit easier to build so fast.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

4 minutes ago, Solid84 said:

 

What the Colts want to (win the Super Bowl) is not the same as what the goal is a for given season. I'm sure the Panthers want to win the Super Bowl, but noone thinks that's realistic. So, you make goals for a season that're like step-stones on the way to that ultimate goal - the super bowl.

 

The Colts want to get AR comfortable with the NFL pace, the playbook and with his teammates. If he shows us this season he's our guy and he's one we can build around then up the ante.

A GM should always want to win. We have very little time with him on a rookie deal 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Ronnie Harrison is back on the PS.

[Old Colt]

17 hours ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

So now flowers has to play and we play a starting corner with no depth. This was so avoidable 

Just another reason Ballard needs to go.... it is his fault Colts have no depth or defensive back strength.  it has been that way for years.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

24 minutes ago, Mitch Connors said:

Why would a GM ever have a goal that centers around not contending? There have been way too many excuses for Ballard and this is just another one.

• Texans and Colts - both lost a franchise QB unexpectedly.
• Both started over with new head coaches.
• Both needed new franchise QBs.
• One is a legit playoff threat with aspirations of a deep playoff run and.....the other is content not winning? 

Could anyone objectively observe the last 6 years of Texans/Colts and say Ballard is doing a good job? At a minimum its crystal clear he could be doing a better job. 

This post is fire. You are 100% correct 

[Solid84]

1 minute ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

A GM should always want to win. We have very little time with him on a rookie deal 

Again, I'm not saying he doesn't want to win, but we're not a contender yet and we need to get AR figured out first and anything beyond that is gravy.

 

The Panthers want to win too, but is that realistic?

[Yoshinator]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

A GM should always want to win 

Yep. Once you have your rookie QB who you assume will be "the guy", you should go all-in at that point. It does two things: 1.) Puts a better team around your franchise QB, making it easier for him, and 2.) If he is the guy, you are ready to compete instantly. The goal is to make the playoffs and compete for a SB while the young QB is on his rookie contract. Any GM who waits for the QB to hit before building around him doesn't know how to do his job. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Just now, Solid84 said:

Again, I'm not saying he doesn't want to win, but we're not a contender yet and we need to get AR figured out first and anything beyond that is gravy.

 

The Panthers want to win too, but is that realistic?

The post above is correct. The Texans didn’t mess around and circumstances are very similiar. Actually Texans had it worse because they had to build an entire team. It does not take that long to build a team that can contend for the playoffs.

[BeanDiasucci]

Just now, Solid84 said:

Again, I'm not saying he doesn't want to win, but we're not a contender yet and we need to get AR figured out first and anything beyond that is gravy.

 

The Panthers want to win too, but is that realistic?

Shouldn't they try to field the strongest defense they can to try to make the playoffs, perhaps win a division title, and get playoff experience for all their young players. Are you saying they would have to mortgage the future to have better depth at CB? 

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, BeanDiasucci said:

Shouldn't they try to field the strongest defense they can to try to make the playoffs, perhaps win a division title, and get playoff experience for all their young players. Are you saying they would have to mortgage the future to have better depth at CB? 

Personally, if I could get Marshon Lattimore for a 3rd round pick from the Saints right now, I'd do that deal. He's 28 I believe, but you can probably extend him and get 4-5 years of good production out of him, and since Ballard loves trading down in the draft, you could move down in the 1st round next year 4 picks or so to recoup the pick.

 

Even if this isn't possible, there are lots of trade scenarios that are, and I'm sure Ballard knows who is on the trade block at CB for what teams.

[Solid84]

4 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

The post above is correct. The Texans didn’t mess around and circumstances are very similiar. Actually Texans had it worse because they had to build an entire team. It does not take that long to build a team that can contend for the playoffs.

The Texans went all in after Stroud had a full season proving he was their guy. We're not in that situation. We still need AR to prove it because he was injured last season. Alternatively you do what the Titans have done - betting on a QB who didn't prove it. That can lead to cap-hell.

[jvan1973]

33 minutes ago, Mitch Connors said:

Why would a GM ever have a goal that centers around not contending? There have been way too many excuses for Ballard and this is just another one.

• Texans and Colts - both lost a franchise QB unexpectedly.
• Both started over with new head coaches.
• Both needed new franchise QBs.
• One is a legit playoff threat with aspirations of a deep playoff run and.....the other is content not winning? 

Could anyone objectively observe the last 6 years of Texans/Colts and say Ballard is doing a good job? At a minimum its crystal clear he could be doing a better job. 

I missed the part where the Colts got 3 first round picks for luck

[Solid84]

5 minutes ago, BeanDiasucci said:

Shouldn't they try to field the strongest defense they can to try to make the playoffs, perhaps win a division title, and get playoff experience for all their young players. Are you saying they would have to mortgage the future to have better depth at CB? 

I'm not happy with the secondary and I've said so MANY times here. I'm not happy with how Ballard has handled that situation AT ALL. I wanted him to bring in a solid FA - not a top-$$ guy, but good, solid player that we could play and the young'uns could learn behind.

 

What I'm fighting here is the thought we should start giving up 2025 picks for a CB (and others) when we're still not sure AR is the guy. That's an all-in move and we're not there yet. Hopefully next season.

[Yoshinator]

2 minutes ago, Solid84 said:

The Texans went all in after Stroud had a full season proving he was their guy. We're not in that situation. We still need AR to prove it because he was injured last season. Alternatively you do what the Titans have done - betting on a QB who didn't prove it. That can lead to cap-hell.

Completely disagree here.

 

1.) If you draft a franchise QB at 4, you have to assume he's the guy. If he has to prove it first, then your skills as a GM aren't worth crap. I don't care if he was injured, you can't go about it halfway.

 

2.) The Titans drafted Levis in the 2nd round. If he fails, then the Titans draft another QB next year. Here's the great thing about what they did. That new QB hypothetically will have a solid team waiting for him his rookie year.

 

3.) Richardson is in his 2nd year right now. Assuming you wait and he "proves himself" this year, he will be in his 3rd year of his contract next year. That's two years of a rookie contract as the 5th year option will be much more expensive as would an extension. At that point, Richardson is getting paid a lot of money and you have to build a team around that. The advantage over other teams that paid their QB is now gone at that point. We should have built around AR this offseason. We only have a three year window before he gets paid. That'll go by quickly.

[Yoshinator]

9 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

I missed the part where the Colts got 3 first round picks for luck

We did get three 2nd round picks for moving down from 3 to 6 and getting Quenton Nelson in 2018. Regardless though, even if it was exactly even and we got picks for Luck, Ballard still wouldn't spend in FA, and the Texans do, so it's a moot point.

[Mitch Connors]

9 minutes ago, jvan1973 said:

I missed the part where the Colts got 3 first round picks for luck

That was on the same page you missed where it talked about the Colts adding two franchise O lineman and an All Pro LB by trading back to accumulate picks because the had unexpected draft capital. 

 

IE the Texans arent the only team that lucked into extra picks. 

25 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

At least acknowledge the Texans fleeced the hapless Browns, thus making it a bit easier to build so fast.

And the Colts (because of Luck) got a massive draft haul when we traded back for Nelson. 

[ColtStrong2013]

46 minutes ago, Mitch Connors said:

Why would a GM ever have a goal that centers around not contending? There have been way too many excuses for Ballard and this is just another one.

• Texans and Colts - both lost a franchise QB unexpectedly.
• Both started over with new head coaches.
• Both needed new franchise QBs.
• One is a legit playoff threat with aspirations of a deep playoff run and.....the other is content not winning? 

Could anyone objectively observe the last 6 years of Texans/Colts and say Ballard is doing a good job? At a minimum its crystal clear he could be doing a better job. 

 

One had the 2nd pick and CJ Stroud fall in their lap due to an incompetent Carolina team. One was a play better for the division title than the other with a backup qb. One is a legit playoff threat and deep run aspirations that just beat the other by 2 points. 

I think you are overreacting to the differences between the two. Very much so.

[lollygagger8]

It would be one thing if it was one game, where the secondary failed.

But it's now a trend, and fans definitely have a right to complain on the matter.

 

It's literally been going on for years. 3rd and 14.....you can almost set a clock to the opposing team getting 16 yards. Playing 5-10 yards off every play....even on the goal line!?? "Bend don't break" (which usually broke anyways) until the 4th quarter, and then D is gassed and give up the game. 

 

CB and Safety were considered major needs in the off-season and everyone knows it, yet nothing was addressed. I don't know why, but here we are.  

 

As long as Gus is playing off man 5-10 yards (and don't get me started about barely ever blitzing - esp on 3rd down) outcomes will be the same. Most likely regardless of the personnel. 

 

 

[ColtStrong2013]

Just now, lollygagger8 said:

As long as Gus is playing off man 5-10 yards (and don't get me started about barely ever blitzing - esp on 3rd down) outcomes will be the same. Most likely regardless of the personnel. 

 

And the vast majority of rational thinkers here agree with you on this... 

[lollygagger8]

Just now, ColtStrong2013 said:

 

And the vast majority of rational thinkers here agree with you on this... 

 

Key word 

[Solid84]

6 minutes ago, Yoshinator said:

Completely disagree here.

 

1.) If you draft a franchise QB at 4, you have to assume he's the guy. If he has to prove it first, then your skills as a GM aren't worth crap. I don't care if he was injured, you can't go about it halfway.

 

No you don't. You don't have to assume anything. You play them for a year and look for that IT thing that tells you he's the guy. THEN you go all in for year 2. 

 

Right now I don't think Levis is the guy for the Titans. They still went all in and I think they'll suffer for that.

 

Quote

2.) The Titans drafted Levis in the 2nd round. If he fails, then the Titans draft another QB next year. Here's the great thing about what they did. That new QB hypothetically will have a solid team waiting for him his rookie year.

 

 

The Titans also spent big in FA because they ASSUMED. I haven't seen it from Levis and I think they'll suffer for it.

 

Quote

3.) Richardson is in his 2nd year right now. Assuming you wait and he "proves himself" this year, he will be in his 3rd year of his contract next year. That's two years of a rookie contract as the 5th year option will be much more expensive as would an extension. At that point, Richardson is getting paid a lot of money and you have to build a team around that. The advantage over other teams that paid their QB is now gone at that point. We should have built around AR this offseason. We only have a three year window before he gets paid. That'll go by quickly.

And it's really unfortunate AR got injured, but if you start pushing the bill ahead of you without knowing what we have it'll come back to bite you.

[Mitch Connors]

12 minutes ago, ColtStrong2013 said:

 

One had the 2nd pick and CJ Stroud fall in their lap due to an incompetent Carolina team. One was a play better for the division title than the other with a backup qb. One is a legit playoff threat and deep run aspirations that just beat the other by 2 points. 

I think you are overreacting to the differences between the two. Very much so.

Im not disputing anything you said. My point, in my initial reaction to another post, is that if Ballard feels like he and this team are in a position to not contend this year that's a serious problem (especially factoring in the points you made). If Ballard sat on his hands in free agency while the Texans made their team better because Ballard thought this was a throw away year he should be fired (obviously IMO). 

[ColtStrong2013]

Just now, Mitch Connors said:

Im not disputing anything you said. My point, in my initial reaction to another post, is that if Ballard feels like he and this team are in a position to not contend this year that's a serious problem (especially factoring in the points you made). If Ballard sat on his hands in free agency while the Texans made their team better because Ballard thought this was a throw away year he should be fired (obviously IMO). 

Why would they think they aren’t in position to? They knew they were going to increase their explosiveness by getting AR back and hitting the draft at a couple positions, which they did in Latu and AD. They tried to get Hunter and he went to the Texans, which is where is from. I don’t think they sat on their hands, I just don’t think it worked out this offseason. Players want to play with playmakers, and it’s brutally obvious with the pickups Houston got. Solely because of Stroud. If AR stays healthy, we will be very much in the mix next offseason to do more than what has been done in free agency. But I don’t at all think anyone in the organization believes they aren’t looking to compete this season. I think week 1 reiterated they can, they have a lot to clean up and grow from.