Colts vs Packers post game thread

[Defjamz26]

11 hours ago, krunk said:

I'm telling you there is something they are being asked to do along the DL and LB Corps alignment/assignment wise they haven't usually done when it comes to the run.

Gotta be because they just fell off a cliff. I know sometimes Father Time just catches guys off guard, but for Buckner and Grover to be getting blown off the ball like they have is wild. Last year the Run D took a major step back when Stewart wasn’t on the field for his suspension. Now he’s on the field and it’s the worst it’s been. Even when him and Buckner are out there. There has to be some deeper explanation.

[Defjamz26]

11 hours ago, Dobbinblitz said:

To pour salt in the wound, the Colts LB’s are currently not very good in pass coverage. Shallow routes are not receiving much LB support .

Yeah. Reminds me of Pagano’s LB’s. Prime Leona’s and Okereke were great in coverage.

[Defjamz26]

12 hours ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

The weird thing about this off season is Ballard usually does fix a position the next season when it has been weak. It is really strange how he ignored it.

Caleb is having some troubles tonight. Colts will make him look like a pro bowler next week.

He’s been bullish on that for awhile. Remember for awhile we just had Pittman, Campbell, and Pascal at WR because he thought we were fine. Took him until 2022 to draft Pierce and then 2023-2024 he drafted Downs and Mitchell.

 

Hes been not upgrading the secondary for awhile now too. Traded Gilmore last offseason and let Rodney McCloud walk. He was going to roll into 2023 with the secondary being some combination of Dallis Flowers, Isaiah Rogers, Darrell Baker, JuJu Brents, Rodney Thomas, Jaylon Jones, Nick Cross, Tony Brown, and Blackmon.

 

The season ended and the excuse was that that the secondary was bad because two of their young unproven corners were not available for the season (Rogers suspended and cut and Flowers IR after week 1).

 

Then this season he ran it back and pretty much just gave the starting corner spots to Brents and Jones. He brought in no veteran competition. It’s like once they lost the battle for Snead, that was it for trying to upgrade the secondary.

[Dobbinblitz]

3 hours ago, DougDew said:

Just asking, don't the Bears under Flus play basically the same defensive scheme as Gus, and the same scheme that was coached here for years?   What's the difference?

 Bradley's defense more resembles Tony Dungy's defense.  Eberflus had made changes to his defense since joining the Bears. He adjusted to using more wide 9 formations.  Eberflus he has also changed up his play calling and is blitzing more often.

[DougDew]

10 minutes ago, Dobbinblitz said:

 Bradley's defense more resembles Tony Dungy's defense.  Eberflus had made changes to his defense since joining the Bears. He adjusted to using more wide 9 formations.  Eberflus he has also changed up his play calling and is blitzing more often.

I don't know if Flus is still the defensive play caller or if the Bears DC is being allowed to have some independence.  That could be the difference too.

 

I think Gus has blitzed twice in each game so far.  At least twice.

[DougDew]

3 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

I know sometimes Father Time just catches guys off guard,

It can change fast.  Not saying that with Buckner, but the idea he can be relied upon each season to make a difference is a bit rosey.  We're supposed to have a 3T developing behind him.  Dayo? 

[Defjamz26]

59 minutes ago, DougDew said:

It can change fast.  Not saying that with Buckner, but the idea he can be relied upon each season to make a difference is a bit rosey.  We're supposed to have a 3T developing behind him.  Dayo? 

Supposed to be Tomi, but he’s also really raw and looks mostly to be a pass rusher. They need a true pass rushing and run stopping 3-tech to develop behind Buckner. He only missed 1 game in his career up to this point, but with his age that may not be sustainable. Especially since it looks like he’s going to miss significant time as it is.

[Lifetime Colt]

Some interesting comments in this thread, some pretty off the wall ones too. What I saw was players earning life changing money that had no urgency, low energy, motivation and pride. I do not know what the staff is teaching, but it needs to be fixed. There were only a few players that played like their future depended on their performance, or they owed the team their best effort for what $$ they committed to them. Film room this week should be harsh, and challenging, all the lack of effort on film should be asked in front of the team " Is this a $70 million dollar NFL player, a $40 million player, $20,$30 etc. bruise some egos, wake them up. Then bring in the coaching staff and ask the same questions to them.

[1959Colts]

5 minutes ago, Lifetime Colt said:

Some interesting comments in this thread, some pretty off the wall ones too. What I saw was players earning life changing money that had no urgency, low energy, motivation and pride. I do not know what the staff is teaching, but it needs to be fixed. There were only a few players that played like their future depended on their performance, or they owed the team their best effort for what $$ they committed to them. Film room this week should be harsh, and challenging, all the lack of effort on film should be asked in front of the team " Is this a $70 million dollar NFL player, a $40 million player, $20,$30 etc. bruise some egos, wake them up. Then bring in the coaching staff and ask the same questions to them.

Excellent post. I agree. The reason (basically the same defense as last season) has struggled so bad looks to be a lack of effort. Playing soft, getting enveloped in blocks, arm tackles and not flying to the football

[compuls1v3]

12 minutes ago, 1959Colts said:

Excellent post. I agree. The reason (basically the same defense as last season) has struggled so bad looks to be a lack of effort. Playing soft, getting enveloped in blocks, arm tackles and not flying to the football

This right here.  I feel like every time the other team runs a play, our defense is just sitting back waiting, instead of attacking.  It's painful to watch.

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, Defjamz26 said:

Supposed to be Tomi, but he’s also really raw and looks mostly to be a pass rusher. They need a true pass rushing and run stopping 3-tech to develop behind Buckner. He only missed 1 game in his career up to this point, but with his age that may not be sustainable. Especially since it looks like he’s going to miss significant time as it is.

Who's Tomi, and what round was he drafted?  You don't replace an All-Pro 3T, and 3T may be the most important position in this defense, with a guy that doesn't have the talent to be drafted early.  Dayo was a second rounder and Ballard at the time said he was first round talent that fell due to the injury his senior year.  At 6'5" and 280 coming out of college, Dayo is supposed to be that 3T that takes over for Buckner, IMO.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Looks like Ballard has even made Steichen sound dumb. Does he understand just having Taylor in how that could open the pass.

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Guys it’s even worse 

 

 

[adubb84]

7 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Guys it’s even worse 

 

 

May not be the response we want to hear but the response he needs to say for gamesmanship. He can’t openly admit that as it tips his hand on the packages the Colts use for Taylor and how defenses will play against them.  
 

At least that’s how I see it…. Either way it’s him outsmarting himself instead of holding Taylor accountable for being better with blocking and coaching. 

[JediXMan]

 

The goat coach saying this about Bradley oof.

[KB]

Getting a backup RB more reps with the game on the line dosnt make sense. "Fire Steichen" is gonna start trending here by the end of the season.

[richard pallo]

37 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Guys it’s even worse 

 

 

Shane are you serious?  He has me worried now.  You’re trying to win the game but you needed to give a guy some reps?  Your trying to win he game.  You play your best players.  The defense has to worry about Taylor not Sermon.  Are we worried about hurt feelings?  Good God I can’t believe those quotes.  I can’t believe his logic.   Taylor’s averaging over 8 yards a carry but you’re not going to run him in the 4th quarter in a close game.  God almighty.

[BeanDiasucci]

13 minutes ago, JediXMan said:

 

The goat coach saying this about Bradley oof.

 

I'm curious to see if the same people here who dismissed former GM Michael Lombardi's criticism of Bradley's defense last week because Lombardi supposedly doesn't know anything and hasn't won anything will dismiss Belichick, as well. 

 

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Looks like Ballard has even made Steichen sound dumb. Does he understand just having Taylor in how that could open the pass.

 

 

Look, to all of you folks who think JT is "elite" as I've been trying to say for the past 3 years at least, JT is a RUNNER, and generally a runner between the tackles.  If an offense is not in a position to make those play calls (and I'm not saying they weren't, that's a different discussion) the coach will take him out of the game to get a more pass friendly RB in the game...enter Hines for example.

 

Both of our most recent HCs have figured this out about JT and his skills, and make the same decisions.

 

If you want to say that JT should have been in the game in order to keep running it between the tackles, fine, I won't argue with that.  But coaches tend to want to play the passing game when trailing in the 4Q...and they run the ball when they are leading in the 4Q....they all think like that for the most part.

[BeanDiasucci]

3 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Shane are you serious?  He has me worried now.  You’re trying to win the game but you needed to give a guy some reps?  Your trying to win he game.  You play your best players.  The defense has to worry about Taylor not Sermon.  Are we worried about hurt feelings?  Good God I can’t believe those quotes.  I can’t believe his logic.   Taylor’s averaging over 8 yards a carry but you’re not going to run him in the 4th quarter in a close game.  God almighty.

I want to think this must be coach-speak and not wanting to criticize Taylor's pass protection or pass catching publicly. But even if that's true, it's crazy. Taylor was the best thing going for the Colts offense yesterday. No way you can bench him for the decisive fourth quarter in a close game. 

[BeanDiasucci]

12 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Look, to all of you folks who think JT is "elite" as I've been trying to say for the past 3 years at least, JT is a RUNNER, and generally a runner between the tackles.  If an offense is not in a position to make those play calls (and I'm not saying they weren't, that's a different discussion) the coach will take him out of the game to get a more pass friendly RB in the game...enter Hines for example.

 

Both of our most recent HCs have figured this out about JT and his skills, and make the same decisions.

 

If you want to say that JT should have been in the game in order to keep running it between the tackles, fine, I won't argue with that.  But coaches tend to want to play the passing game when trailing in the 4Q...and they run the ball when they are leading in the 4Q....they all think like that for the most part.

 

You're probably right, but Sermon has been in the league 3+ years and has caught a total of seven passes for 46 yards. Taylor may not be a great receiver but in 4+ seasons he has 125 receptions for 987 yards. Taylor has of course had far more opportunities, yet I'm not buying it that Sermon brings anything to our passing game that warrants taking Taylor out for a whole quarter. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

8 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Look, to all of you folks who think JT is "elite" as I've been trying to say for the past 3 years at least, JT is a RUNNER, and generally a runner between the tackles.  If an offense is not in a position to make those play calls (and I'm not saying they weren't, that's a different discussion) the coach will take him out of the game to get a more pass friendly RB in the game...enter Hines for example.

 

Both of our most recent HCs have figured this out about JT and his skills, and make the same decisions.

 

If you want to say that JT should have been in the game in order to keep running it between the tackles, fine, I won't argue with that.  But coaches tend to want to play the passing game when trailing in the 4Q...and they run the ball when they are leading in the 4Q....they all think like that for the most part.

He was running for almost 9 yards a carry. What do you think happens in the pass game if Taylor stays in. It opens it up. 

[Dobbinblitz]

3 hours ago, DougDew said:

I don't know if Flus is still the defensive play caller or if the Bears DC is being allowed to have some independence.  That could be the difference too.

 

I think Gus has blitzed twice in each game so far.  At least twice.

Eberflus is still calling the plays, however new DC Eric Washington could well be influencing some of the situational play calling.

[RollerColt]

Sure sounds like winning isn’t the objective for this season. 

[DougDew]

6 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

He was running for almost 9 yards a carry. What do you think happens in the pass game if Taylor stays in. It opens it up. 

What are you talking, Chloe-theory? 

 

JT was running nicely for 3Qs and we only had 3 points.....lots a good that did us.  I didn't see the passing game lighting anybody up with JT in the game.

[richard pallo]

1 minute ago, BeanDiasucci said:

I want to think this must be coach-speak and not wanting to criticize Taylor's pass protection or pass catching publicly. But even if that's true, it's crazy. Taylor was the best thing going for the Colts offense yesterday. No way you can bench him for the decisive fourth quarter in a close game. 

Agree Taylor was the best thing we had going.  And we know he can break a long run at any moment.  Teams have to account for him every time he’s in.  He’s even gotten a lot better in receiving.  So instead of Taylor you are hoping AR can get the job done.  He has a hard time hitting the broad side of a barn on the short to intermediate routes.  We weren’t down two or three scores and had to abandon the run.  It was a close game.  Sitting him was crazy.  This is where gambling makes me nervous.  The league has welcomed it and it’s everywhere.  We don’t know these players or coaches at all.  Who they are or who their friends are.  We only see them on tv.  They all look like upstanding individuals until they aren’t.  Sports is really crazy now.  Nothing would surprise me anymore.  When I hear our coach try to explain his rationale on Taylor it makes no sense.  No sense at all.

[DougDew]

11 minutes ago, BeanDiasucci said:

 

You're probably right, but Sermon has been in the league four years and has caught a total of seven passes for 46 yards. Taylor may not be a great receiver but he has 125 receptions for 987 yards. Taylor has of course had far more opportunities, yet I'm not buying it that Sermon brings anything to our passing game that warrants taking Taylor out for a whole quarter. 

I can't explain it either, but this forum has made the same observations when Frank was the HC too, about the nonusage of JT.  I don't think it means the coaches are dumb.  It means its either something about JT or modern coaches using analytics and tendencies in their decision making.

 

I'd have to say that the coaches must think that what was causing the 9YPC was taken away by GB.  The other side adjusts too.  People are assuming it would have kept going, so just leave JT in and we'll get 9 YPC in perpetuity, but coaches understand what other teams are doing real time.

 

I also think that coaches see RBs as interchangeable.  The entire NFL devalues them as being anything special, so maybe SS simply doesn't think there is much difference between JT and the others, especially if GB made a critical adjustment to alignments or similar things to take something away that they were giving up for 3Qs..

[krunk]

Does anyone here think the Packers thought in the 4th qtr as behind as we were that we were going to be running the football? I mean we needed the clock on our sides and running runs the clock out. Steichen has pretty much told us in few words "hey we needed to pass heavy". I will agree JT needed to be in the game on that stupid option play maybe, but for the most part I understood what he alluded to.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

It’s Monday. I am going to try and look at glass half full. We lost two games by a combined 8 points. We haven’t been blown out. Hopefully we can tighten things up.

[Colt Overseas]

1 hour ago, JediXMan said:

 

The goat coach saying this about Bradley oof.

 

Agree, yeah to be honest, I think Bill Belichick is basically politely saying he doesn't rate Bradley, his scheme, the simplicity, his unwant to adjust, etc. It was embarrassing listening to Jaire Alexander saying that their defense could just put their feet up on the sideline as they knew we couldn't stop them in the run game. 

[richard pallo]

1 minute ago, krunk said:

Does anyone here think the Packers thought in the 4th qtr as behind as we were that we were going to be running the football? I mean we needed the clock on our sides and running runs the clock out. Steichen has pretty much told us in few words "hey we needed to pass heavy". I will agree JT needed to be in the game on that stupid option play maybe, but for the most part I understood what he alluded to.

You’re pretty much alone on that take.  Even the local reporters didn’t buy it and are pushing back hard on him.  I think he lost some credibility today.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Also the offense hasn’t been on the field much. They get it tightened up and use some time on their drives that will help the defense.

[BeanDiasucci]

8 minutes ago, krunk said:

Does anyone here think the Packers thought in the 4th qtr as behind as we were that we were going to be running the football? I mean we needed the clock on our sides and running runs the clock out. Steichen has pretty much told us in few words "hey we needed to pass heavy". I will agree JT needed to be in the game on that stupid option play maybe, but for the most part I understood what he alluded to.

 

If Taylor's a running back you can't play when you're behind in the fourth quarter, why in the world would the Colts make him the third-highest paid RB in the NFL? 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Jags and Texans have tough games next two weeks. Colts need to take advantage of these two home games. The question is will they or are they too beat up. Offense scored some points I think they will be fine.

[ShuteAt168]

11 minutes ago, BeanDiasucci said:

 

If Taylor's a running back you can't play when you're behind in the fourth quarter, why in the world would the Colts make him the third-highest paid RB in the NFL? 

 

We take care of our own and we like our guys, whether it makes sense or not. 

[cdgacoltsfan]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

Agree Taylor was the best thing we had going.  And we know he can break a long run at any moment.  Teams have to account for him every time he’s in.  He’s even gotten a lot better in receiving.  So instead of Taylor you are hoping AR can get the job done.  He has a hard time hitting the broad side of a barn on the short to intermediate routes.  We weren’t down two or three scores and had to abandon the run.  It was a close game.  Sitting him was crazy.  This is where gambling makes me nervous.  The league has welcomed it and it’s everywhere.  We don’t know these players or coaches at all.  Who they are or who their friends are.  We only see them on tv.  They all look like upstanding individuals until they aren’t.  Sports is really crazy now.  Nothing would surprise me anymore.  When I hear our coach try to explain his rationale on Taylor it makes no sense.  No sense at all.

[BeanDiasucci]

12 minutes ago, ShuteAt168 said:

We take care of our own and we like our guys, whether it makes sense or not. 

Sure, and a $74 million contract for Taylor is a lot of like for a guy who apparently isn't good enough in the passing game. 

 

This is going to sound just crazy, but Ballard may not be avoiding overpaying by sticking to resigning our own guys. 😜

 

 

 

[chad72]

 

 

8 hours ago, DougDew said:

I just found it ironic that having read thousand's of post's criticizing Flus' scheme over the years that I read praise for the Bears defense (where most probably agree with that post).  

 

Flus’ shortcomings showed up against the elite QBs that picked zones apart or when QBs got outside the pockets and zones broke down. 

 

If you remember, his run D numbers were always good, sometimes even in the Top 5 in the league, it was his pass D that broke down against the best but against less than elite ones, he did well. His LBs played with a lot of discipline in run D. Run D was something we never thought we’d worry though we weren’t as good as the Flus days. But this season has added more concerns.

 

I remember the Son of Bum, Wade Philips stating that lost in the face of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware pass rushing is that they were Top 3 in run D with their interior that enabled Von Miller and Ware to tee off with favorable down and distance situations.
 

That was the criminal thing with Polian/Dungy squads, we didn’t maximize Freeney and Mathis by stopping the run on early downs to let them loose (it often went the other way on run D), we relied on the O getting a lead to truly let them loose. The D has to hold it’s own to maximize it’s own in a vacuum, that’s what I’ve always felt.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I will also say the offense isn’t getting into rythm because they need to stay on the field longer.

[Superman]

1 hour ago, BeanDiasucci said:

If Taylor's a running back you can't play when you're behind in the fourth quarter, why in the world would the Colts make him the third-highest paid RB in the NFL? 

 

The idea that you can't play Taylor if you're behind in the fourth quarter is the main problem. I don't know why that idea is taking off today, but it's not based in fact.