Is the Defense Pathetically Bad?

[Smonroe]

17 minutes ago, Moosejawcolt said:

Then isn't that a head coaching issue? After 3 years and nothing changes. Shouldn't Shane pull the trigger and fire Bradley.  If he doesn't, isn't he failing in his duties as a HC?  Just saying. U have been saying that a new D coach would bring some positive results. Let's say u r right and although u r not an  NFL coach, I  do respect your knowledge as it pertains to football. Shane must see it but isn't he  being negligent  by allowing it to continue?

Maybe the GM should give him better players first.  You have to be ultra conservative if you don’t trust your DBs to cover or press.  

[SR711]

The defense has been pretty bad this season and played a direct role in all 3 of the losses.  If you get even an average to slightly below average performance relatively in those games, at least two of those are wins and we are perhaps looking at 4-1 record right now even with a raw inexperienced QB who is developing.

 

This season so far is a case study in how combining low level talent with a rather simplistic, easy to strategize against scheme can lead to complete ineptitude of a unit and sink a season.  

[Patrick Miller]

The answer is yes. 

[IinD]

[1959Colts]

I never saw so much terrible open field tackling. Way too.often we have the play stopped, for like no gain, but we miss the tackle, and they run for an additional 10 yards. Frustrating to watch

[JediXMan]

On 9/23/2024 at 12:36 PM, JediXMan said:

Is it a good defense no but currently it’s 15th is PPG. Also surprisingly not even last in rushing Defense Cowboys are last. 

Yeah this is a bottom 10 defense lol.

[coltsfan_canada]

[Boondoggle]

We're getting roughly what I expected we'd get from this hire.  He'll be gone after this season though thankfully and hopefully this next time around the hire will be strong.

 

I like the offensive design and he's locked up in the HC gig.  So now if they can get the right DC hire in they will be in very good shape schematically.

[indyagent17]

It’s truly a combination of coaching and skill. Now when you have an NFL franchise one, the most important thing you do is finding the best backups in case someone goes down. But more I look over the Ballard regime I see that Ballard has been a lot of high draft picks and the defensive line, but he ignored the defensive back room and the subs we have either seem to be lazy or just don’t get the pro games. But I know one thing once we get a new defensive coordinator and all the coaches that go with that it’ll be a good start. The fans will understand frustration and it may save Ballard’s job for at least one more year just can’t play 10 yards off a receiver on a 3 yard First down. I’m tired of watching three  defensive players circling a receiver and giving a big enough cushion where the ball is thrown right in these things are unacceptable. No NFL defense should look the way that ours does and has been for a long time.

[Zoltan]

Yup we allowed 2 touchdowns on drives of 1 play and another touchdown on a drive of 2 plays, thats giving up an easy 21 points. Thats hard to do.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

26 minutes ago, Boondoggle said:

We're getting roughly what I expected we'd get from this hire.  He'll be gone after this season though thankfully and hopefully this next time around the hire will be strong.

 

I like the offensive design and he's locked up in the HC gig.  So now if they can get the right DC hire in they will be in very good shape schematically.

Do you worry at all if Ballard gets fired Shane is gone too? This offense is on the right track. Or does Ballard get another pass allowing Shane to hire a new DC?

[Zoltan]

On a side note Justin Fields only has 68 yards so far against the Cowboys with 11 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. After we gave up 312 yards last week…

[DattMavis]

33 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

Do you worry at all if Ballard gets fired Shane is gone too? This offense is on the right track. Or does Ballard get another pass allowing Shane to hire a new DC?

No, Shane is safe currently. The highest risk is Gus and then Chris.

I think those two get fired first before Shane is a consideration.

 

Having said that, I have not liked Shane's press conferences this year. I know it's about how you perform and not how you talk, but his answers have often been terrible. At least Gus has accepted the blame and when it works, explained what he did to adjust. Today's defensive performance was not really on Gus. Our players were just terrible. That won't save him though.

[DattMavis]

28 minutes ago, Zoltan said:

On a side note Justin Fields only has 68 yards so far against the Cowboys with 11 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. After we gave up 312 yards last week…

Not a shock. Malik Willis had an 85% completion percentage against us.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

2 minutes ago, DattMavis said:

No, Shane is safe currently. The highest risk is Gus and then Chris.

I think those two get fired first before Shane is a consideration.

 

Having said that, I have not liked Shane's press conferences this year. I know it's about how you perform and not how you talk, but his answers have often been terrible. At least Gus has accepted the blame and when it works, explained what he did to adjust. Today's defensive performance was not really on Gus. Our players were just terrible. That won't save him though.

One thing I have learned with Shane you’re not going to get much from a presser with him. His side of the ball has not really been the issue. Outside a few troubles with AR accuracy it’s been good. I agree Gus will  ne scape goat when the truth is injuries and the secondary are an issue.

 

I just don’t know how Irsay feels about Steichen. As long as the offense looks like it did today I don’t think Steichen a job will be in danger. As long as AR shows like he is the future and is improving he will be fine.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

If colts can stay at around .500 when that last stretch of the season comes they could still have some hope for playoffs. The question will be can they get some guys back soon enough.

[GoColts8818]

It’s sure looking like it right now.

[DavePSL]

7 hours ago, Zoltan said:

On a side note Justin Fields only has 68 yards so far against the Cowboys with 11 minutes left in the 3rd quarter. After we gave up 312 yards last week…

How is that possible with all the injuries Dallas has on defense?

[MikeCurtis]

9 hours ago, JediXMan said:

Yeah this is a bottom 10 defense lol.

Bottom 5

[MikeCurtis]

Hassan Reddick, MIGHT be an option to help the defense

 

The Jets got him for a conditional 3 (I believe)

 

The guy is a proven talent

 

We need DE help in a major way 

 

 

 

 

[JediXMan]

2 hours ago, MikeCurtis said:

Hassan Reddick, MIGHT be an option to help the defense

 

The Jets got him for a conditional 3 (I believe)

 

The guy is a proven talent

 

We need DE help in a major way 

 

 

 

 

We needed secondary help and Ballard refused and this is where we are.

[richard pallo]

10 minutes ago, JediXMan said:

We needed secondary help and Ballard refused and this is where we are.

Budda Baker is still available.  Lol

[Smonroe]

3 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Budda Baker is still available.  Lol

I like our guys! (that we found wandering around in the parking lot and have them starting).  

[richard pallo]

The biggest problem is tackling.  Our linebackers and a couple of guys in the secondary can’t tackle.  That’s basic football yet they refuse to.  They try to knock someone down instead of wrap up the players.  It happens over and over.  Gus sees it but yet the players don’t do it.  Maybe it’s time to bench a player or two and play some guys willing to tackle.  Sometimes that’s all it takes.

[Solid84]

Per PFF the Colts had 16 total missed tackles against the Jags which is the worst of the season so far.

 

Speed had no less than 6 missed tackles.

Cross had 3

Blackmon had 2

and a handful of others had 1.

 

We had 4 defensive starters with Tackles grades in the 30s and under - which is garbage tier by the way:

Speed

Cross

Blackmon

Stewart

 

Raekwon Davis and Tomi didn't have a single tackle. NOT. ONE. On 23 and 18 snaps respectively. Tomi did "shine" with a missed tackle.

 

 

[richard pallo]

1 minute ago, Solid84 said:

Per PFF the Colts had 16 total missed tackles against the Jags which is the worst of the season so far.

 

Speed had no less than 6 missed tackles.

Cross had 3

Blackmon had 2

and a handful of others had 1.

 

We had 4 defensive starters with Tackles grades in the 30s and under - which is garbage tier by the way:

Speed

Cross

Blackmon

Stewart

 

Raekwon Davis and Tomi didn't have a single tackle. NOT. ONE. On 23 and 18 snaps respectively. Tomi did "shine" with a missed tackle.

 

 

I think I would bench Speed and Franklin for starters.  See what happens.  Need to shake things up.  

[JediXMan]

25 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

The biggest problem is tackling.  Our linebackers and a couple of guys in the secondary can’t tackle.  That’s basic football yet they refuse to.  They try to knock someone down instead of wrap up the players.  It happens over and over.  Gus sees it but yet the players don’t do it.  Maybe it’s time to bench a player or two and play some guys willing to tackle.  Sometimes that’s all it takes.

What’s strange is they had a decent game tackling last week against the Steelers. It seems they can’t have consistency week to week tackling.

[indyagent17]

11 hours ago, DattMavis said:

No, Shane is safe currently. The highest risk is Gus and then Chris.

I think those two get fired first before Shane is a consideration.

 

Having said that, I have not liked Shane's press conferences this year. I know it's about how you perform and not how you talk, but his answers have often been terrible. At least Gus has accepted the blame and when it works, explained what he did to adjust. Today's defensive performance was not really on Gus. Our players were just terrible. That won't save him though.

I really think he is holding back trying not to call out coaches and schemes. Im sure he and Gus have had some one sided chewing out sessions 

 

[Superman]

18 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

Then isn't that a head coaching issue? After 3 years and nothing changes. Shouldn't Shane pull the trigger and fire Bradley.  If he doesn't, isn't he failing in his duties as a HC?  Just saying. U have been saying that a new D coach would bring some positive results. Let's say u r right and although u r not an  NFL coach, I  do respect your knowledge as it pertains to football. Shane must see it but isn't he  being negligent  by allowing it to continue?

 

Yes, it's a head coaching issue. 

 

When Steichen kept Bradley in 2023, I understood it. I viewed Bradley as a holdover that pre-dated Steichen, and it was my hope that he'd hire a different DC this season. When Steichen kept Bradley in 2024, it became Steichen's decision to own, whether it worked or failed. 

 

And yes, part of this is on Ballard, and whoever else is making decisions in the building (Irsay, etc.) But I don't think the GM is sitting in gameplan meetings. 

 

I'm not even calling for them to fire Bradley. I think that's where this is headed (or should be, IMO), but a guy who has been coaching football his entire life has to have some answers. But this is how Bradley calls the defense: https://youtu.be/DndE4mV9MSE?si=B7ehWJmkxVbx33cJ 

 

He's ultra conservative, and his defense still gives up big plays. I know the defensive backfield is not super exciting, but it's also not totally bereft of talent, as some people claim. We've seen the guys in our secondary that everyone spent all summer hating on make several plays already this season. But Gus is completely uninterested in defending the first ten yards of the field in the passing game. And then he runs a scheme that frequently results in LBs and safeties getting matched up on the other team's best receivers well down the field (like EJ Speed and Nick Cross vs Rome Odunze; even a rookie QB can figure that one out). 

 

Outside of yesterday's game, the strength of this defense is the pass rush. (And yesterday, they were without 3 of their 5 best pass rushers, and one who did play is a rookie.) But we refuse to let the DBs engage in the first five yards, so the pass rush gets nullified by the quick passing game. It doesn't take a dramatic change, we shouldn't need a different DC, all we need is to let the corners play closer to the line of scrimmage. We gave up 8.7 yards per play yesterday (not per pass play). Trevor Lawrence has been a mess this season, and he was an all star against us (again). 

 

Steichen can't tell Gus that he needs to make some simple adjustments to give the defense a fighting chance? He's not just in charge of the offense, he's in charge of the entire team. That includes game plans, strategy, player development, etc. At this point, the results of this defense are a reflection of Steichen's choices, as much as anyone else's. 

 

(Not to mention the tackling, which is partly personnel, but also goes back to this team's choices in training camp and preseason, which are a reflection of coaching.)

 

There's little point in firing Bradley right now, but he cannot be the defensive coordinator next season. If he is, I'm as out on Steichen as I will be on anyone else connected to this operation. 

[Superman]

Just waived Flowers. I guess that's something...