Quote:1. To be honest, I don't think Irsay has a choice but to be patient. His team needs a LT, RB, TE,@ a ROLB, a young ILB, a stud NT, and a CB, at minimum. Three of those positions are premium positions. To expect them to acquire all three premium positions in one off-season is not realistic. Typically, top notch pass rushers, LTs, and CBs don't hit free agency. When they do, there are usually bidding wars for their services. They can't win bidding wars for these positions in one off-season without wrecking their salary cap. They will likely have to draft and develop those areas. That will take time.
2. I don't think Irsay can trust Grigson to build the roster through the draft. Outside of Luck and Hilton, what stud player has he drafted? He has known he needed a young pass rusher to develop and took Woerner. They are still relying on thirty something year old Robert Mathis.
The Colts do have some young key pieces, especially on the D line that have great potential. David Parry and Henry Anderson (still working back from tearing his ACL last year). They are mainly run stuffing lineman, though. The biggest problem with the Colts defense IMO is they have 0 pass rush. None. Zilch. Plus, the Colts ILB are HORRENDOUS. Really, really bad. Heck, the Colts just cut one of their starting LBs LOL. If that doesn't tell you how bad that position is, nothing will. Plus, Kelly that they drafted this year to be starting C has been really solid, he'll be a great piece for us going forward.
And I've been on this train for a while now and I still believe it, I don't think Grigson is great or even good really, but I think the main problem is Pagano. He's just awful at getting his team prepared. Luck flourishes in the no huddle, yet Pagano demands that they got at a slower pace so we can substitute personnel in and out.... Uh, isn't that the point of no huddle? To keep the pace and not allow either team to substitute. Literally every game the Colts start so incredibly slow due to being unprepared/badly coached. Then 3rd/4th quarter comes around, we're down 20+ and we go no huddle and we start moving the ball and putting points on the board. Strange. Pagano isn't a good coach and he hasn't been for a while.
Quote:The Colts do have some young key pieces, especially on the D line that have great potential. David Parry and Henry Anderson (still working back from tearing his ACL last year). They are mainly run stuffing lineman, though. The biggest problem with the Colts defense IMO is they have 0 pass rush. None. Zilch. Plus, the Colts ILB are HORRENDOUS. Really, really bad. Heck, the Colts just cut one of their starting LBs LOL. If that doesn't tell you how bad that position is, nothing will. Plus, Kelly that they drafted this year to be starting C has been really solid, he'll be a great piece for us going forward.
Those guys are decent run stuffers, but I don't know if I would classify either as a dominant or stud NT that a 3-4 needs to thrive. I think they are decent spot starters in a 3-4 DL or rotational guys. I thought you had your chance in the 2015 draft to get either the kid from Texas who wound up with New England, or Freeman, who went to Chicago. I also think safety is a problem for you guys, though you drafted a guy in the 2nd this year. But you are right in that LBs, especially the pass rushers, are a problem for you guys-a HUGE problem for a 3-4 team.
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And I've been on this train for a while now and I still believe it, I don't think Grigson is great or even good really, but I think the main problem is Pagano. He's just awful at getting his team prepared. Luck flourishes in the no huddle, yet Pagano demands that they got at a slower pace so we can substitute personnel in and out.... Uh, isn't that the point of no huddle? To keep the pace and not allow either team to substitute. Literally every game the Colts start so incredibly slow due to being unprepared/badly coached. Then 3rd/4th quarter comes around, we're down 20+ and we go no huddle and we start moving the ball and putting points on the board. Strange. Pagano isn't a good coach and he hasn't been for a while.
It certainly played out that way last week. I can see both sides to this argument.
On the one hand, the strength of the Colts offense are the skill players, especially in the passing game with Luck. Naturally one would be inclined to play to those strengths. But with the idea of protecting and preserving Luck being a top priority, and trying to do so with an inexperienced and possibly marginally talented right side of the OL (and a questionable LT to boot), I can understand trying to limit the exposure to hits Luck would take.
Ultimately, I think a coach can only coach a team so far. Ultimately, he needs talent. Without pass rushers and OLs, Pagano will continue to struggle looking like a competent coach.
Quote:On the one hand, the strength of the Colts offense are the skill players, especially in the passing game with Luck. Naturally one would be inclined to play to those strengths. But with the idea of protecting and preserving Luck being a top priority, and trying to do so with an inexperienced and possibly marginally talented right side of the OL (and a questionable LT to boot), I can understand trying to limit the exposure to hits Luck would take.
Ultimately, I think a coach can only coach a team so far. Ultimately, he needs talent. Without pass rushers and OLs, Pagano will continue to struggle looking like a competent coach.
Right, but with the no huddle I'm not saying you have to do 5 or 7 step drop back every time. Just keep the tempo going, that's what Luck EXCELS at. Plus, you can still run the ball in the no huddle. Gore is still good and can get the yards, problem is going at a slower pace to begin the game the Colts get into 20+ point holes, thus abandoning the running game. Keep the tempo up. Keep the defense on their heels. That's why the past 2 weeks Gore at halftime has what? 70 yards, 60 yards? Then gets... like 10 in the 2nd half. Because the Colts have put themselves in a hole and forced to abandon the run game.
IDK, I think this team has some pieces to be good minus a few positions (LB, pass rush, T, G). I just think they're terribly coached.
Quote: Bullseye, I have a couple of related opinion questions for you and jagibelieve:
1. Though I agree that it would be in the Colts best interest to rebuild, do you think that Colts owner Jimmy Irsay will be patient enough to rebuild? Especially, after giving Andrew Luck the most lucrative contract in NFL history.
2. After Ryan Grigson's personnel decisions contributed to the Colts 2016 roster situation greatly, how can Irsay justify trusting Grigson as a person well suited to rebuild the Colts? My take is the Colts probably should go in another direction at the G.M. position. With a new G.M. making the call on whether to retain Chuck Pagano.
1. I agree with Bullseye, I don't think he has much choice. It's going to take a couple of seasons at best to field a better team.
2. I agree also that Irsay should go a different direction at the GM position.
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2. I agree also that Irsay should go a different direction at the GM position.
AFC South fans everywhere outside of Indy hopes he maintains the status quo for another ten years.
Quote:Those guys are decent run stuffers, but I don't know if I would classify either as a dominant or stud NT that a 3-4 needs to thrive. I think they are decent spot starters in a 3-4 DL or rotational guys. I thought you had your chance in the 2015 draft to get either the kid from Texas who wound up with New England, or Freeman, who went to Chicago. I also think safety is a problem for you guys, though you drafted a guy in the 2nd this year. But you are right in that LBs, especially the pass rushers, are a problem for you guys-a HUGE problem for a 3-4 team.
It certainly played out that way last week. I can see both sides to this argument.
On the one hand, the strength of the Colts offense are the skill players, especially in the passing game with Luck. Naturally one would be inclined to play to those strengths. But with the idea of protecting and preserving Luck being a top priority, and trying to do so with an inexperienced and possibly marginally talented right side of the OL (and a questionable LT to boot), I can understand trying to limit the exposure to hits Luck would take.
Ultimately, I think a coach can only coach a team so far. Ultimately, he needs talent. Without pass rushers and OLs, Pagano will continue to struggle looking like a competent coach.
Thanks for your input in the replies since I asked the questions in this thread and to everyone else that provided input.
I've watched Jerrell Freeman in 3 games with the Bears in recent weeks and believe he's been a major bright spot on a Defense with many injuries. It's apparent that the Colts underestimated him. If there is such thing as an MVP on a Defense through 4 games on a team that's 1-3, Freeman would be my selection.
Regarding the Colts LT situation, the remainder of this season is critical for Anthony Castonzo. The Colts made a major investment on his 2nd contract last year. If he doesn't perform well enough the remainder of the season, do they go after someone like the currently injured Matt Kalil if he hits the open market or do they invest a 1st or 2nd Round pick in a LT prospect? They certainly need Andrew Luck's blindside being protected well if they want to keep their most important player in one piece.