2015 Colts: Karma Chameleon

[Super Nomario]

I don't think the Panthers are as good this year as they were last when they snuck into the playoffs with a losing record. I stipulate they have an easy schedule but beating bad teams doesn't make that team "good".

On paper, and probably in practice, the offense is worse. I think the defense is better though. They don't have the pass rush they had in 2013 (when they were the #2 defense in both scoring and yardage), but the secondary is better and they still have the best linebackers in the NFL.
 

My guess that Atlanta could beat an obviously flawed Colts team in a notoriously difficult place for the visitors to play can only very loosely be described as, "sold".

OK, fair enough.

 

[pappymojo]

They could solve Thursday night football, but they are not motivated to even try to fix it. Zero effort.

 

[pappymojo]

Zero desire.

 

[crystalline]

Zero desire.

As dcm implied, it doesn't increase the NFL bottom line to take good games from the paying networks and put them on the NFL Network.

You'll get good Thursday games once another network signs a big contract to air Thursday night games.

Edit: which by the way is a brilliant bit of market expansion on the NFLs part. If Goodell is responsible for Thu night games no wonder the owners want to keep him on.

 

[crystalline]

There seems to be a lot of bad football being played this year, and though I can't prove it, the rain of yellow laundry could be contributing to it. Getting into any kind of rhythm seems impossible in many of these games.

B

Someone in another thread pointed out that the NFL has been tilting the rules to favor passing for years, leading to what we have today - a handful of QBs and coaches that can sustain a high powered passing offense, and a bunch of poor passing offenses. It used to be that the poor passing offenses could win with defense and a run game, but that doesn't fly today.


As much as I hate the flags I'm inclined to think that's the reason for the low quality football. You need a good QB to be good today, because passing is the only way to win. And there's only about 10 good QBs and fewer than that healthy at any point in time.

 

[ipol]

Anyone with a better memory - or better google fu - than I remember anything like this?
 
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25345895/colts-owner-patriots-used-to-fake-injuries-to-slow-down-peyton-manning
 
The money quote:
 
"Our focus isn't even there at all, but you're always looking at having a competitive playing field," Irsay said of Deflategate. "I remember in Peyton's day, there was an unnamed team (the Patriots), we were running the no huddle and the team we were playing was faking injuries to slow us down. And we were complaining to the league about that."

 

[edmunddantes]

Would assume that is the McGinest one isn't it? I think Mcginest laughs about it...
 
Of course other teams were doing it left and right, but the Pats do anything it's the end of the world. 

 

[Byrdbrain]

Yeah it was Willie McGinest in 2003.
http://www.1070thefan.com/blogs/ride-jmv/audio-demand/did-willie-mcginest-fake-injury-against-colts

 

[weeba]

Referring to this - http://nesn.com/playlist/willie-mcginest-goal-line-stand-among-best-patriots-colts-moments-photos/6/ (2nd half video included. 1:30 or so for the play)

 

[Marciano490]

Yeah, not like Peyton and the Colts ever tried some shady fake spike or anything.  These guys are absurd. 

 

[Leather]

Not like they ever concocted a totally bogus scandal in the middle of a championship run out of desperation when an unnamed team (the Patriots) was kicking their ass.

 

[rodderick]

Anyone with a better memory - or better google fu - than I remember anything like this?
 
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25345895/colts-owner-patriots-used-to-fake-injuries-to-slow-down-peyton-manning
 
The money quote:
 
"Our focus isn't even there at all, but you're always looking at having a competitive playing field," Irsay said of Deflategate. "I remember in Peyton's day, there was an unnamed team (the Patriots), we were running the no huddle and the team we were playing was faking injuries to slow us down. And we were complaining to the league about that."

Oh, I'm sure you guys were complaining to the league about assorted bullshit all the time. Don't need any convincing here.

 

[Leather]

I mean. Going back 20 years, it's Patriots 22, Colts 7. With NE having a 4-1 post season advantage.

How can anyone take Irsay or anyone else seriously when they try to talk about these two teams having some great rivalry. That rivalry existed in earnest for about 5 years, between 2003 and 2008.

 

[Stitch01]

Think its more like 2005-2009, but agree with you, was thinking of that exact point yesterday.
 
Brady and BB 14-4 vs. Colts with a +185 point differential.  They lost by two scores once.

 

[rodderick]

It was always a Peyton Manning rivalry to me, as he's the only one of the major figureheads associated with the Colts in the Belichick-Brady era I respect.

 

[Marciano490]

Are Red Sox fans serious discussing how Colts fans could consider this a rivalry?

 

[Toe Nash]

Are Red Sox fans serious discussing how Colts fans could consider this a rivalry?

Eh. Rivalries can be one-sided, but they need to have some history. The Yankees are in the same division as the Red Sox and geographically close, and the two cities have a rivalry in and of themselves. And there was the whole Babe Ruth thing. In the same way the Patriots have a rivalry with the Jets because they are in the same division and geographically close, even though that has been one-sided on the field.
 
No one called it a rivalry until Brady showed up, and they have only had a few high-profile games in that time, and it has been very one-sided. As some have said, it was more a rivalry with Brady and Manning than it was the Pats an the Colts (and that rivalry has shifted to the Broncos now). I don't think many here are saying there's no rivalry, but just that they care a lot more about it now that Manning is gone than we do.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

It's a rivalry as much as a nail has a rivalry with a hammer. Much like sox v yanks before circa 2003.

 

[dcmissle]

It's interesting when something like this claims almost a full segment in out of town drive time sports radio -- locally, Czaban, Galdi and Chris Cooley. All of the fan foolishness was brought up and mocked. Bottom line -- it's one thing to be a team's bitch; it's quite another to appear to revel in the role like Colts fans.

Cooley, 9 years in the NFL, brought up an interesting point. The game was not angry; the Colts players know DFG counts for nothing, but can't say it because of Irsay. Colts players think their owner is an idiot and their fans are rubes.

 

[Leather]

Are Red Sox fans serious discussing how Colts fans could consider this a rivalry?

So because some Red Sox fans bought into the media myth of a "rivalry" with the Yankees, Colts fans who buy into the same myth for their team are off the hook?

People need to stop buying what sports media is selling, because it is too often pure bullshit with a pro-local franchise spin. The Colts fans should be asking themselves why their team has treaded water for 3 years instead of listening to assholes like Doyle carry the Colts' water.

 

[Devizier]

Cooley, 9 years in the NFL, brought up an interesting point. The game was not angry; the Colts players know DFG counts for nothing, but can't say it because of Irsay. Colts players think their owner is an idiot and their fans are rubes.

 
He said this on Washington radio?

 

[dcmissle]

 
He said this on Washington radio?

Yes. A little after 6:00 today.

 

[Devizier]

Yes. A little after 6:00 today.

 
I believe you -- just, you know. The parallels with Dan Snyder et al.

 

[dcmissle]

 
I believe you -- just, you know. The parallels with Dan Snyder et al.

They have a keen eye for a circus and are tired and sickened by the one here. And Snyder owns the station.

So the three of them spent a full ten minutes replaying the Indy radio broadcast of the play, mocking the cakes, the phones, the deflated footballs and the signs. Bottom line -- you have to be kidding me; get the eff over it.

 

[loshjott]

Eh. Rivalries can be one-sided, but they need to have some history. The Yankees are in the same division as the Red Sox and geographically close, and the two cities have a rivalry in and of themselves. And there was the whole Babe Ruth thing. In the same way the Patriots have a rivalry with the Jets because they are in the same division and geographically close, even though that has been one-sided on the field.
 
No one called it a rivalry until Brady showed up, and they have only had a few high-profile games in that time, and it has been very one-sided. As some have said, it was more a rivalry with Brady and Manning than it was the Pats an the Colts (and that rivalry has shifted to the Broncos now). I don't think many here are saying there's no rivalry, but just that they care a lot more about it now that Manning is gone than we do.

 
Since the Pats have dominated the AFC for so long, they've really developed a rivalry of sorts with every other good AFC team during the Brady-Belichick era.  Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Indy, Denver, even San Diego and the varsity jacket Texans can all be considered recent rivals.

 

[5dice]

 
Since the Pats have dominated the AFC for so long, they've really developed a rivalry of sorts with every other good AFC team during the Brady-Belichick era.  Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Indy, Denver, even San Diego and the varsity jacket Texans can all be considered recent rivals.

This is so true. We have been blessed to live in the bb/tb era through so many nfl cycles including times where key afc playoff games were against good incarnations of jags and titans besides the 5 rivals you listed.

 

[Freddy Linn]

Schefter is reporting that Dorsett has a broken ankle and there is a possibility he is IR'ed.

 

[soxhop411]

-

 

[E5 Yaz]

@GreggDoyelStar: Doyel: Colts play like this and they're proud? http://indy.st/1S4WQ7X

Uh. Wow. This article is. I don't know what to call it.

 
Stop. This guy is a troll. It doesn't matter if he's trolling the home team or the away team.

 

[luckiestman]

Colts are in first place. Nothing to hang their heads about

 

[ipol]

Wrong thread

 

[LogansDad]

Gregg Doyel wrote that article.
 
And yes, he is proud of it.

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

 
Stop. This guy is a troll. It doesn't matter if he's trolling the home team or the away team.

Idk, seemed tough but fair to me. He's mocking them for patting themselves on the back for moral victories, which they've been doing all season. I was at the game today, and I chuckled when Hilton did the flip into the endzone down 27 in the 3rd quarter. Against a 2-4 team at home! I saw nothing in that article I would call trolling. I think most Colts fans with an IQ over 100 agree with him. Pagano is 1999 Pete Carroll right now.

Kravitz, on the other hand, posted an article this evening suggesting that the Colts are trying to get Pagano fired. That was trolling.

 

[nattysez]

This is interesting.
 

This is a mediocre football team with darn good players playing far beneath their potential. It’s what led to a heated conversation between owner Jim Irsay and General Manager Ryan Grigson in the locker room after the game. It’s what led to their desperate coach, Chuck Pagano — whose seat seems to be warming by the minute — giving an impassioned postgame speech to his players.

 
 
BTW, how many wins is the division-winner of the AFC South going to have?
 
Indy (3-4):  @CAR, DEN, @ATL, TB, @PIT, @JAX, HOU, @MIA, TEN
Hou (2-5): TEN, @CIN, NYJ, NOR, @BUF, NEP, @IND, @TEN, JAC
Jax (2-5): @NYJ, @BAL, TEN, SD, @TEN, IND, ATL, @NO, @HOU

 

[RG33]

Florio just reported after the Panthers game that Irsay and Grigson got into a "heated conversation" in the locker room after the game.

Warms my heart.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

I don't see a whole lot of difference between Pagano's comments and the comments made by BB about the KC game in "Do Your Job". Granted those are two very different contexts, but he also talked about how in the second half of a blowout, he saw a lot he liked about the guys. The Colts deserve some heat, but I think this was over the top and, yes, trolling. 

 

[Ralphwiggum]

Wouldn't the biggest difference be that BBs comments were kept to himself until after the year was over?

 

[rodderick]

Wouldn't the biggest difference be that BBs comments were kept to himself until after the year was over?

Yup. Can't imagine that locker room was feeling good about the fight they showed in the second half versus the Chiefs.

 

[tims4wins]

Colts also gave up 27 in a row to the 1-5 Titans. Unreal. That team is crazy lucky to be 3-4. Should
be 1-6 or maybe winless. Upcoming schedule is a bear. Pagano is getting fired this year. And they may still make the playoffs with 6-7 wins! And host a playoff game! Dear lord please let them come to Foxboro in round 2 as the 4 seed 6-10 AFC South winner

 

[Curtis Pride]

Colts also gave up 27 in a row to the 1-5 Titans. Unreal. That team is crazy lucky to be 3-4. Should
be 1-6 or maybe winless. Upcoming schedule is a bear. Pagano is getting fired this year. And they may still make the playoffs with 6-7 wins! And host a playoff game! Dear lord please let them come to Foxboro in round 2 as the 4 seed 6-10 AFC South winner

If the Colts lost to the Titans, there would be a four-way tie for first. At 2-5.

 

[tims4wins]

Oh and on Doyel, yeah he is a clown, but can you imagine CHB, Felger, etc. reacting to hearing the Pats publicly saying they were proud to come back from 27-0 and only lose 27-21? Material for days.

 

[pappymojo]

This is interesting.
 
 
 
BTW, how many wins is the division-winner of the AFC South going to have?
 
Indy (3-4):  @CAR, DEN, @ATL, TB, @PIT, @JAX, HOU, @MIA, TEN
Hou (2-5): TEN, @CIN, NYJ, NOR, @BUF, NEP, @IND, @TEN, JAC
Jax (2-5): @NYJ, @BAL, TEN, SD, @TEN, IND, ATL, @NO, @HOU

 
Come on Jacksonville.  You have an opportunity this year. 

 

[BaseballJones]

Colts also gave up 27 in a row to the 1-5 Titans. Unreal. That team is crazy lucky to be 3-4. Should
be 1-6 or maybe winless. Upcoming schedule is a bear. Pagano is getting fired this year. And they may still make the playoffs with 6-7 wins! And host a playoff game! Dear lord please let them come to Foxboro in round 2 as the 4 seed 6-10 AFC South winner

 
Current Playoff Standings:
 
AFC
1. NE, 6-0
2. Cin, 6-0
3. Den, 6-0
4. Ind, 3-4
5. NYJ, 4-2
6. Pit, 4-3
 
So the Jets would play at Indy in the Wild Card round, and right now I think they'd kill them.  Pit at Den would be a very good game, assuming Roethlisberger is healthy.  If Pit beats Den, then NE would host Pit, and NYJ would play at Cincy.  Either Pit or NY would be a pretty tough test for NE, I think, even though NE has beaten them both already this year.  If, somehow, Denver beats Pit and Indy gets by the Jets, goodness, yes, I want Indy to come to Foxboro again.
 
Meanwhile...
 
NFC
1. Car, 6-0
2. GB, 6-0
3. Ari, 4-2
4. NYG, 4-3
5. Atl, 6-1
6. Min, 4-2

 

[Stitch01]

I don't see a whole lot of difference between Pagano's comments and the comments made by BB about the KC game in "Do Your Job". Granted those are two very different contexts, but he also talked about how in the second half of a blowout, he saw a lot he liked about the guys. The Colts deserve some heat, but I think this was over the top and, yes, trolling. 

They're not, but I dont remember the players after the game being so excited about coming back to make it close.  BB also never would have given a teary speech after coming from behind to beat freaking Tennessee at home.
 
So yeah, I agree these comments are being a bit overblown, but something isn't right with this team.  They've played like ass for half the season and there doesn't really seem to be any sense of urgency to fix it. 

 

[MarcSullivaFan]

I don't see a whole lot of difference between Pagano's comments and the comments made by BB about the KC game in "Do Your Job". Granted those are two very different contexts, but he also talked about how in the second half of a blowout, he saw a lot he liked about the guys. The Colts deserve some heat, but I think this was over the top and, yes, trolling. 

It was over the top, and Doyel is a troll, but I don't think any of the criticism has been unfair. After the narrow Tennessee victory, Pagano claimed it was the greatest victory he'd been involved in in his career. That is insane. The Jax game they also celebrated like they'd won the Super Bowl. Before the Pats game he said he was "supremely confident" they'd win. He's blowing smoke. The panic is palpable.

Yesterday was pathetic. Yes, they came back in the second half, largely on the back of Breaux falling down on the two Hilton TDs. But when they cut the lead to six, they could not get off the field, and watched the Saints run out the clock on them.

To me it's wholly different from BB talking about the Chiefs game in retrospect. This is an emperor has no clothes moment that everyone in Indy other than the Colts seems to recognize. I don't see how you can troll the fans when the vast majority agree with the point that Doyel was making. This team is a mess.

 

[Bergs]

I don't see a whole lot of difference between Pagano's comments and the comments made by BB about the KC game in "Do Your Job". Granted those are two very different contexts, but he also talked about how in the second half of a blowout, he saw a lot he liked about the guys. The Colts deserve some heat, but I think this was over the top and, yes, trolling. 

 
The bolded pieces of the above are at odds with each other, imo. What BB (famously) said at the time to the public was "we're on to Cincinnati"...in this case, context really is everything.

 

[GregHarris]

Dorsett out 6 to 8 with a fractured ankle.  I can't believe he got enough playing time to get injured.
 
However, there is good news.  Colts fans rave about their GOAT punter:
http://forums.colts.com/topic/41637-pat-mcafee/

 

[E5 Yaz]

Heard this one on the Dan Lebatard radio show:
 
Through this, his fourth season, Andrew Luck has thrown 17 touchdown passes when his team was trailing by three touchdowns
 
In his career, in a similar deficit, Tom Brady has thrown 12
 
Lebatard and crew got a case of the giggles talking about how this means Luck's teams are always three touchdowns behind, while Brady's are rarely that far back

 

[Marciano490]

That's out of 97 total TDs, so almost 20% of his TD production has come with his team way behind and his opponents presumably slacking off or in prevent or in garbage time.

 

[GBrushTWood]

That's out of 97 total TDs, so almost 20% of his TD production has come with his team way behind and his opponents presumably slacking off or in prevent or in garbage time.

 
Yep, it certainly appears the pill pusher is having massive trouble surrounding Andrew Luck with a formidable squad this year. The Colts have all the appearances of a dysfunctional organization. Out of curiosity, I took a look at Andrew Luck's current contract and found it interesting.
 
2015 Contract details by year 26 $3,404,727 $3,629,636 - $7,034,363 $7,034,363
2016 Contract details by year 27 $16,155,000 - - $16,155,000 -
2017 Free Agent Year 28 UFA
 
Unless the first result from Google completed failed me, that means Luck is a free agent after next season. I'm sure Luck has enjoyed his stay in Indy. I would also imagine he would like to get to/win a Super Bowl. Assuming Luck isn't satisfied after Irsay gets rid of Grigson and Pagano, maybe Luck decides to test the waters.
 
<sports talk radio> If Luck wanted to come to the Pats, would you kick Brady to the curb? </>
 
That would certainly be a difficult/interesting decision to make. I bet some would do it in a cocaine heartbeat. Personally I'm attached to Brady.