Colts / NFL Game Thread

[Demo 20,497]

11 minutes ago, Scotty R said:

Ballard and Bradley needs to go. I will be done with the Colts if Ballard is back

Why does Steichen’s get a pass? He was brought in to do 2 things: develop a 1st rd QB and instill a culture that was lacking under Reich. He’s done neither. If I was a GM candidate and Irsay told me I needed to keep the HC I would end the interview. I’m picking my own guy, 

[Scotty R 2,295]

28 minutes ago, Demo said:

Why does Steichen’s get a pass? He was brought in to do 2 things: develop a 1st rd QB and instill a culture that was lacking under Reich. He’s done neither. If I was a GM candidate and Irsay told me I needed to keep the HC I would end the interview. I’m picking my own guy, 

If it were me everyone would be gone including Richardson 

[8bucks 6,557]

58 minutes ago, Demo said:

Why does Steichen’s get a pass? He was brought in to do 2 things: develop a 1st rd QB and instill a culture that was lacking under Reich. He’s done neither. If I was a GM candidate and Irsay told me I needed to keep the HC I would end the interview. I’m picking my own guy, 

The new GM, unless they know they can get their #1 guy, kind of gets a free pass with Steichen.  They can say sure I will keep him for another year and if he works out great. If not they then get to bring their guy in. It is kind of like getting a free try with Steichen.  

[TheWatShot 14,289]

4 hours ago, TheWatShot said:

Nothing like an overtime win over the 4-12 Jags to cap off another thrilling season. 

 

So, who's getting fired tomorrow? Ballard? Bradley? Someone else? Or will Irsay have another kumbaya session and then announce extensions for everybody? 

Only a few hours later, looks like we already have our answer...

 

[cbp4iu 1,628]

Irsay must know they will suck next year and just going to do a full clean out next year. I’m guessing Richardson won’t be the starter next year no way Ballard and Steichen are going to gamble their jobs for him.

[Demo 20,497]

https://x.com/JimIrsay/status/1876077486645354511
 

Guess Bradley’s gonna be scapegoated here and they’ll move on. Pretty tough to take the organization seriously at this point.

[Demo 20,497]

11 minutes ago, cbp4iu said:

Irsay must know they will suck next year and just going to do a full clean out next year. I’m guessing Richardson won’t be the starter next year no way Ballard and Steichen are going to gamble their jobs for him.

I’ll be surprised if AR isn’t the starter next year. They drafted what they knew to be a total ball of clay at the time and I’m sure they sold Irsay on the idea that it would take a couple of years. In fact, I imagine AR losing last off season probably saved everyone’s jobs this offseason.

[TheWatShot 14,289]

In case anyone was wondering what else the Colts could possibly screw up, losing to the godawful Giants last week allowed the Titans to move up to #1 in the draft. So another elite prospect enters the Colts' division. lol

[cbp4iu 1,628]

2 minutes ago, Demo said:

I’ll be surprised if AR isn’t the starter next year. They drafted what they knew to be a total ball of clay at the time and I’m sure they sold Irsay on the idea that it would take a couple of years. In fact, I imagine AR losing last off season probably saved everyone’s jobs this offseason.

I think they win 5/6 games next year. I think Moore, Buckner will ask out. Hopefully the colts get rid of Smith and Kelly’s contracts 

[Brass Cannon 24,913]

9 hours ago, Demo said:

I’ll be surprised if AR isn’t the starter next year. They drafted what they knew to be a total ball of clay at the time and I’m sure they sold Irsay on the idea that it would take a couple of years. In fact, I imagine AR losing last off season probably saved everyone’s jobs this offseason.

He’s certainly a ball of something 

[KingPG21 6,587]

Lol. Ballard is coming back. What a ******* joke. Irsay being a cheap @$$ owner continues to cost this franchise. Ballard not going after guys in FA is great for cheap @$$ Irsay's pocket. 

 

Go ahead and look at the other GMs that were hired during the same cycle as Ballard and tell me we didn't get one of the worst, if not the worst of the bunch. 

[Scotty R 2,295]

5 hours ago, KingPG21 said:

Lol. Ballard is coming back. What a ******* joke. Irsay being a cheap @$$ owner continues to cost this franchise. Ballard not going after guys in FA is great for cheap @$$ Irsay's pocket. 

 

Go ahead and look at the other GMs that were hired during the same cycle as Ballard and tell me we didn't get one of the worst, if not the worst of the bunch. 

KC

SF

Buffalo 

They all hired GM's do be same year that Ballard got hired

[Lebowski 2,815]

3 minutes ago, Scotty R said:

KC

SF

Buffalo 

They all hired GM's do be same year that Ballard got hired

I'm not making excuses for Ballard. He's got to go in my opinion. But, had Luck not quit the organization, I'm not sure we'd be in the current pickle we're in. Luck really effed up things, in a bad way. Having said that, Ballard has had ample amount of time to address the Luck mess. But man, Andrew Luck really put us in a really really bad spot. I'll never forgive him for that, ever. 

[Scotty R 2,295]

33 minutes ago, Lebowski said:

I'm not making excuses for Ballard. He's got to go in my opinion. But, had Luck not quit the organization, I'm not sure we'd be in the current pickle we're in. Luck really effed up things, in a bad way. Having said that, Ballard has had ample amount of time to address the Luck mess. But man, Andrew Luck really put us in a really really bad spot. I'll never forgive him for that, ever. 

That excuse is long gone since that happened 5 years ago. He is to afraid to make a hold move to move up to get a QB. Instead of staying at 4 he could have traded up to 1 with the Bears to take Stroud. Instead of trading the 13th pick for Buckner he could have traded up to take the QB that the Chargers picked.

KC moved up 17 spots to pick Mahomes even though they had made the playoffs the year before.

Buffalo made two separate trades to move up 20 spots to pick Allen

Baltimore was able to trade back into the first round to pick Jackson 

 

[LIHoosier 26,620]

How do you let Denver in the playoffs instead of Cincinnati? /s

[Brass Cannon 24,913]

On 1/6/2025 at 3:19 PM, Lebowski said:

I'm not making excuses for Ballard. He's got to go in my opinion. But, had Luck not quit the organization, I'm not sure we'd be in the current pickle we're in. Luck really effed up things, in a bad way. Having said that, Ballard has had ample amount of time to address the Luck mess. But man, Andrew Luck really put us in a really really bad spot. I'll never forgive him for that, ever. 

You can’t leave a guy to die with an a competent Oline then blame him when he dips out. Usually they go to another team is all.  Franchise been mismanaged to decades.  The fact they could only cobble together a competent defense once or twice under manning is proof of that 

[LamarCheeks 19,656]

McCarthy finished in Dallas. 

https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1878850049872212440

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 9,425]

20 hours ago, Brass Cannon said:

You can’t leave a guy to die with an a competent Oline then blame him when he dips out. Usually they go to another team is all.  Franchise been mismanaged to decades.  The fact they could only cobble together a competent defense once or twice under manning is proof of that 

Ballard had fixed the OL in one year, literally Smith and Nelson, signed Glowinski... the OL was HUMMING. Then Luck went and messed up his ankle snowboarding. 

I think the Pats and Steelers being REALLY good during Manning's time had more to do with it than having a defense of Freeney, Mathis, Sanders, Bethea, Brackett, Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Cato June, etc. did. 

[Lebowski 2,815]

20 hours ago, Brass Cannon said:

You can’t leave a guy to die with an a competent Oline then blame him when he dips out. Usually they go to another team is all.  Franchise been mismanaged to decades.  The fact they could only cobble together a competent defense once or twice under manning is proof of that 

Yeah, you and I watched two completely different things happen with the OL once Ballard took over. 

2 minutes ago, Certified Sunshine Pumper said:

Ballard had fixed the OL in one year, literally Smith and Nelson, signed Glowinski... the OL was HUMMING. Then Luck went and messed up his ankle snowboarding. 

I think the Pats and Steelers being REALLY good during Manning's time had more to do with it than having a defense of Freeney, Mathis, Sanders, Bethea, Brackett, Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Cato June, etc. did. 

AC sprains, but what's the difference at this point. The dude quit on his team and completely jacked the franchise for a long time. 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/andrew-luck-admits-to-long-rumored-snowboarding-injury

[Lebowski 2,815]

On 1/6/2025 at 2:56 PM, Scotty R said:

That excuse is long gone since that happened 5 years ago. He is to afraid to make a hold move to move up to get a QB. Instead of staying at 4 he could have traded up to 1 with the Bears to take Stroud. Instead of trading the 13th pick for Buckner he could have traded up to take the QB that the Chargers picked.

KC moved up 17 spots to pick Mahomes even though they had made the playoffs the year before.

Buffalo made two separate trades to move up 20 spots to pick Allen

Baltimore was able to trade back into the first round to pick Jackson 

 

I am clearly not making any excuses for Ballard. No disagreement from me what so ever. My comment was more of a 'What if..' scenario. It's amazing to think how much different the organization could have been had his generational QB not quit.  Us Colts fans would probably be putting Ballard on a pedestal if Luck was still around.