Colts 2021 Season thread

[PacerDude]

^^ Yeah - but the Colts are still '2' games behind them because they lost to them twice.

[Basketball Fan]

^^ Yeah - but the Colts are still '2' games behind them because they lost to them twice.

Rats I didn't think of the division part of this.

[Sollozzo]

That was an amazing win. Lucas Oil was absolutely electric. It just felt alive in there.

Felt great to get a signature win against a great franchise like New England. Plus we sort of beat them at their own game by running the ball, playing good defense, and getting a big special team play.

It's awesome to have a player like Taylor. Obviously we knew last year that he was a great back, but his explosion into the best skill player in the league has been one of the best surprises we've ever seen as Colts fans. This is just incredible to watch.

You have to give credit to Reich and this team for always bouncing back and taking it one game at a time. We've had some tough losses, but they always come back the next week ready to play and never get too down. Reich deserves tons of credit for keeping them focused.

I think Kansas City has to be considered the favorite in the AFC because of their experience and track record, but I'll pretty much take the Colts over anyone else in the AFC at this point. We've gotten two big wins against the Bills and Pats lately. None of the other teams scare me at all. I think we will certainly have our chances in any playoff game. Just comes down to the execution.

I'm still really nervous about this team when they are in a situation where they have to throw it down the stretch. If it's 3rd and 9 in red zone during the 4th quarter of a playoff game, that's where I don't have a ton of faith in this offense. I really wish we had a reliable veteran WR who Wentz could depend on in clutch situations. Pittman is very good, but he is so young. We desperately need a gritty veteran alongside him who you could count on to make tough grabs. As good as Taylor is, we are going to find ourselves in situations during the playoffs where we have to make the big throw.

It just seems like our WR's drop a lot of balls in key spots. Our depth at the position is pretty questionable. Ballard has built a very good overall roster, but that's one spot where we could use some improvement.

[D-BONE]

Pretty much see our position in the AFC playoff prospects like yours, Sollozzo. Really feel that way about the NFL overall. We had Tampa Bay right where we wanted them as well. It will be run game, defense, and timely passing game. But we've shown we can compete with anyone.

Have to take care of business down the stretch, of course, or it will all have been for naught. And I also share the concern about whether the pass game can click when it counts. WR concern is legit. But Wentz himself is prone to the inopportune poor decision. I guess I'd say - while we are competitive with the top teams - it feels like we have a very narrow margin for error in terms of game script / style of play.

[Sollozzo]

Yeah. Wentz’s tendency to make some ill-timed poor decisions combined with us not having a reliable vet WR makes it really dicey when we have to pass.

Manning had a ton of weapons. Then Luck came here and could immediately rely on Wayne at the beginning of his career. When Wayne got hurt, Hilton was ready to step up and become a big time WR. We just don’t have the type of WR on this roster that we’ve been used to having over the last 20+ years.

Pittman has been very good and has a bright future. Just wish we had a really good 6 or 7 year vet who could make those veteran grabs in tight situations.

Of course, outside of Kansas City, pretty much all of the teams are noticeably flawed in some way. And even Kansas City isn’t 2019 Kansas City. So I like the Colts’ chances because we have the best skill player in the league and a defense that can play very very very well.

[PacerDude]

Pittman has been very good and has a bright future. .

If only he were around at the late part of the game yesterday . . . . . .

[graphic-er]

Yeah. Wentz’s tendency to make some ill-timed poor decisions combined with us not having a reliable vet WR makes it really dicey when we have to pass.

Manning had a ton of weapons. Then Luck came here and could immediately rely on Wayne at the beginning of his career. When Wayne got hurt, Hilton was ready to step up and become a big time WR. We just don’t have the type of WR on this roster that we’ve been used to having over the last 20+ years.

Pittman has been very good and has a bright future. Just wish we had a really good 6 or 7 year vet who could make those veteran grabs in tight situations.

Of course, outside of Kansas City, pretty much all of the teams are noticeably flawed in some way. And even Kansas City isn’t 2019 Kansas City. So I like the Colts’ chances because we have the best skill player in the league and a defense that can play very very very well.

not really sure where this Narrative about Wentz is coming from. He is one of the least Intercepted QB’s in the league. If you compare him to last year in Philly to this year. It’s night an day. Most of his passes were on the mark last Saturday. WR didn’t hold on to them. Wentz kept several drives alive with his QB sneaks. The interception was a tipped ball.

if anything the play calling was kinda questionable, I mean where was the play action fake hand offs?

[Cubs231721]

not really sure where this Narrative about Wentz is coming from. He is one of the least Intercepted QB’s in the league. If you compare him to last year in Philly to this year. It’s night an day. Most of his passes were on the mark last Saturday. WR didn’t hold on to them. Wentz kept several drives alive with his QB sneaks. The interception was a tipped ball.

if anything the play calling was kinda questionable, I mean where was the play action fake hand offs?

I just don't see it the same way from last Saturday night. I couldn't find a video to show me all of Wentz's attempts, but I remember the overthrow of an open Pittman on the first drive. He threw a ball behind Pittman on the 5 yard line that JC Jackson has a chance to intercept. There was another pass that Jamie Collins had a decent chance at a pick 6. And the interception was a tipped ball, but it wasn't a good decision to start with.

So that's 4 of his 7 incompletions that were pretty bad passes for sure.

The only incompletion I remember for sure that was decent ball placement was the one to Mo Ali Cox in the end zone. It wasn't perfect (it was supposed to be high, but not quite that high) but if you are going to miss a little, that's the way you want to do so, and there was still a decent chance to come down with it.

When you only have five completions in the entire game and only two of them had any degree of difficulty (the beautiful play to Pascal and the accurate pass to Hilton) and you have three passes that PFF grades as turnover worthy throws, that's just really bad.

I would agree that national media that have not watched every game carefully have not given enough credit for Wentz this season.

[Sollozzo]

not really sure where this Narrative about Wentz is coming from. He is one of the least Intercepted QB’s in the league. If you compare him to last year in Philly to this year. It’s night an day. Most of his passes were on the mark last Saturday. WR didn’t hold on to them. Wentz kept several drives alive with his QB sneaks. The interception was a tipped ball.

if anything the play calling was kinda questionable, I mean where was the play action fake hand offs?

Overall Wentz has been pretty solid this year, but I agree with Cubs’ take on Wentz in the Pats game. Not a good game

I just don’t have a ton of faith in Wentz and these WR’s to make a big third down red zone completion in the 4th quarter of a playoff game.

All of that being said, I like Wentz overall. Unless some unforeseen scenario comes along, I hope Wentz is our QB for the future. We must have some continuity at the position and can’t keep doing the carousel.

We just really really really need a veteran WR who you can depend on to catch those tough balls.

[Bball]

. I really wish we had a reliable veteran WR who Wentz could depend on in clutch situations. Pittman is very good, but he is so young. We desperately need a gritty veteran alongside him who you could count on to make tough grabs. As good as Taylor is, we are going to find ourselves in situations during the playoffs where we have to make the big throw.

Isn't that supposed to be TY Hilton?

[Bball]

As far as Wentz and interceptions... He's, so far, skating on thin lice and living on the edge. He's the luckiest QB in the league because not only are a few of his INTs really boneheaded throws, but he's gifted the ball to the other team several times and they've done him a favor and not made the easy INT.

It's not like his INTs are few and far between and mainly tipped passes or a route mix up, and otherwise he's throwing on target, solid passes. Honestly, I guess it's better to be lucky than good, but geez I can't help but feel it will bite the team in a bad moment, let alone, like we're about to see an avalanche some game or for a stretch as his luck runs out.

My second concern... I don't trust Reich. I might trust Reich more if I trusted the QB more to make good plays or know when to give up on a play... or check out of one.

I'd hate to be down 9 points in under 8 mins... or under 6... and fail on a 3rd and goal at the 5. I'd kick the FG, make it a one score game, and play some defense. I can see Reich going for it. Worse, getting too cute and botching it just to give the opposition extra momentum as they not only stop the Colts, but throw them for a loss. Or get a big INT return.

And Pittman just disappears. Maybe that is on Wentz. Meanwhile, TY seems to come up with a big play out of nowhere, to not be heard from again. I'm usually left wondering... "Has he been in the game at all today?" while waiting for another catch... that never seems to come... leaving me back to wonder "Is TY still playing?"

So... IOW.... I'm just not ready to trust this team. I don't trust Reich and I don't trust Wentz and I don't think they are a good combo. Reich might get the best out of Wentz, but they both still scare me. I'd trust things WAY more if Reich had Luck at QB. But since that is not happening, it is what it is...

I watch every game waiting for the bonehead coaching move or the bonehead QB play.

And I fully expect, no matter the score, the other team WILL get a chance by the 4th quarter. These 3 things continue to scare me.

[Sollozzo]

Isn't that supposed to be TY Hilton?

He’s an all time great Colts WR and can make a nice snag every now and then, but he sadly seems like a shell of his old shelf. I don’t think we can rely on him at this point. We need a vet who is still close to their prime of their career.

[Sollozzo]

I agree with most of what you said, Bball, but one thing that makes me feel good is that pretty much all of the AFC playoff contenders have some flaws. KC deserves a lot of respect and should be considered the favorite, but they don’t seem quite as dominant as 2019 KC (though they are on a roll lately).

While Wentz has his flaws, pretty much all of the other AFC QB’s outside of Mahomes do too. It’s a lot of young and mostly untested QB’s. New England looked good lately and is still coached by Belichick, but I think NE is going to struggle to put playoff points up like they showed in Indy. Teams like Buffalo, Tenn, and Cincy can all be spotty in the points department.

What the Colts have that the other teams don’t is the best skill player in the league. So I like our chances against anyone in the AFC outside of KC. I think any playoff game will be a close and winnable game where we will have our chances.

If you’re the Chiefs, you have to love your chances at getting to another Super Bowl.

[pogi]

not really sure where this Narrative about Wentz is coming from. He is one of the least Intercepted QB’s in the league. If you compare him to last year in Philly to this year. It’s night an day. Most of his passes were on the mark last Saturday. WR didn’t hold on to them. Wentz kept several drives alive with his QB sneaks. The interception was a tipped ball.

if anything the play calling was kinda questionable, I mean where was the play action fake hand offs?

I know where it comes from.....there are multiple games this year that he had threw right into double coverage.

[Sollozzo]

I watched some of the ESPN Countdown crew talking about the Colts-Pats game. Moss, Ryan, and Bruschi were all gushing about the Colts. Ryan and Bruschi love how our defense plays and how disruptive we are.

Think, now the Colts have turned into the ultimate ground and pound type of team.