Colts 2021 Season thread

[Bball]

You can see,clear as day,in The Final 8 NFL Team Playoffs…you need a QB and Offense,who can score 30 or more in Regulation…and a Defense that can hold an opponent under 30!
-Jim Irsay on Twitter

For anyone wondering if Irsay had calmed down any after the Jax game...
,
One thing about the defense is the other team can't score when you have the ball. But you can't keep giving it back to them, nor can you throwaway 3 points trying to get a TD when the score is still close, tied or in your favor. You can't keep putting that pressure on your defense, nor gassing them.

[Doug]

I will say that Reich and Wentz are good combo. Unfortunately it's because they both do something unexplainable a couple of times a game....

I *hate* to keep cycling through QBs, new one every year. And I do think Reich is a pretty decent coach. So, fill the other holes and see what happens? That doesn't make me feel good, but might be the best option.

I do think we need either receiver upgrades or play upgrades. I just don't see us creating open receivers like other teams do. Player, play design, QB play? Probably all 3.

We have other problems. Is the LT issue because Fisher wasn't quite right from the achilles - that one takes quite a while - or because he's just declined? Why don't we get more QB pressure? Why would our offensive line *ever* get dominated.

Too many preventable missed games by key players, too. But that's probably not a topic that belongs in this thread.

[Bball]

I'm seeing a lot of the fanbase questioning Ballard. Then there's this strange social media mix of "Wentz sucks!" versus "Wentz is great... the team around him sucks! (or the line and receiving corps is to blame)". That second part then gets tied into "Ballard sucks" too
So, either Ballard sucks for getting Wentz... or Ballard sucks because he didn't put a team around Wentz.

I'd like to know what line and what receivers would look good with a QB like Wentz? Late throws... Over the receiver's head.... Down in the dirt... Into double-coverage... Didn't throw to the open receiver or to the receiver when he came open... Holding onto the ball. Overlooking the "layups" to try and go "big".

Yes, he's got size and a big arm... But his decision making is poor. Maybe the tools he does have made things come too easy early before the NFL. And maybe even early in his NFL career he got away with some things for whatever reason. But he's not getting away with them now. Philly had no problem cutting ties.

The interesting thing is now Ballard is taking heat from both camps. I doubt we'll ever know if Irsay or Ballard were 100% all in on Wentz, or they were all in on Reich and Reich is who to blame...errrr made the push for Wentz.

If Reich was the solely responsible for the Wentz push then that's probably not a hill I'd want to die on if I was Reich at this point.

Obviously, social media isn't going to make personnel decisions, but still that temperature has to matter some. You don't want people questioning your job because you have a QB making the players around him look bad. And you don't want a divided fanbase. And you don't want the team, who has to know where the problem lies, questioning things if you continue down the same path.

Wentz is who he is at this point. I'm just doubtful we're going to see him change now. He's the player Philly dumped, and he looked like the reason Philly dumped him. This isn't a rookie letting the coaching sink in, and waiting for the game to slow down for him. Heck, it's not even a new player trying to learn a new coach because Reich and Wentz have a history. Trotting him out there as the #1 QB next season and expecting different results seems like insanity.

The question is: What option(s) do the Colts legitimately have?
They can certainly make him earn the starting job in training camp and give Ehrlinger a legitimate shot. But if Wentz beats out Ehrlinger, that probably says more about Ehrlinger than it does Wentz.
And means nothing (positive) for the season.
Then it's scouring the available QB's in the draft and on other teams.

Personally, I wish they would just move on from Wentz to at least take that option off the table. Remove the safety blanket for Reich... and the team.

[Sollozzo]

I was wrong about Stafford. I expected them to flame out in the playoffs. That was a great trade for LA and they are loaded.

[Bball]

Since Wentz was fighting for his life this next thing I'm going to say won't matter much... and it's just one game... but didn't Stafford look like a perfect Colts QB in his debut with the Rams?

Nothing has changed this opinion...

[vnzla81]

Anybody has seen this before?

https://twitter.com/nigmamale/status/1483303798466654208?s=21

[D-BONE]

I pretty much agree... But Manning retired a Bronco, Brady is playing for the Bucs. Favre finished as a Viking. Andrew Luck just walked away from the game at age 30. Montana retired as a KC Chief.

These things aren't always as obvious as they might seem.

There's always hope. On the other hand, if one of these to guys does manage to commandeer a move elsewhere, how many other teams are legitimately competing for their services? Perhaps all the playoff teams with could use a QB upgrade (thinking SF, Pitt) plus other non-playoff participants. At minimum, as you have pointed out, Irsay likely at least make a run at that level of player.

[Bball]

I can't honestly see Rodgers leaving GB. I suppose if they lose the first home game maybe. But despite the tension and his idiosyncrasies, he's as good of a QB as they've had in the modern era. He's got a bit of drama queen about him, and I think that's what this is about. Not sure on Russell's situation and what all would be involved in trying to get him. But maybe the Wiscy connection with Taylor helps somehow?

I pretty much agree... But Manning retired a Bronco, Brady is playing for the Bucs. Favre finished as a Viking. Andrew Luck just walked away from the game at age 30. Montana retired as a KC Chief.

These things aren't always as obvious as they might seem.

[D-BONE]

I watched Eisen speculating guys like that would want to come here because:
AFC South
Domed Stadium
Would like playing for Reich
O-Line
JT

I can't honestly see Rodgers leaving GB. I suppose if they lose the first home game maybe. But despite the tension and his idiosyncrasies, he's as good of a QB as they've had in the modern era. He's got a bit of drama queen about him, and I think that's what this is about. Not sure on Russell's situation and what all would be involved in trying to get him. But maybe the Wiscy connection with Taylor helps somehow?

[Bball]

I would guess that the players would have a say in where they'd prefer to go (if anywhere). Wilson has a no-trade contract that only he could revoke and I think Rodgers would have say in where he could go.

But I doubt either would want to come here. Could be wrong, but......

I watched Eisen speculating guys like that would want to come here because:
AFC South
Domed Stadium
Would like playing for Reich
O-Line
JT

[Bball]

I don't think Irsay would care about the financial hit as much as the 'embarrassment' hit of another season like this. If the team was starting some untested player, there would be some margin of error and understanding it was an attempt to grow someone and leave Wentz behind. Wentz, OTOH, is going to require someone to tell Irsay they think he can and will improve. I'm pretty sure that person isn't Ballard, and I don't know if Reich wants to go there either at this point. I mean Wentz opened the door to speculation about Reich's job already. Anyone going to bat for Wentz and using the angle that "he has all the tools" sounds like they'd be on a fool's errand. "...tryin' to make the big play instead of the right play".

Unfortunately, we knew who Wentz was before he came here even though we were told he just needs reunited with Reich, and it turns out we were right all along and Reich didn't matter. If anything, Reich's faith, belief, and confidence in him just made it worse for everyone.

Ballard could make the cap ramifications argument to Irsay and use that angle for keeping Wentz and him being QB1, but does Irsay want to hear it? Irsay's comments in front of the plane were pretty direct in his feelings about how this season turned out.

[D-BONE]

^^ Well, sadly - I'm guessing another year of Wentz. The Colts would take a huge cap hit if they got rid of him now. IIRC - they can move on from him after the coming year for nothing. But now would be a big financial hit.

I don't see an Option B.

Exactly, resign ourselves to Wentz and hope Irsay/Ballard work some creative surprise.

[PacerDude]

^^ Well, sadly - I'm guessing another year of Wentz. The Colts would take a huge cap hit if they got rid of him now. IIRC - they can move on from him after the coming year for nothing. But now would be a big financial hit.

I don't see an Option B.

[D-BONE]

I would guess that the players would have a say in where they'd prefer to go (if anywhere). Wilson has a no-trade contract that only he could revoke and I think Rodgers would have say in where he could go.

But I doubt either would want to come here. Could be wrong, but......

Agreed, which puts us in a position of, what's really out there?

[PacerDude]

Been plenty of speculation on guys like Wilson and Rodgers looking to move on, but none of that is certain. And there would be a lot of competition for their services.

I would guess that the players would have a say in where they'd prefer to go (if anywhere). Wilson has a no-trade contract that only he could revoke and I think Rodgers would have say in where he could go.

But I doubt either would want to come here. Could be wrong, but......