1st preseason evaluation

[Jackie Chiles]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

I guess the job is left to me once again:

Shelley Smith was an animal yesterday! He played most of the game at LG and was absolutely dominant throughout. Barring injury, I don't see how they can keep him off the field. He has to at least be the backup interior lineman on game days. The guy is very, very good.

Do you remember at what time he came into the game? I might go back and watch it again and wouldn't mind seeing if I agree with your assessment.

[GP]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

You are upset they did not play Dan "runoutoftheendzoneforasafety" Orlovsky? Orlovsky at the time was a known quantity. Painter was (and still is) a young QB. They might as well see what he has.

As for Manning- he was not ruled out until Sept 7th. They thought he would be able to play this season. Now, was it a bad decision to have no contingency plan? Yep, but Manning had been an iron man thus far.

Could there have been a conspiracy? Yes. Is it likely? Nope. Everyone got fired. People would not willingly tank and jeopardize their careers. Now if the FO remained unchanged after such a season, that would be a red flag.

How does cleaning house after a tank job indicate there wasn't a tank job???

LOL.

1. Field a bad team, including a bad HC.

2. Tank it.

3. Celebrate your tank job by firing everyone and bringing in BETTER people...since you'll be bringing in a better QB too.

4. Draft Andrew Luck.

It takes more faith to believe the Colts were just inadvertently bad than to think the Colts staged a well- devised Suck For Luck campaign.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by GP

How does cleaning house after a tank job indicate there wasn't a tank job???

LOL.

1. Field a bad team, including a bad HC.

2. Tank it.

3. Celebrate your tank job by firing everyone and bringing in BETTER people...since you'll be bringing in a better QB too.

4. Draft Andrew Luck.

It takes more faith to believe the Colts were just inadvertently bad than to think the Colts staged a well- devised Suck For Luck campaign.

You think the owner orchestrated the "tank", independent of anyone else? That the players, coaching staff, GM etc had no idea what was going on?

Because that is the only way a tank job could happen. Players, coaches, and front office workers would not risk their career by doing a bad job on purpose.

[b0ng]

Originally Posted by GP

But with a lottery system it's still left to chance, not an AUTOMATIC GIMMEE that you get the first pick in the draft.

You need your head examined if you think a team like the Colts deserved to be able to trash their whole damn season and end up with the best QB prospect since the last damn time they got the best QB prospect.

You think the Colts did that on purpose just to get Luck? I think you are the one that needs your head examined. You do realize that Polian was fired/left the organization after this last seasons debacle and a new GM was brought in to make the Luck pick right? Also, Jim Caldwell must've been perfectly fine tanking so that he also would get fired and replaced by Chuck Pagano. Do you think the Panthers tanked on purpose just to get Cam Newton? really?

Originally Posted by GP

What the Colts did last year, by starting a hack QB for all but a handful of games...led by a hack head coach who stood there like a good little boy and watched it all fall apart (like it was designed to do, btw) was beyond unethical. Yet they get rewarded with the top pick.

Are you some kind of nutjob conspiracy theorist? By your accusations it would seem every team to have the #1 overall pick every year "unethically gamed the system" which you flat out pulled out of your ass just now.

Originally Posted by GP

There has got to be a way to make the draft less likely to be gamed. And the Colts sure as hell gamed it the whole way. Oh well, what goes around comes around. Something will happen that will cost the Colts one way or another, consistently, because those sorts of dick moves always backfire in the end.

But to say so defiantly that a lottery system is wrong, when we have the greatest reason WHY a lottery system is better than just handing a gift to the "worst" team based on record alone, is what is ridiculous. That ball might have bounced for the wrong team three times-in-a-row but that's the ball bouncing and not a gimme draft pick year in and year out. And that counts for something. It should keep teams honest and show them that it's not a given that they'll get the top pick. Increase their odds? Yes. A gimmee pick? No.

No, a lottery system is wrong and there is no need for it. Did the Texans "game the system" when Kris Brown shanked what was a 20 something yard FG against the 49'ers in 2005 to win the "Bush Bowl"? Conspiracy theories are not facts and you shouldn't spout them as such.

EDIT: GP, go post your insane rantings about the Colts and Luck in this thread --> http://www.texanstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93767

That way we don't have to see this garbage in the Texans forum since you seem to be all about discussing the Colts today.

[Texanmike02]

Originally Posted by JimBaker488

Schaub's final play very disappointing - pressure and he made a poorly advised
pass which resulted in an interception.
And I saw one play where Butler got beat bad by a Panther reserve Lineman -
maybe Newt does start at RT against Miami ?

I don't think Schaub made the wrong read. He got schlacked as he was releasing the ball. He was going another 5 yards down the field to (Walter?) a reciever that was open. If there was a mistake it was not picking up the blitzing CB from the blind side.

Mike

[The Medic01]

Right side of offensive line looked very good on the first drive except for one play where Caldwell got driven back to Schaub when Kmart caught his first pass.

[The Medic01]

Oh on the goal line play Kuechly stuffed Tate because Butler couldn't get to him so that was bad but other than that good,

[GP]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

You think the owner orchestrated the "tank", independent of anyone else? That the players, coaching staff, GM etc had no idea what was going on?

Because that is the only way a tank job could happen. Players, coaches, and front office workers would not risk their career by doing a bad job on purpose.

I've stated my position. You yours.

Then a troll came in and tried to bait me into a flame war with him, as usual.

So it's time to move on.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by Texanmike02

I don't think Schaub made the wrong read. He got schlacked as he was releasing the ball. He was going another 5 yards down the field to (Walter?) a reciever that was open. If there was a mistake it was not picking up the blitzing CB from the blind side.

Mike

That's what I saw.

There wasn't a problem with the accuracy of his throw, per se, there was a problem with getting hit while throwing.

I don't know who it was on to get that picked up, but someone misread that and got the blocking assignment arsed up.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

That's what I saw.

There wasn't a problem with the accuracy of his throw, per se, there was a problem with getting hit while throwing.

I don't know who it was on to get that picked up, but someone misread that and got the blocking assignment arsed up.

I'll third this. If there was an error it was in not understanding he wasn't going to get the ball off cleanly.

[The Medic01]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

That's what I saw.

There wasn't a problem with the accuracy of his throw, per se, there was a problem with getting hit while throwing.

I don't know who it was on to get that picked up, but someone misread that and got the blocking assignment arsed up.

It was a CB blitz. Not much you can do when you have 2 guys trying to block 3.

As of TJ YATES first drive both Derek Newton and Caldwell have been playing very well. Impressed with Caldwell except for that one play he got bull rushed.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by The Medic01

It was a CB blitz. Not much you can do when you have 2 guys trying to block 3.

A CB blitz is usually on the QB to get rid of the ball. So that could be some rust on Matt in making his reads. He's usually pretty good against the blitzes.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by dalemurphy

Shelley Smith was an animal yesterday! He played most of the game at LG and was absolutely dominant throughout. Barring injury, I don't see how they can keep him off the field. He has to at least be the backup interior lineman on game days. The guy is very, very good.

Yes he was outstanding, but how many interior Olineman can they keep ? They've got the starters (W.Smith, Myers, & Caldwell) and their 2 rookie draft picks Brooks & Jones, so can they have more than that on the 53 man roster ? Is there any chance Shelly Smith could beat out W.Smith or Caldwell as a starter ?

[utahmark]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

You think the owner orchestrated the "tank", independent of anyone else? That the players, coaching staff, GM etc had no idea what was going on?

Because that is the only way a tank job could happen. Players, coaches, and front office workers would not risk their career by doing a bad job on purpose.

That would of been completly imposible. No way anyone could of predicted that without peyton the same colts team that was a perennial superbowl contender would have the worst record in the league.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by utahmark

That would of been completly imposible. No way anyone could of predicted that without peyton the same colts team that was a perennial superbowl contender would have the worst record in the league.

Which was what my point was.

[GP]

That smack on Schaub was just what we needed to happen.

He got hit, he tumbled to the ground...and then he got up and walked off the field.

He now has the faith in his foot that was not going to be there had he not gotten roughed up a bit. Best thing that could've happened. Nobody is mentioning this, IIRC.

Up until then, he was untouched and untested on that foot. He even sort of crumpled a bit, IMO, as if he was bracing for the inevitable as he's getting touched by the defender...then he gets up, and you just gotta' know that he placed his weight on that foot, on that first step getting off the ground, and thought "OK, we're good to go."

Any time you come back from that big of an injury, it's in the back of your mind: Can I trust the foot? What if I plant it too hard? What if I'm not really ready?

The only way is through true trial and error. And he had not had true trial and error until a blitzer put him on the ground, in traffic.

I expect him to come out in the next game and OWN everyone. If not, if there are mobility issues that affect his passing game...then I'll be crushed. There will then be time for panic. As of now, I'm thinking he needed a good dose of rough play in order to get over the mental facet of the recovery and return to the game.

[GP]

Originally Posted by utahmark

That would of been completly imposible. No way anyone could of predicted that without peyton the same colts team that was a perennial superbowl contender would have the worst record in the league.

I don't think either of you watch much football, other than the Texans then.

Anybody who thought the Colts would succeed with Curtis Painter at QB and Manning out for a season...I just truly don't get that train of thought. LOL.

Anyways, it's time to move on. Remember???

[RunninRaven]

I didn't focus on any individual O-linemen, but it seemed like the right side run blocking was very good with the 2nd teamers. I know that included Newton because I saw him do some good things on occasion, but I assume that means Brooks was doing well also. I don't remember what kind of pass protection we had. Anyone focus on the O-line play specifically that could give a grade on some of these guys? It's the O-line battle that interests me the most this pre-season.

[Texanmike02]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

I'll third this. If there was an error it was in not understanding he wasn't going to get the ball off cleanly.

It was kind of a weird play. Brown was able to push the DE into the CB and slow him up a bit. I thought that it was (tate?)'s responsiblity but he went straight up the middle.

FWIW I don't think that blitz comes if we've got AJ in there. Not very often that the opposition is going to leave a safety in single coverage and bring a CB.

Mike

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by GP

I don't think either of you watch much football, other than the Texans then.

Anybody who thought the Colts would succeed with Curtis Painter at QB and Manning out for a season...I just truly don't get that train of thought. LOL.

Anyways, it's time to move on. Remember???

You cant just throw out a dig, then hope no one will answer.

The Colts did not know Manning would not be available the whole season during the summer (where big moves are made). Also, I did not expect the Colts to be Super Bowl contenders without Manning, but I did not expect 2-14. Anywhere around 4-12 sounded about right.