Any changes to the coaching staff?

[Maniac]

At the very least, the defensive backs coach , Jonathan Gannon, should be on shaky ground after that whole unit regressed.

[omahacolt]

I doubt it

[Dewey 5]

I'd like to see a new special teams coach.

[JAFF]

At the very least, the defensive backs coach , Jonathan Gannon, should be on shaky ground after that whole unit regressed.

With no pass rush and an inability of the offense to stay on the field, those guys cant cover with modern rules for unlimited time for a qb to throw

[Maniac]

With no pass rush and an inability of the offense to stay on the field, those guys cant cover with modern rules for unlimited time for a qb to throw

We gonna have this argument ad nauseam? Yes, we know the pass rush is part of the problem. It clearly wasn't the entire problem though because the opposing qb's didn't just sit back there all day every down. They got the ball out quickly plenty of times and still completed WAY too many passes on a secondary that played like garbage without Kenny Moore. For a stretch there, they were historically bad. That's not all on the pass rush. We were middle of the pack tied for 16th on team sacks with 41, but those teams below us didn't allow back to back games of 73% and then 97% completion percentage. That's a shitty secondary. Stop giving them a free pass.

[JAFF]

We gonna have this argument ad nauseam? Yes, we know the pass rush is part of the problem. It clearly wasn't the entire problem though because the opposing qb's didn't just sit back there all day every down. They got the ball out quickly plenty of times and still completed WAY too many passes on a secondary that played like garbage without Kenny Moore. For a stretch there, they were historically bad. That's not all on the pass rush. We were middle of the pack tied for 16th on team sacks with 41, but those teams below us didn't allow back to back games of 73% and then 97% completion percentage. That's a shitty secondary. Stop giving them a free pass.

You know what helps the DBs? A quarterback who keeps the D off the field, burns the clock an creates TD drives instead of settling for FGs. Forcing teams to play from behind

Not having Luck influenced Both sides of the ball.

This defense is based on getting to the Qb. Houston did well, but losing Turay and later Autry really crippled this D. What happened to the Colts when they lost Freeny for the super bowl?

The Dungy D requires guys getting to the QB. You build a team with guys who can execute the D as designed. You lose all your pass rushers, its a problem.

The Rams have a lot of good DBs, but this year, they couldnt get to the QB. Why do I need to keep explaining this?

[Maniac]

You know what helps the DBs? A quarterback who keeps the D off the field, burns the clock an creates TD drives instead of settling for FGs. Forcing teams to play from behind

Not having Luck influenced Both sides of the ball.

This defense is based on getting to the Qb. Houston did well, but losing Turay and later Autry really crippled this D. What happened to the Colts when they lost Freeny for the super bowl?

The Dungy D requires guys getting to the QB. You build a team with guys who can execute the D as designed. You lose all your pass rushers, its a problem.

The Rams have a lot of good DBs, but this year, they couldnt get to the QB. Why do I need to keep explaining this?

Because you refuse to place any blame on the obvious, instead, just make excuses. It doesn't matter how good or bad the pass rush or QB is, there is zero reason a secondary should EVER give up 97% completion percentage... EVER. Those weeks where they faced the bucs and the saints, the secondary looked lost, had horrible communication and just played like shit.

You know what helps a pass rush? A secondary that doesn't give up 97% completion percentage for an entire fucking game. Maybe the secondary playing so poorly made the pass rush look worse because the opposing qb easily found open receivers... WIDE open receivers.

[Racehorse]

Because you refuse to place any blame on the obvious, instead, just make excuses. It doesn't matter how good or bad the pass rush or QB is, there is zero reason a secondary should EVER give up 97% completion percentage... EVER. Those weeks where they faced the bucs and the saints, the secondary looked lost, had horrible communication and just played like shit.

You know what helps a pass rush? A secondary that doesn't give up 97% completion percentage for an entire fucking game. Maybe the secondary playing so poorly made the pass rush look worse because the opposing qb easily found open receivers... WIDE open receivers.

Sounds like you two are having a chicken/egg discussion.

[JAFF]

Because you refuse to place any blame on the obvious, instead, just make excuses. It doesn't matter how good or bad the pass rush or QB is, there is zero reason a secondary should EVER give up 97% completion percentage... EVER. Those weeks where they faced the bucs and the saints, the secondary looked lost, had horrible communication and just played like shit.

You know what helps a pass rush? A secondary that doesn't give up 97% completion percentage for an entire fucking game. Maybe the secondary playing so poorly made the pass rush look worse because the opposing qb easily found open receivers... WIDE open receivers.

Nothing is obvious in the NFL.

The Colts d gave up 30 more points this year than last year.
The Colts o scored 60 less points this year than last year.

2018 Colts were ranked 5th points, 7th in yards on offense
2019 Colts 16th points, 25th in yards

Yeah, the DBs are the problem.

[Luck4Reich]

Nothing is obvious in the NFL.

The Colts d gave up 30 more points this year than last year.
The Colts o scored 60 less points this year than last year.

2018 Colts were ranked 5th points, 7th in yards on offense
2019 Colts 16th points, 25th in yards

Yeah, the DBs are the problem.

Last year our Defense faced bad QBs....this year they faced some better ones and got exposed.

[Maniac]

Nothing is obvious in the NFL.

The Colts d gave up 30 more points this year than last year.
The Colts o scored 60 less points this year than last year.

2018 Colts were ranked 5th points, 7th in yards on offense
2019 Colts 16th points, 25th in yards

Yeah, the DBs are the problem.

No, you mean nothing is obvious to you.

Take a look at those offenses that were worse than the Colts and see if they allowed weeks of 73% and 97% completion percentages.

Less offensive possessions is NOT causing WR's to be WIDE OPEN due to poor or broken coverage. Nor is that caused by the pass rush. Both of those help as we've discussed many times already, but neither of them caused that god awful coverage that we saw from this secondary at times this year. Without Moore, they regressed, quite badly at times.

If you want to keep deluding yourself that it's only the offense's fault, or the pass rush's fault, go for it, but it's quite ridiculous.

[JAFF]

Last year our Defense faced bad QBs....this year they faced some better ones and got exposed.

Yeah like Tannehill who rolled out all day to an open field and clear view.

Drew Brees stood there all day and picked the Colts apart. The Saints had the ball 13 more minutes than the Colts. If a team cant put consistent pressure on the opposing Qb, its tough to win.

[Racehorse]

Nothing is obvious in the NFL.

The Colts d gave up 30 more points this year than last year.
The Colts o scored 60 less points this year than last year.

2018 Colts were ranked 5th points, 7th in yards on offense
2019 Colts 16th points, 25th in yards

Yeah, the DBs are the problem.

Last year our Defense faced bad QBs....this year they faced some better ones and got exposed.

I usually don't like to take his side on these petty arguments, but saying that 2 more points per game is being exposed isn't very telling. Especially when the offense scored 4 points fewer per game, meaning the defense was likely on the field a whole lot longer than a year before because the offense couldn't stay on it.

[Maniac]

meaning the defense was likely on the field a whole lot longer than a year before because the offense couldn't stay on it.

That argument only makes sense if they were wearing down as games go along, like you see with defensive lines when a team is running the ball alot. That wasn't the case. They were awful for entire games, multiple games. The secondary played horrible.

[Luck4Reich]

I usually don't like to take his side on these petty arguments, but saying that 2 more points per game is being exposed isn't very telling. Especially when the offense scored 4 points fewer per game, meaning the defense was likely on the field a whole lot longer than a year before because the offense couldn't stay on it.

That's where SOME comes into play... last year they didnt face any.... so the games they did.... Brees... Tannehill... Rivers exposed the coverage. I'm not going to argue it any further... but I even remember many last year saying to not get too excited about the D when they didnt face any serious passing QBs

I didnt say every QB exposed us because we didnt play good passing QBs every game.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

At the very least, the defensive backs coach , Jonathan Gannon, should be on shaky ground after that whole unit regressed.


https://www.si.com/nfl/2020/01/06/cowboys-hire-mike-mccarthy-head-coach-nfl-news-notes

According to Breer at SI, Gannon might be in line for a promotion if McVisor receives a head coaching position and doesn't chicken out this year.

Like the previous time, McVisor has already lined up several assistant coaches for a staff and Gannon is supposedly on his short list.

That said, he’s very much ready to leave New England, having lined up key assistants like Redskins OC Kevin O’Connell and Colts DBs coach Jonathan Gannon to play major roles on his staff.

[Chromeburn]

I usually don't like to take his side on these petty arguments, but saying that 2 more points per game is being exposed isn't very telling. Especially when the offense scored 4 points fewer per game, meaning the defense was likely on the field a whole lot longer than a year before because the offense couldn't stay on it.


Fix the QB

Add to the pass rush, especially interior if you can

Another year of experience, off season of work


All will have a positive influence on the secondary. It's a complicated problem with multiple influences.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

There will be at least one change with Colts position coaches: defensive line coach Mike Phair will be leaving the Colts and joining Carolina's coaching staff. Carolina DC Phil Snow gave Phair his first job in coaching.


https://twitter.com/JoelAErickson/status/1216749457653620736

Source confirms that Colts defensive line coach Mike Phair is headed to Carolina. Phair is close with new Panthers DC Phil Snow, who gave Phair his start as a GA at Arizona State in 1999

[Chromeburn]

There will be at least one change with Colts position coaches: defensive line coach Mike Phair will be leaving the Colts and joining Carolina's coaching staff. Carolina DC Phil Snow gave Phair his first job in coaching.


https://twitter.com/JoelAErickson/status/1216749457653620736

I guess interviewing Rhule wasn't so out of left field a couple years ago.

[AlwaysSunnyinIndy]

I guess interviewing Rhule wasn't so out of left field a couple years ago.


Yeah, Carolina gave Rhule a massive contract - 7 years, $60MM + potential $10MM extra in bonuses.

That contract makes him the sixth highest paid coach in the NFL behind Belicheat ($12MM/yr), Pete Carroll ($11MM/yr), Jon Gruden ($10MM/yr), Sean Payton ($9.8MM/yr) and John Harbaugh ($9.0MM/yr).

On top of that, Rhule had a buyout clause with Baylor (estimated at $6MM) that Carolina will pay.


https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1214583051478601728

Panthers are giving former Baylor HC Matt Rhule a seven-year - seven year - deal worth $60 million that with incentives could be worth up to $70 million, per league sources.

https://twitter.com/adamschefter/status/1214604241010073600

One other cost for Carolina hiring Matt Rhule: Panthers paid Baylor a $6 million buyout to hire their new head coach, per league sources.