I'm typically one of the few optimists in a sea of doomsday. But just like I try to offer some perspective and try to talk people off the ledge after losses, I'll do the same in regards to drinking the Kool-Aid and saying stuff like "we definitely lose this game if Reich is the coach."

I'll rewatch the game, but ultimately, I didn't notice a huge difference in the team. Obviously the Ehlinger experiment proved Ryan is way better (what a weird situation). But compared to the previous Ryan-led Colts, I think we saw a lot of similar stuff.

Look at it like this... Michael Pittman fumbled the fucking ball on the final drive at the LV 26 with about 5:50 to go. If he doesn't somehow, miraculously come in late and recover his own fumble... how are we looking at this game?

Even with that lucky recovery... If Stephon Gilmore doesn't make another outstanding individual play, this time All-Pro vs. All-Pro... how are we looking at this game?

We had already fumbled at the LV 22. According to Ballard, coming into the game, we'd had 11 turnovers inside the opponent's 50 and 9 of those were inside the opponent's 38 (scoring position). Today we added a 10th and came VERY close to adding an 11th. Those are massive in that they take points straight off the board and give the other team a big momentum boost.

We avoided one and came away with a win against a bad Raiders team. If we avoided both, we probably get a comfortable two-touchdown win. And that same logic applies to previous games against better teams where we had multiple turnovers. We played well enough to win in several losses but the turnovers are king.

Chrome pointed out in the gameday thread that he heard Bill Polian talking about the team and basically mentioned how thin the line is between having a good season and "burn it all down." That's completely true.

I noticed a massive difference in the OL performance. Granted, one can claim it only looked better because it was the Raiders, but this OL has looked like crap against Jacksonville on the road and they don't have some amazing pass rush either.

It was pretty jarring to see Smith go down and realize how close we always are to Pryor playing.

To me it was a little bizarre that Dennis Kelly wasn't the backup. But you're right we probably lose that game if Pryor had to play RT for any length of time.

kelly has to be the next tackle up. has to be

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Yeah well, it’s likely the Colts would have won the Washington game if Jim hadn’t stuck his nose in and forced Sam as the starter, so if I were him, I wouldn’t be crowing to much.

That’s dumb. Ya Sin is useless. He’ll either give up the play or commit a penalty every time.

Yannick hasn’t been great this year but he’s still way better than Ya Sin.

My theory, and I get that my disdain for him leads me to these type of hypothesis but.... My take- he watched the crap fest that was the offense against the titans the week prior. Meets with Frank and Ballard. He's frustrated as hell, demands they change things up (not calling for Ehlinger, just telling them to get things fixed offensively). Frank does Frank stuff and starts blaming it all on Ryan- basically repeating his mantra that Matt Wentz is really the problem. Jim seizes on the opportunity to corner his ass and says "okay, then from here on, Sam starts".

Frank sits there and has that welp look and has liquid poop seeping out of his rectum while Ballard does the "hey sorry, I gotta take this call" and walks out while Frank sits there by his lonesome realizing he just signed his death certificate.

Jim sees exactly what he expected with the Commanders, sees it even worse with the Pats and says "Hey Chris, that guy is a fraud, the problem with the team is him... and hey you remember that fake phone call, yeah you are fucked too, better make sure you're making real calls because in a few weeks you are out too. I am bringing in one of my own and ridding myself of all this bullshit you two have been peddling".

I don't think there's any chance in hell Ballard is brought back- not after the report that him and Ward were opposed to Saturday. Fuck them both. Saturday for GM, Manning as Pres, get a top of the line coach, and let's do this shit!

Even though I thanked your post, I agree with the Ehlinger analysis. I don't think that Irsay forced Reich to start Ehlinger. But I do think that he asked Reich his answer to fix this shit and maybe offered a few scenarios to consider. Guess what Frank chose the wrong one.

But I in know way agree with the Ballard comments. Ballard isn't perfect, but I could argue that he's not a lot different than Polian in his early Colts tenure.

Unless there is a home run candidate out there to replace Ballard, he's going nowhere.