Alternative Perspective
 

Yeah, the offensive line has been perhaps the worst unit in the league, but...

This team is one dropped TD pass by Pierce in his first game (or a FG miss by the since-cut Specs) from being 3-2.

They are possibly a Jonathan Taylor fumble away from tying last week's game and possibly winning it in OT from being 3-1-1, or even 4-1.

They have no where to go but up, because their offense has been so bad, that it's a stretch to think that they could play worse.

So yeah, hate on Reich. Hate on Ryan. Hate on the O-line (this one I'll agree with). But this team could still win 11 games and take the division once the Jags fold.

2 lucky wins, 2 unlucky losses, and one tie that should have been a win! They need to beat the division teams in round 2, if they do that I think they'll win the division!

Defense wins championships…

Pierce and Ryan seem to be starting to click

Get the Oline sured up and we can still do damage in the AFC

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Ryan's numbers were solid in the 2 games against the Chiefs and the Titans, ESPECIALLY considering the college Division I-AA offensive line that has been blocking for him.

Ryan's vision has not been very good ...... but then again, it's hard to have much "vision" when the defense has 2 or 3 lineman/linebackers living in your backfield 2 or 3 seconds after the ball is snapped.

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The Titans games, to a certain degree, was unlucky ...... but the loss to the Jaguars was not unlucky, that was a flat-out beatdown.

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You're right, I had a brain fart!

Tried to get cute like coach Reich on 3rd and 1.....same result! :D

If they cut Matt Pryor, I like their chances of at least securing a playoff spot. If they keep him and keep playing him, top 15 pick. He's that bad. So bad that he's making the OL look as bad as it has looked. With a competent player in place of Pryor, this unit would be looking at least average right now, rather than the black hole of production it has been. I didn't think one player could make an entire OL look this bad, but I've never seen an OL play as poorly as Pryor.

I couldn't agree more.

I just finished re-watching the game and not only was Pryor beyond bad, but his lack of effort and ability to make whoever is playing next to him look like a bad player is just incredible.

Raimann wasn't good, but gave good effort, never let a free runner loose to the QB and battled his ass off to the whistle.

After re-watching, Pinter didn't play nearly as well at center as some on here have suggested. Maybe he's an upgrade over Kelly but not much of one if that's the case.

On a side note, Granson really blocks his ass of in the run game. Maybe more 2 nd 3 TE sets are in order to get Campbell off of the field? Because he's clearly been surpassed by Pierce and offers next to nothing game in and game out.

Glad to see some people who don't only see the bad. Cue the Negative Nancies any minute

I thought the same. Pinter looked so much better because we're comparing him at guard where he was fucking terrible. But it's not like he's the clear answer over Kelly.

Raimann needs technique and experience. He was good in the run game. Granson does block better than people might think.

Also, DEN front is pretty impressive.

i got you

we are a chris jones weird penalty and terrible decision by russ away from being 0-4-1

and the tie was against the texans who are probably the worst team in the league


we aren't winning shit this year. making the playoffs would be a bad thing

just want to reiterate that we got destroyed by the jags. completely blanked. we were down big to the texans in the 4th and probably should have lost that game.


this is the worst offense in the league.


there is a valid reason to be down on this team

I am one of those negative nancies you cued. For me it isn't just this lousy year, this has been a holdover from last year and worse. I hope you positive folks are absolutely correct and I am proved wrong but I cannot muster another round of belief that the the same people will somehow, after 5 years, see the light and learn how to put a competitive team on the field. I see the bright spots on this team and would glob onto them if we were in the middle of a rebuild. We are 5 year into a rebuild and now seem to need another. Sucks.

I keep looking for the backlash every time I come on here. Maybe after the Jax game, if they come out flat and get waxed again.

Are you shore about that?

Good post. Basically the only way the Colts are capable of winning is if the other team is shit (like Houston) or they royally fuck up several times in the game (KC and Denver). Otherwise we'll lose and probably get blown out.

And the loss to the Tits wasn't unlucky either. We turned the ball over 3 times. They turned it over 0.

The OL overall, with the exception of Pryor, seemed to settle down and play better when Pinter came in. Also, I didn't see Pinter getting blown up like Kelly was, but that could have been the broadcast just not showing it.

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I said that it was unlucky to a certain extent. The Colts' turnover in the 4th quarter when they had driven deep into the opponents' territory was somewhat unlucky, particularly because it was made by the otherwise sure-handed Jonathan Taylor ...... it was his only fumble in 81 carries so far this season, and it was only the 4th fumble that he had lost in 645 carries over his career.

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I was more directing it towards CletusPyle who said it was an unlucky win to begin with, so I probably should have quoted him instead.

I hear what you're saying, but if you're -3 in turnovers you're in all likelihood going to lose unless you're significantly better than the other team. Which at this point we probably can't say that about the Colts vs. any team in the league.

Yep, my post pretty much sucked, I was trying to find something positive to say, I do think if Taylor doesn't fumble we would have scored, but no guarantee would would have won the game. We are probably lucky to not be 0-5!

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Also, while the Colts were certainly lucky in their win over the Broncos, I don't think that they were lucky in their win against the Chiefs ...... the defense played a damned good game, and the offense played reasonably well against a team that has had one of the best defenses in the NFL since the 2nd half of the 2021 season.

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I disagree. While the D did play well, KC made some huge unforced errors that led to us beating them: muffed punt inside their 5, fake FG attempt on 4th and 11 from our 24, Missed 34 yard FG, and of course the super dumbass penalty by Jones. Any of those self inflicted wounds don't happen then we don't win.

I want some of what you guys are smoking.

This team will never go anywhere. The OLine is just to bad. They will hamstring the team all season. A line this bad can’t be fixed in season. It has to be completely overhauled.

That’s completely on Ballard.

I think they get skull f****d again by Jacksonville Sunday. And there no way in HELL they win in Tennessee.

They’ll be lucky to win 7 games. Hell, they used up all their luck getting the 2 wins they have.

Pass it to me when you're done. On top of probably using up all of our luck our schedule gets tougher from here on out. I'm thinking 3 more wins: vs. Wash, Pitt, and Hou. Maybe 4 if we upset someone along the way.

Nothing is beyond repairable but this offensive line comes close. And I agree totally with Hoopsdoc that unless it gets fixed nothing else really matters. You cannot be this bad on the line and have any hope of competing on a consistent basis.

Rainman will keep improving, put Pryor at guard unfortunately Kelly has looked like shit Pinter at Center may be the option

They’ll start playing better

Pryor belongs nowhere near the football field.

He’s doesn’t look agile enough to handle outside speed… I think he can still be a solid guard … he doesn’t get manhandled

I hope you’re right.

I don’t think you will be but I really hope you are.

We pull our guards too much for him to be effective at that position. If we were a power running team, then maybe he would be a decent guard.

That's what I think, too. Unfortunately, Braden Smith looks like our best RG. He did well overall against DEN. Problem is he's our best RT, too.

Pryor needs to be put at Left Off...as in left off the roster.

As truly awful as the Colts have been, i find it hard to believe we can continue to be this bad going forward. It is not as if the Colts haven't been in this scenario in recent years, and have then managed to have some success later in the year.

The rest of the NFL is also incredibly up and down. There is no dominant team, and everyone is beating each other. Even the Eagles the only unbeaten team are far from invincible the Cards had chances yesterday.

The offensive line has been exactly that "offensive" most of the time to watch. Raimann actually played reasonably ok in my opinion on Thursday, especially in the running game. Yes he had some penalties against him, although two of the holding penalties were weak calls, and the offsides, well how many times did Castonzo jump offside, felt like it was almost a weekly occurrence, I am prepared to forgive him that one instance on his debut in a loud stadium on the road. He needs to play the rest of the season and take his lumps...we need to provide additional help from the TE's and backs though to try to make his life that little bit easier.

Anyone who is saying that Pinter is the better player than Ryan Kelly needs their head examined professionally. Has Kelly played great, no he hasn't, but Pinter is a backup, and not the answer as a starting offensive lineman.

Braden Smith in my humble opinion is still a good RT, but has struggled due to the protections and necessary teamwork required between himself and the RG spot. Similarly to how the poor RG play affects Kelly and how the poor LT play so far impacts Nelson. People easily forget that for good offensive line play it is essential for the entire group of 5 or 6 guys, to be in unison with each other. Assignments and blitz pickups with the TE's and RB's are a fundamental ingredient to good offensive line play as well. Hence why experience from the C, is usually the key to ensure the correct line calls are made to all personnel.

Nelson did not play all that well last year, mainly because Fisher was playing poorly to his left. Nelson looked truly awesome in the prior years because he had solid play from Castonzo and Kelly either side of him.

I like the rookie class so far.

Pierce - Has come on big time in the last few weeks, needs to be careful with holding on to the ball, has been close to a couple of fumbles, and i am sure the one catch last Sunday was an incomplete pass.

Woods - Come up with some huge catches and scored TD's, needs to be brought more into the weekly game plan and see more action.

Raimann - Seems to have the LT spot to himself for now, growing pains are sure to continue, but there were some positives from his first start.

Cross - Started the season off ok, but has barely seen the field in the last 3 weeks.

Johnson - Has seen rotational snaps and seems to be doing ok, not really paid too much attention to him if i am being honest.

Ogletree - On season ending IR, which was a shame as he looked like he was ripping things up in the preseason.

Brooks - I believe he is on the practice squad.

Thomas - Has probably been the player making the most impact as a rookie for the Colts, has played very well and has supplanted Cross in the lineup. Although he may very well now be taking the place of Blackmon, as i think McCloud is playing in Cross's role.

The Safety play generally has been excellent the last 3 games....which is saying something when you consider that we are actually using the 3rd and 4th guys on the depth chart from the start of the season with the two Rodney's.

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In 2018, the Colts started out the season 1-5 ...... they had just lost to the lowly Jets, who wound up going 3-12 that season in their other 15 games.


https://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/r...Teams/2018-ind


The Colts then won 9 out of their next 10 games to finish at 10-6, then upset the favored Houston Texans in the playoffs on their homefield in southeastern Texas. They then lost in the divisional playoffs to the Chiefs, who came within an offsides penalty of making it to the Super Bowl before losing in overtime to the Patriots in the AFC championship game.

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Additionally, last year in 2021 the Colts started the season at 1-4 ...... they then went 8-2 over their next 10 games before shitting the bed in the final 2 games of the season against the Raiders and the Jaguars.


https://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/r...Teams/2021-ind

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yes starting the season in weak form is a pattern for Reich's teams. Going on a mid-season run is another pattern. Falling flat at the end is part of that pattern.