Quote:
Originally Posted by Chromeburn
Ballard is here for a couple years. He’s tied to AR and Steichen unless the team just complete collapses and we go winless or something.
We don’t lack talent. Just a lot of it is either not on the field or has been mitigated due to poor QB play. Healthy Leonard, Buckner, JT, Nelson are all pros. The defense was very good last year, until they couldn’t prop up the offense anymore. But they are a solid unit and have become much better since Ballard got here. That unit was awful when he got here. I think the oline will return to form with solid tackle play. I’ve said for four years, the LT is the lynchpin of the line, the oline goes as LT goes. I expect the oline to bounce back this year. They have been in the top ten most of the time Ballard has been here, you don’t achieve that with no talent.
I think Pittman is seriously underrated. Yeah yeah the number one bs, he’s a 1000 yard receiver and been in the top 20 WRs in stats with bottom tier QB play. Hes been consistently in the top ten of releasing against pressman coverage (the toughest for WRs to deal with), averages better separation than Stephon Diggs, Terry Maclaurin and DJ Moore. Is he top ten in the NFL? No. But he is certainly top 30. Absolutely. And I think he would do even better with consistent play at QB.
So yeah, I disagree on the talent notion. But whatever. I’m tired of pointing shit out. Some people hate Ballard. I see it on social media every day. MF’ers don’t even know him talking about his personality like they’re his neighbors. And the 1070 radio guys have it out for him, listened to them two summers in a row talk out of their ass and be total hypocrites. I don’t care. I do think if Luck hadn’t retired this would have been an AFC championship team easily. Luck with JTs year that was wasted on Wentz?!? That team would have been crazy good. Most GMs don’t survive losing a franchise QB.
But yeah, if this team doesn’t win in a couple years, he’s gone. That’s how it goes. AR probably too. Then it’s time to start over again.
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We have a few really good players. So does pretty much every team in the league. I think you're kidding yourself though if you don't think that from an overall roster standpoint that we're one of the least talented rosters in the league.
Also, I don't hate Ballard. He's certainly better than his predecessor. I do believe he's not as good as some of you guys on here think he is, and I do hate that he just assumes that he'll find someone in the draft to fill gaping holes in the roster or in some cases just blatantly ignores them.
To back that up here are some lack of results from Ballard:
WRs - I agree MPJ is a good WR and that when/if he gets better QB play his numbers will be much better, but he's the only good WR Ballard has managed to bring in. Let that sink in. In 7 years Ballard has added 1 good player to one of the most critical positions in the league. That's Grigson level of futility. Maybe Pierce or Downs ends up making that 2 good WRs (I have more faith in Downs than Pierce), but adding 2 good players to a critical position group in 7 years is still really shitty.
Pass Rush - Despite spending god knows how many draft picks, FA dollars, and trade capital on DL in the last 7 years we still don't have a decent, consistent pass rush. Big failure on Ballard's part.
OL - Agree that as the LT goes, so does the OL. But who's fault is it that we didn't have a capable LT last year? It's also Ballard's fault that we let a good starting ROG walk last year and replaced him with someone completely incapable of playing the position. And since Ballard ignored the IOL in the offseason we have a guy more suited as a backup starting w/ absolutely no depth at IOL.
CBs - Maybe (at least hopefully) things will work out w/ some of the young guys down the line, but this year is going to be a shit show.
Anyway, not saying we need to get rid of him now. But if in 2-3 years we're not winning then Ballard needs to be gone, as you agree with.