2026 Pre-Season Game Thread (Consolidated)

[TheMugwump]

Originally Posted by sherck

The really sad part of the Colts 2026 season is watching us earn the #1 pick in the 2027 draft....

...and watch the Jets draft Arch Manning...

That would be hilarious, since Arch is not HIM.

[IndyNorm]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

I disagree. Everyone on the field was a second or third string. Put one or two of them in the middle of first stringers and my guess is they can pretty much hold their own. Start putting 4 or 5 on the field and you have issues. Nobody in this league has the depth to replace the whole team. Maybe our depth does suck (I happen to think it does) but I don't think this game proves that quit yet.

Valid point to a degree, but still concerning since ATL played 0 starters as well and their backups collectively flat out embarrassed ours. Same w/ the Cheats, although the score didn't show this b/c they kept shooting themselves in the foot w/ stupid offensive penalties.

Also, it depends on who goes down and which backups are mixed it. For example if Blackmon somehow ends up making the team and getting on the field then we're fucked, b/c he couldn't cover me right now much less an NFL WR.

[Puck]

SleeperColts

@SleeperColts
·
8h
Shane Steichen on the Colts’ plan for Saturday’s preseason finale vs. Detroit:

“The starters are going to play probably about a series or two… the only guys not playing for sure are Daniel and JT… AR is going to start”




https://x.com/SleeperColts/status/20...439569830?s=20

[CletusPyle]

Shouldn't the coaches, the Irsay girls, and Ballard come out before the Detroit game and say, we really aren't going to try to be competitive in the Detroit game, we are more interested in assessing how a mixture of the 2nd and 3rd stringers play in a come from behind scenario! That way if they play like crap all the not really trying to be competitive crap doesn't look like just an excuse!

[Kray007]

Originally Posted by CletusPyle

Shouldn't the coaches, the Irsay girls, and Ballard come out before the Detroit game and say, we really aren't going to try to be competitive in the Detroit game, we are more interested in assessing how a mixture of the 2nd and 3rd stringers play in a come from behind scenario! That way if they play like crap all the not really trying to be competitive crap doesn't look like just an excuse!

Are we really going to tie our shorts in a knot because Shane Steichen wants to use the preseason to assess the talent on his roster?

Let’s be clear. Winning in the preseason counts for nothing, zip, zilch, zero, nada, niete. You don’t judge a coach by how well their scrubs match up against Atlanta’s scrubs. It’s akin to firing Rick Carlisle because the Pacers allow a 6’2” Croatian Center for the Hawks to notch a double double in a 40 point Summer League loss to Atlanta.

In a little more than 24 hours, the Colts have to cut down to 53 players. Right now, they’re trying to figure out who’s better, Richardson or Leonard, Grupe or Shrader? They’re sorting out the bottom of the roster, weighing the skills of some undrafted free agent Linebacker vs a four year vet trying to hang around for another year.

That doesn’t seem important now, but when the witch of November comes calling and injures mount, a team’s fate hinges on judgments made in training camp.

Steichen can be forgiven for not caring about beating the Lions in a meaningless game?

[CletusPyle]

Originally Posted by Kray007

Are we really going to tie our shorts in a knot because Shane Steichen wants to use the preseason to assess the talent on his roster?

Let’s be clear. Winning in the preseason counts for nothing, zip, zilch, zero, nada, niete. You don’t judge a coach by how well their scrubs match up against Atlanta’s scrubs. It’s akin to firing Rick Carlisle because the Pacers allow a 6’2” Croatian Center for the Hawks to notch a double double in a 40 point Summer League loss to Atlanta.

In a little more than 24 hours, the Colts have to cut down to 53 players. Right now, they’re trying to figure out who’s better, Richardson or Leonard, Grupe or Shrader? They’re sorting out the bottom of the roster, weighing the skills of some undrafted free agent Linebacker vs a four year vet trying to hang around for another year.

That doesn’t seem important now, but when the witch of November comes calling and injures mount, a team’s fate hinges on judgments made in training camp.

Steichen can be forgiven for not caring about beating the Lions in a meaningless game?

Totally missed the point which really doesn't surprise me at all!

[sherck]

How is it, after these players have played football for their entire lives and played in dozens to hundreds of football games and have had defensive coaches telling them the entire time to have someone hold the corner so cut-back runs cannot succeed that we seem to have cut-back runs succeed ALL THE TIME!!!!

[apballin]

Can’t lie… Richardson looks good out there

[CletusPyle]

Originally Posted by apballin

Can’t lie… Richardson looks good out there

He's made a couple of really good throws!

[CletusPyle]

Even Rick Venturi is getting sick of watching our backups being unable to successfully match up to other teams 2s and 3s