I come to praise Chris Ballard, not to bury him.

[rm1369]

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory

Give me a break. He signs two FA this offseason and everyone loses their minds like he's had some awakening... But in 2020 him bringing in Rivers, Xavier Rhodes, and trading a 1st for Buckner is "jack shit."
…….

2.) This is outcome bias. There's no other way to put it. Ballard has kept his job for a decade precisely and ONLY because of what he puts around the QB. I mean, 9 years... He doesn't have Epstein files on the Irsays despite what Chopped will tell you. It's his rosters.

I started to type out an individual response to your points, like who the leading WRs were the Rivers year and how everyone except apparently Ballard knew it was an issue. How long everyone knew the secondary was an issue but we always liked our guys. How low balling Autry is a prime example of Ballard’s conservatism that keeps the books looking good but loses games, and an example of his stated disregard for the value of veteran leadership. Etc. But then I read Oldcolts post and thought better of it. None of it matters. Ballard’s fans consistently see a genius and find excuses for his consistent failures. I’ll just ask this - why has such a well run team filled with so much talent never won the worst division in football under his brilliant leadership? They aren’t in a division with a power house. In fact all three other teams in the division have finished first. Houston and Jacksonville have finished last in the division and turned around and won the division all within Ballard’s tenure with the Colts. Tennessee finished last in the division a year before Ballard and won the division during his tenure. So every other team in the division has faced adversity and won. But not a Ballard led team. Seems strange for such a good GM….