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

[ChoppedWood]

Originally Posted by Kray007

First of all, happy holidays. This discussion is a testament to the passion of Colt fans, and even though I disagree with you, I salute you.

I know that every team deals with injuries, but we’re down to a 3rd string Quarterback. Our RT is gone for the season. Ditto one of the best Defensive Tackles in the league. On the back end, they’re down a couple of pro bowlers and the third best Corner on the roster.

In one game, the RT was playing on the left side, the RG was playing RT, and backups were manning 2 other spots.

As far as backup QB is concerned, we don’t how our backup stacks up vs Jones, Willis, or Mills. Our backup is nursing an injury that threatens his career.

As far as the insanity of reaching out to Rivers, by the time Jones and Richardson bit the dust, the pickings had gone from slim to nonexistent. If you think that Leonard was a viable option, I urge you to go to NFL plus and watch a rerun of the game. Leonard’s performance sent Ballard scurrying for someone, anyone, to step in. Without the injuries on Defense, they might have won 2 of Rivers games.

As far as my defense of Ballard; last year I said that time was running out for him. He had to produce better results in order to keep his job. As far as I’m concerned, he delivered. If Jones is playing, this is an 11 win team, even with the injuries that decimated the Defense.

Happy holidays to you as well Kray! Hope you have been able to spend time with those you cherish.

I just choose to look at the very large picture and to me that picture isn't very pretty. Regardless of injuries other teams have suffered their teams have persevered, and in the case of the 9ers, THRIVED. What they have done, basically without both their 1 and 1A receivers from a year ago, - both of which are starters on ANY OTHER TEAM in the NFL, Kittle being in and out, Warner out, etc... to see them do this, to see them put up 42 last night basically using a RB and a "meh" WR as their only weapons, is ludicrous.


Comparatively the Colts have just completely collapsed. Shane does not seem to have been able to make ANY meaningful adjustments. Instead, his singular solution seems to have been to call an old man that knows his plays- which to me, says he isn't doing very good in developing his roster. Fair to compare Shane to Shanahan, fair to expect two teams to do what the 49ers are doing in the same year, probably not. But I think it only fair to look at them and conclude your team DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY HAVE TO SUCK due to injuries.

So I have a real problem with the coach not being able to get more out of what he has. Then I look at Anarumo- definitely a SS directed hire. Dude essentially both caused Joe Burrow to have an MVP level season last year because his D was that shitty, while also COSTING Joe an MVP because the league won't give the MVP to a member of team that is THAT FUCKING bad! So we bring him in, and essentially we play the same kind of defense that we played last year- just laying back, letting completions happen in front of us over and over and over again. Yeah, Ward basically was injured but in the games he wasn't, he certainly wasn't playing this hyper aggressive sticky press we were all hearing about. We so seldom blitzed that when we did you almost jumped out of your chair at just the foreign nature of it. WHY did we hire Lou- the DC with the league's worst D last year?

Then you get to Ballard, and we have a guy on one edge that I am not sure I have ever seen a blocking sled more skilled at eating blocks than this dude! There were plays yesterday, I swear to God he has to hear voices in his head telling him to try to climb inside the OL's jersey vs trying to get away from him. He is AWFUL! So the guy that we drafted in the 2nd round, that you would think could easily move such a stiff out of the way---- he was a healthy scratch about half the year and probably averaged what, 6 snaps a game on total? Seriously----- WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SHIT?

Linebackers- are you kidding me? Franklin, man that is what we went into the season being okay with? I KNOW I could fucking beat him on a slant or a 10 yard crosser! Fucking EJ Speed is playing special teams for fucks sake! Pratt, okay, decent, but that's as far as you can go in assessment and he really has nothing to do with Ballard and is here because of the worst DC in the NFL last year- that's real encouraging. After that, it's a ghost town! How in the fuck can a GM have this little in the cupboard at perhaps the easiest position to fill in the NFL?

Secondary. Well, at least Ballard went for it, I will give him that. However, he swung and missed. Yes, injuries were brutal in the backfield, but still, those were players acquired by Ballard that got hurt. And as far as the talent of the backup backfield---- holy shit! I watch football 24/7, I see no other team as bereft of talent as we are, not even close. Week after week it's just a completion fest against these guys.

Ballard is NOT a good talent evaluator! He isn't! And I am tired of the fucking same press conference we are going to see again next Monday afternoon. I am tired of the "I SUCK but I'll be better this year" bullshit. He is right, he sucks, and he isn't going to be better! The mantra that when someone tells you who they are, believe them, is applicable, he has told us he sucks, and I fucking firmly believe him!