Originally Posted by Chromeburn (Post 353422)

The philosophy is sound. That’s why good linemen on both sides go early in the draft. There just aren’t that many of them. But you need a QB in the league and they haven't had good consistency at the position. When they get it the other elements come together. But if you don’t have a QB the best you can hope for is mediocrity. If the team was bad they would would only be winning 4 games every year.

Irsay was too patient with Grigson, he made a monumental blunder selecting him over Les Snead. But Ballard was and still is considered a good GM around the league. I know that’s not a popular opinion with Colts fans but it’s the truth. Bill Polian thinks highly of him, everytime I hear him brought up on NFL radio they talk highly of him. And their commenters are all former league personnel. I don’t blame fans for being frustrated over the lack of overall success. But if it were easy to find QBs, every team would have one. Eventually GMs do run out of time, but I’m not really convinced he is the issue and things will be fixed if he is replaced.

As for this game. You can’t turn the ball over in the nfl and expect to win. Puts your defense in a bad situation and teams are too even now.

Originally Posted by rm1369 (Post 353435)

And there it is, Ballard is a good GM. Just unlucky. Exactly why the team has been mediocre for a decade.

QB play is FAR from the only limiting factor in Ballard’s tenure. Doesn’t believe in the value of veteran leadership, his coaches will set the tone. Leaving gaping fucking holes in the roster to be filled later. Inability to draft, sign or develop players for a pass rush. Constantly putting measurables over playing ability. Gifting players positions they haven’t earned instead of creating true competition. Yes he’s loved by old school football guys because he still believes he’s GM of a team in the 70s or 80s. Grigson sucked at talent evaluation and he was an asshole but his philosophy was much better than Ballard’s. Ballard is a much better scout but he’s a bad GM.

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles (Post 353424)

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I'm a Ballard supporter, and I always have been.

That said, if Daniel Jones, Anthony Richrdson, and Riley Leonard all have season-ending injuries in the first 3 games and we have to play the last 14 games of 2026 with a 45 year-old Uncle Phil Rivers, I cannot defend keeping Ballard around for another season if the Colts fail to go at least 9-7-1 or better this season ...... even if I still think that he is a good GM, I can't defend the decision to fire him if the Colts finish 2026 with a mediocre record again.

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Originally Posted by Chromeburn (Post 353438)

I’m not really interested in defending Ballard, eventually all GMs tenure comes to an end ...... but I thought I would throw in my thoughts on the matter.

QB health is not a unique problem to the Colts, a huge majority of the league has issues. The league keeps extending the season and they wonder why they have a QB health problem. Kind of how they change the practice times and put caps on them and wonder why they aren’t developing players as much as they did 20 years ago. But I do want a GM that emphasizes oline quality if I have a choice especially now.

I understand why they went with uncle Phil, I doubt AR could even see well. I will say uncle Phil damn almost beat the superbowl champs and played better than a lot of the other QBs I saw in the playoffs against them.

By the way, that was a beautiful block on Hamilton.