True, but the Bungles have played much better teams than we have. And despite their shitty performances they easily could have won both games.

i will never understand this

o


Another silver lining is that we play the Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs next ...... in 2019 when they won the Super Bowl, we beat them on their homefield in Kansas City, with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback.

I think that it's unlikely that we pull off another Houdini act against that perennial juggernaut next week, but for what it's worth, if the 2019 Colts could do it with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, then the 2022 team should not just throw the towel in before the opening kickoff with Matt Ryan at quarterback ...... of course, the Colts would need Matt Ryan to start playing like Matt Ryan, for starters.

o

The problem with Reich, using this example, is that he has had some moderate success with a lesser Colts team at times. He isn't as bad a coach as the Colts are playing, but at some point in time you have to ask yourself if he has lost the team. They clearly are not playing hard for him.
I don't think Shaq Leonard could have even been close to the difference in this one- Pittman either. We were uninspired, outcoached and outplayed.
With Clappy it was different- The Colts got blown out in a LOT of games that they shouldn't have, but it was still oddly clear that the players were still playing hard for Chuck until his end here for the most part- unfortunately his cupboard was bare and Grigson didn't give him enough to work with.

In the case of the 22 Colts, I think Ballard has given Reich enough to to field a very competitive team, but has stayed status quo on certain positions where he tried to improve but missed. I think the pass rush should be much better, but in the first two weeks it has been clear as day that opposing QB's are getting the ball out very fast against us. So why have we not adjusted our coverage to more press looks? Mills and Lawrence have just quickly dumped their way into easy completions against us. Jam up those receivers and it doesn't happen and our rushers get home a lot more.

I also don't think that Ryan has looked particularly good- and that is largely a result of our scheme. He is new to our scheme and clearly isn't familiar with a scheme that requires his passing targets to constantly bring in contested catches. His arm velocity looks average at best, and he never looks to take a deep shot- even to just jeep the D honest and the box a little bit less stacked.
He is an anticipatory thrower who is operating in a world that requires scheming guys open with drags and a lot of levelled options. The problem though is if those options become unavailable you need a QB who can improvise- and at this point in his career, that isn't Matt Ryan. He just takes the sacks like a good ole boy.

The silver lining of this game has been mentioned- that this may escalate the changes that inevitably would have taken a few years to come to fruition. We can now finally dump Campbell, Lewis, Banogu. We can dump "win now: moves like Foles, Gilmore, Yannick if need be.
And we can seriously revisit all of our assets to see if they are perfectly aligned with where we are and where we are headed. Another loss our two in the division and I am at the point where we should absolutely give Ehlinger a start and see what we have.
If a team is willing to give up a 1st or more for Nelson, Leonard, or Buckner, I am listening. Combine that with an early 1st that we have this year and likely two second rounders and suddenly we are cooking with gasoline.
If we continue on this losing path and have a realistic shot at a high draft pick then we absolutely need to think about adding another 1st round pick and pair a top tier playmaker with our new QB. Might be the only chance Ballard has at a few more years here (a rookie QB with promise), and I think this scenario inevitably happens with a new HC who isn't Reich.

I think Pittman might have made some difference, he was clearly the primary target last week, and so often yesterday Ryan would go to throw and then clutch it. Without seeing the all-22, I gotta think its because guys weren't open. I think this offense is supposed to work on anticipatory timing, but these receivers aren't executing downfield and Ryan was forced to go to his 2nd and 3rd reads - but that is when the pass rush was getting to him. Without fail, every time he aborted a throw (announcers were calling them pump fakes but he wasn't trying to fake out anyone), he'd get sacked or hit. He only had time to hit that initial read. The pressure got to him in the 2nd half, he wasn't seeing the field well, because he was watching for pass rushers out of the corner of his eyes.

But if this passing offense shits the bed without Pittman, that's a problem. I still think an old T.Y. Hilton is better than the rest of these guys.

I also still think the offensive line has regressed since DeGuglielmo was fired. Reich said it was about teaching technique, but these guys have the skills, but they aren't playing mean. When's the last time we've seen Nelson pancake and teabag a guy?

In fact, I don't think anyone on either side of the ball is playing mean. And its because Reich is too much of a player's coach, with too many light days, walk-thrus instead of real practice. I don't care to hear this "these guys are pros, should be expected to play hard". There is a psychology to lighting a fire under a guy's ass vs. the subtle message that he can make a ton of money playing at 90% effort.

Finally, I don't think we get blown out necessarily vs. the Chiefs. This team under Reich has a long history of playing to the level of their competition. We've played down against bad teams and stepped up against the good ones. I suspect that history is relevant and we'll see it again next week. But if we get slaughtered, then we'll know Reich has really lost the team.

I actually have a lot less confidence against KC with Bradley as defensive coordinator.

I think Eberflus’s style of defense is what gave Mahomes fits. I think he’ll be much more familiar with Bradley and probably much better.

Yea I never was one to complain about Eberflus. And I didn't love the Bradley hire, and I'm starting to not love it more and more.

both lines are getting pushed around. except for grover.

What are we paying Buckner for?

Good post....and I agree about TY, not sure he wants to come back?