Let’s cut the crap about this being Ballard’s fault
 

The Colts lost, and all the hand wringers and bed wetters are out in force. I get that, when gloom descends, there’s an impulse to look for a scapegoat, a lamb to sacrifice on the altar of the football gods.

But, Ballard’s not that guy.

It isn’t his fault that Richardson wrecked his shoulder.
It isn’t his fault that Gardner Minshew got banged up and turned into a statue.
It isn’t his fault that Braden Smith went down.
It isn’t his fault that Grover Stewart got caught using a PED.
It isn’t his fault that Shaq Leonard is still trying to rediscover his lost super powers
It isn’t his fault that Zaire Franklin got hurt
It isn’t his fault that Isaiah Rogers liked to gamble.
It isn’t his fault that Dallis Flowers ruptured an achilles
It isn’t his fault that Juju Brents banged up his quad.

Not a single one of us complained when he traded away Stephon Gilmore. This was going to be a transition year, not a whole lot was expected, and it didn’t make any sense to hold onto an unhappy 32 year old player who wanted out, especially if you could get something in return.

Are there holes in the roster? Absolutely. We could really use a dynamic deep threat at WR, and Micah Parsons would surely be a welcome addition. But, elite pass rushers don’t exactly grow on trees, and it’s not as iif Ballard passed on drafting one of them in favor of taking a long snapper or a Tight End.

A big part of the problem is that Gardner Minshew has a disturbing knack of making game changing plays…for the other guys. But, again, he’s a backup, and backups are backups because they’re afflicted with fundamental flaws in their skill sets. The number of backup QB’s who lead their teams to the promised land are fewer than few. I can’t blame Ballard because he didn’t find a Tom Brady in the fifth round, andI don’t remember any moaning or gnashing of teeth when he passed over Brock Purdy.

So, let’s all quiet down, ride out the storm, and try to keep our wits about us while others are losing theirs.

Well said. This team was not expected to be a playoff team even with all the players hurt/suspended/traded being on the team. I find it funny how the same people (usually not posters here) acknowledge this is our rebuilding year with a rookie HC and QB, and yet they want Ballard fired for executing the rebuild with a lot of added talent at lower rounds in the draft. Just off the top of my head, we have Freeland looking serviceable as a rookie, Brents looking very good, Flowers being decent, Ogletree looking like a player, Raimann looking like a franchise LT, Paye looking like a solid piece against the run, and sometimes against the pass, Jones looking like a player who can contribute, mallory looking okay, and Fries serviceable. That is a lot of first and second year players who look like real NFL guys. That list did not include AR, who looked dynamic when on the field.

Yes, the future looks bright, and Ballard's team scouted these players. Anyone who watches this team and watched the team last year has to have some level of excitement for the future, unless they are a hater, or just a negative person, in general.

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You forgot one thing ...... it isn't Ballard's fault that the Colts' record is not 4-4 instead of 3-5 right now ...... that's the referees' fault.

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And as most of you know, I am the first to say that good teams overcome bad calls by the referee's ...... I have said that many times in game threads, when the Colts get hosed on a call and/or a non-call ...... but what happened in the Browns game was an out-and-out robbery.

It wasn't the 2nd quarter, the 3rd quarter, or even early in the 4th quarter, when a team has time to overcome bad calls. It was the very end of the game, when there was no wriggle room to speculate about cause-and-effect.

Also, if anything, the first call against Darrell Baker should have been OFFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE because the Browns receiver initiated the contact, extended his arms, and pushed Baker to the ground.

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Not sure who's blaming Ballard. I know I didn't. I was just pointing out that it's interesting that someone who covers the Chiefs sees the same shortcomings that a lot of us on here do.

I’m simply questioning is next year the year we can expect Ballard to try to win instead of rebuild. Not sure why that would get peoples panties in a twist.

Probably Chopped, since he says he hates the guy.

Below 500 record zero division titles 5 qb's & counting doesn't address glaring needs scared shitless of FA. His time is up.

Dude, he has signed some quality guys in free agency. People just hate that he doesn't make the splash play on Day 1

I am actually not in that camp, generally speaking that's fools gold every year. What pisses me off about him is his seeming obsession with physical prowess, measurables, physique in drafting vs just getting dudes that can play the damn game. The secondary thing is his almost joy in having a big bank account- for fucking what reason? It's not his fucking money, and really, it's not even Jim's, it's the NFL's when you really step back and think about it. For some reason he seems to think his job is to make sure the + side of the +/- of the GL is stocked with cash.... but every fucking off season we're always on here saying "this is the year, this is the year he's gonna get a major DE or a bigtime WR, and he never does.
Finally, he seems to be arrogant and such an image aware dude. Man aint no fans giving two fucks about your tight ass shirts and slick part. You're an old man, an old football man, get some pizza sauce on a gnarly Colts shirt and fucking watch film (and maybe more than the like 30 minutes of film you watched on Ryan to convince yourself he still had it...).