So you figure by year 9-10 of Lucks career, they'll be be contenders again ?? If that's the case, Irsay should fire himself then go check into home.

that is the most likely scenario in my book

it is the afc south. they will still be contenders for this division this year. regardless if luck is out 4 games.

From your mouth to a higher entity's ears!!

Tennessee is building a very good team that will be good for a long time. Houston will be tough just because their defense is really good.

The AFC south isn't the cupcake it used to be. The Colts probably have the worst roster in it.

Thank goodness for Jacksonville.

Those assholes lost on purpose last year so we would get stuck with Pagano one more year.

I don't think so. I think Ballard was very careful and nuanced to say earlier
that he would judge Pagano by how the players developed, not by the teams
record. My gut feeling is that Ballard would have loved to bring in his guy
from KC(Taub?) but that he had to give a fig leaf to Irsay(Pagano). I think
Pagano is on a very short leash. And if he does play the injury card Ballard
can simply say "yeah, but you didn't properly develop the players you
did have". It's a frustrating situation but as GB opined the rebuilding
probably goes to a new level next year so there is some light.

I just never understand why Ballard would need to offer a "fig leaf" to Irsay in the form of keeping Pagano. Either Irsay trusted Ballard to rebuild this team or he didn't. Pagano should be no part of that. He obviously hired Ballard so he should trust him to rebuild as he sees fit at that point, and pretty much every time a new GM comes in, that means a new head coach, and it SHOULD have been the case here.

The only excuse that even remotely registers is that they didn't want to make a change with Luck injured to where he couldn't get reps in the new system, but even then, why stick with mediocrity? Just bite the bullet and next year they would be in year 2 of a system instead of starting over like they likely will be.

My understanding of the situation is that Irsay WAS open to upgrading from Pagano but only if he could land a big name proven winner (harbaugh, Saban, etc...). When he wasn't able to make a deal with any of his short list candidates he made the change he could make (upgrade the GM)......and turn over the reigns to Ballard. I hear the same as Bert....,that Ballard has claimed Chuckie will be assessed on development of young talent......hence I firmly believe he's out after this year even if we manage to limp our way into a conference championship.