With a healthy Jones last year. I think we beat the Jags and Texans at least once, maybe even sweep one of them.

Yes, a few teams found a Quarterback then achieved greater success than the Colts. Cincinnati found Joe Burrow, Buffalo found Josh Allen, Chicago got Caleb Williams. But, I think you underestimate the years, the decades, of futility that preceded the moment they snagged their golden ticket..

Between the day that Jon Gruden hoisted the Lombardi Trophy untl Tom Brady brought them another, the Buccaneers had 5 winning seasons in 17 years. At Quarterback, they shuffled from Johnson to Simms, from Griese to Gradkowski, from Rattay to Garcia, McCown to Leftwich. From Freeman to Johnson to Glennon to Winston, and Fitzpatrick.

Same story in the bay area. In the 16 years before Jimmy Garaffolo came along, the 9’ers made the playoffs 3 times.

In the quarter century before Joe Burrow arrived in Cincinnati, they managed four division titles.

From 1996 until 2020, Buffalo was the poster child for futility.

Heck, any Colt fan should be able to attest to the difficulty of winning without a QB. Between Bert Jones and Peyton Manning yawned a gulf of frustration. I won’t provide a list, but names like Gary Hogeboom, Mike Pagel, and Marty Domres populate my nightmares.

The bottom line is that Quarterbacks, at least good ones, don’t grow on trees. Finding one is like fishing in a septic tank. 9 out of 10 times, you reel in a turd; but, every once in awhile, you cast your line and hook Tom Brady.

Chris Ballard and the Irsay sisters obviously thing that they pulled the handle on the slot machine and it turned up all cherries. If they did, then a decade of dappled sunlight and fields of wildflowers stretch before us. Summer in Westeros. But if they’re wrong, Chris Ballard will find himself in the midst of winter, on the wrong side of the wall, pursued by slavering white walkers.

Apparently the key to being a GM is simply blind luck at QB? Can’t find a QB, you are not bad, just unlucky. Find a QB and you aren’t good, you are just lucky. The rest of the roster is irrelevant until you get lucky and find a QB. I’m curious why Ballard would be fired if DJ isn’t the QB they think. Isn’t that just him being unlucky? Again. Is DE similar? And was Ballard a genius for drafting Raimann or was that just luck? Over the years I’ve learned that for any bad decision Ballard makes it’s bad luck or someone else’s fault. And any good decision is an example of his genius.

To be serious here, I’m well aware of the worst case scenarios and teams that have struggled to find QBs over long stretches. I remember Gary Hogeboom, Mike Pagel, Chris Chandler, Jack Trudeau. And I’ll also tell you, those were mostly poorly ran teams besides lacking at QB. And that’s true of many of the other teams. Those that weren’t poorly ran put together short peaks. Like a Rex Grossman getting to the SB. Or the 49ers three playoff appearances you gloss over - 2 NFC finals losses and a SB loss, with two different QBs (Smith and Kapernick). Ballard has been in the worst division in football and hasn’t won it. And he hasn’t been facing Mahomes, Allen, or Lamar in the division either. He can’t beat the Titans, Texans, and Jaguars. Actually well ran franchises perform better than the Colts have in Ballard’s tenure - even without the super star QB.

I’m not disregarding how difficult it can be to find a competent QB. I’m not someone who believes Ballard sucks because he didn’t find the next Josh Allen in two seasons. I am saying that his overall philosophy sucks and leads to what we have seen. Both his philosophy for finding a QB and for building the roster. I can see why you agree with his philosophy though - it matches what you apparently believe about the position, that it’s nothing but luck. No need to identify and go get your guy (like a Stafford), just churn through enough guys until you get lucky and one sticks. I hope DJ is the guy. I’m admittedly skeptical. Just remember if he is that it’s just Ballard getting lucky, nothing more.

To paraphrase Finch fromTKAM, people usually find what they are looking for. Some look for reasons to hate on Ballard. Others look for reasons to believe he can get it done. We know who is who, so why quibble on it any longer.

Colts + ASoIaF = Win!

I’d say his record and accomplishments after 9 years indicates his ability to get it done, but fair enough. I’ve said retaining him this year made sense after the Sauce trade. I just get tired of the crying for how unfair things have been for him. Plenty of GMs have needed QBs and nearly all have done more than Ballard or lost their jobs. He’s not unlucky, he’s mediocre.

Ballard cannot draft QBs, defensive backs or defensive lineman to safe his soul. Our three best defensive players were not drafted by us buy either traded for or were free agents. For a man who people seem to think is a genius at drafting he is really just mediocre the last half decade or so. Maybe Latu can turn into a player that can take over a game but so far not. The Colts record speaks for itself. We are bringing back essentially the same team as last year so far but expect way different results. I hope we shock everyone, including me.

My favorite nightmare was Curtis Painter coached by catfish Caldwell and under that idiot Grigson. Enough to make a person wanna cut their wrists!!! :D

o


Captain Comeback wasn't too shabby.

o

Those three never intersected.