Ballard

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by Hoopsdoc

Jones is the only starter on offense who wasn’t drafted by Ballard. I’m not sure how common that is, but I suspect it’s pretty rare.

The defense is a different story, but that’s where Ballard has grown. Understanding that outside help isn’t always a bad thing.

I think he either had to adjust, or get fired.

o


Also, Jones was acquired by Ballard, even though he wasn't drafted by him. And prior to the Sauce Gardner trade, the overwhelming majority of this 2025 team was put together by Ballard, under the late Jim Irsay's watch.

o

[omahacolt]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


Also, Jones was acquired by Ballard, even though he wasn't drafted by him. And prior to the Sauce Gardner trade, the overwhelming majority of this 2025 team was put together by Ballard, under the late Jim Irsay's watch.

o

we all know this

why the fuck would you waste your time posting this

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


Also, Jones was acquired by Ballard, even though he wasn't drafted by him. And prior to the Sauce Gardner trade, the overwhelming majority of this 2025 team was put together by Ballard, under the late Jim Irsay's watch.

o

Originally Posted by omahacolt

We all know this.

Why the fuck would you waste your time posting this ???

o


Because many posters here on ColtFreaks have stated numerous times how much different things are with Carlie as the new owner ...... and to me, that is revisionist history that I think needs to be rebutted in Jim's defense.

So everybody here on ColtFreaks "may know this", but they don't always act like they know it ...... if Jim were still alive today, the Colts would be right where they are now atop the AFC South with a record of 7-2.

o

[rm1369]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


Because many posters here on ColtFreaks have stated numerous times how much different things are with Carlie as the new owner ...... and to me, that is revisionist history that I think needs to be rebutted in Jim's defense.

So everybody here on ColtFreaks "may know this", but they don't always act like they know it ...... if Jim were still alive today, the Colts would be right where they are now atop the AFC South with a record of 7-2.

o

The knock for me has largely been Ballard’s willingness to push issues down the road to next year. We’ve seen it at multiple positions over multiple years. Enough for it to be a clear trend in my eyes. The way he has handled the secondary this year is completely different. This is not the same Ballard. His drafting has always been solid to good, but this is the first year IMO he has been in win now mode. You can argue it’s because of Jones and maybe for the Sauce trade that is true. But that is definitely not the case for Bynum and Ward. Hard for me to believe it’s not because he knew his job was on the line and the patience had ran out. It was asked in a thread early this season what it would take for Ballard haters to support him. My answer was basically a playoff birth wasn’t the end all for me, I wanted to see him be aggressive and attempt to win. Sauce could suck as a Colt and I won’t criticize Ballard for it. He’s doing what I wanted to see. He’s different than he’s been. I honestly believe it’s from ownership, but I don’t care. I can support this version of Ballard.

[Colts And Orioles]

Originally Posted by rm1369

The knock for me has largely been Ballard’s willingness to push issues down the road to next year. We’ve seen it at multiple positions over multiple years. Enough for it to be a clear trend in my eyes. The way he has handled the secondary this year is completely different. This is not the same Ballard. His drafting has always been solid to good, but this is the first year IMO he has been in win now mode. You can argue it’s because of Jones and maybe for the Sauce trade that is true. But that is definitely not the case for Bynum and Ward. Hard for me to believe it’s not because he knew his job was on the line and the patience had ran out. It was asked in a thread early this season what it would take for Ballard haters to support him. My answer was basically a playoff birth wasn’t the end all for me, I wanted to see him be aggressive and attempt to win. Sauce could suck as a Colt and I won’t criticize Ballard for it. He’s doing what I wanted to see. He’s different than he’s been. I honestly believe it’s from ownership, but I don’t care. I can support this version of Ballard.

o


The Colts would still be 7-2 and atop that AFC South, with or without Sauce. Daniel Jones was acquired under Jim's watch, and that has been the most significant change in the Colts this season. Like yourself, I won't come down on Ballard if Sauce plays badly or breaks his ankle 5 plays into his Colts career, but the addition of Jones was made while Jim was still the owner.

o

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


The Colts would still be 7-2 and atop that AFC South, with or without Sauce. Daniel Jones was acquired under Jim's watch, and that has been the most significant change in the Colts this season. Like yourself, I won't come down on Ballard if Sauce plays badly or breaks his ankle 5 plays into his Colts career, but the addition of Jones was made while Jim was still the owner.

o

The owner in name only. How do we know how lucid he was, or whether or not he even capable of making day to day decisions?

Now you're just assuming things to fit your own narrative.

[rm1369]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o


The Colts would still be 7-2 and atop that AFC South, with or without Sauce. Daniel Jones was acquired under Jim's watch, and that has been the most significant change in the Colts this season. Like yourself, I won't come down on Ballard if Sauce plays badly or breaks his ankle 5 plays into his Colts career, but the addition of Jones was made while Jim was still the owner.

o

I’m not arguing that it occurred because Jim passed. I’m saying Ballard is finally operating differently. I believe the pressure and the belief this was Ballard’s last shot is what has changed his approach. We heard that he was on the hot seat constantly throughout the offseason. It’s not just the Sauce trade, prior to that they made the change a DC and signed Ward and Bynum. Go back to Bradley and throw out some collection of undrafted FAs and a couple 7th round picks and this team is not 7-2 IMO. Simply add Jones to last years team and I don’t think they see 7-2. Yes Jones himself was mostly a continuation of Ballards QB philosophy, but he’s also the first one that has been supported by Ballard with the completion of the rest of the roster. And that’s not hindsight, several of us have said this was the most complete roster Ballard has assembled. Coincidentally it happens to be the best team. Jones is a huge part of that, but pretending everything is the same and Ballard just finally has a QB is BS. I don’t care why it occurred, but it’s pretty damn obvious a change has occurred. My fear was that if they had a good season and his job was saved he’d revert back to his previous philosophy of “next year”. The Sauce trade relieves a lot of that concern for me because he’s already done enough to save his job this year (baring a complete collapse) and he still was aggressive in improving the roster now.

[Colts And Orioles]

⁷

Originally Posted by rm1369

I’m not arguing that it occurred because Jim passed. I’m saying Ballard is finally operating differently. I believe the pressure and the belief this was Ballard’s last shot is what has changed his approach. We heard that he was on the hot seat constantly throughout the offseason. It’s not just the Sauce trade, prior to that they made the change a DC and signed Ward and Bynum. Go back to Bradley and throw out some collection of undrafted FAs and a couple 7th round picks and this team is not 7-2 IMO. Simply add Jones to last years team and I don’t think they see 7-2. Yes Jones himself was mostly a continuation of Ballards QB philosophy, but he’s also the first one that has been supported by Ballard with the completion of the rest of the roster. And that’s not hindsight, several of us have said this was the most complete roster Ballard has assembled. Coincidentally it happens to be the best team. Jones is a huge part of that, but pretending everything is the same and Ballard just finally has a QB is BS. I don’t care why it occurred, but it’s pretty damn obvious a change has occurred. My fear was that if they had a good season and his job was saved he’d revert back to his previous philosophy of “next year”. The Sauce trade relieves a lot of that concern for me because he’s already done enough to save his job this year (baring a complete collapse) and he still was aggressive in improving the roster now.

o

OK, that may very well be true. Ballard could be operating differently this year. Prior to the Sauce Gardner trade, I stated that I would be very surprised if Ballard pulled the trigger on a trade that could potentially mortgage the Colts' future, because of the fact that he has been relatively conservative prior to 2025 ...... and then Ballard went ahead and traded away two 1st-round draft picks for a stud corner back. I do believe that this would still be a 7-2 team as it currently is if Jim were alive, primarily because of the vast improvement at quarterback.

o

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by Colts And Orioles

o
if Jim were still alive today, the Colts would be right where they are now atop the AFC South with a record of 7-2.

o

This is absolute Bullshit and I think that you know it. Jim would've insisted, that AR retain his starting role, he would not have signed off on an AD Mitchell trade either. The vibe in the building would've also remained the same as it has been for the last 7 years, which is to say Jim would not have told the world, that we have a standard and Steichen and Ballard have not met that standard.

If Carlie is being that forthright to the world, imagine her demeanor behind closed doors.

[CletusPyle]

He is mediocre at best....but he is made of teflon!

This trade gives him a fresh coating......