2023 NFL Discussion

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, btownqb said:

I don't believe in the term "impact positions". Those might be impact positions for other teams, doesn't have to be for every team. 

Look what Tennessee does with a shitty QB, damn good OL, damn good RB, and a studly defense that is built around an all world DT. Football will never go away from the idea that blocking and tackling are #1 and #2, no matter how much people try and "manipulate" it. 

I admitted if we are going to pay 3 OL, one needs to be LT. But, more importantly then anything to do with CB.... Nelson, Smith (not recently), Kelly, Kenny Moore, Pittman, Taylor haven't played well. Plus Matt Ryan sucks and is slow. 

And now Darius Leonard isn't an impact player? He caused 12 turnovers last year. 

Agree you can set up your team to win differently. No doubt…not everyone has to be built like Kansas City and Buffalo. First off there are only a couple qbs of that caliber out there to do that. The benefit those teams have is even when they are behind they are playing to their strength…throwing the ball and can come back much easier. Colts/Titans/SF those types have a much harder time winning when they fall behind because to an extent they have to move away from what they do best. In the end in general though elite qb play and teams with elite pass rush usually are what is standing in January more recently. Two areas we haven’t solved and reasons perhaps teams like Tennessee and Baltimore have had early playoff exits. I think there are premium positions…and GMs do too…it’s why LTs, QB, and pass rushers get paid the most money…so clearly there is no arguing they are more valuable as that is established by their pay and scarcity of elite players at their position. You can certainly have a difference maker at other positions it’s just imo much easier to limit their effectiveness on the game then those at the premium positions. Just my opinion.

[dgambill]

3 hours ago, btownqb said:

Had a Jim Harbaugh jersey!! Pulled my first tooth out while wearing it and bled all over it!! 

Matt Ryan is bad man. The turnovers alone are insane. 

Since Harbaugh we’ve been pretty much one of the winningest franchises in football. The 80s however were much harder on the rest of us fans and we saw some damn bad play.

[btownqb]

16 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Since Harbaugh we’ve been pretty much one of the winningest franchises in football. The 80s however were much harder on the rest of us fans and we saw some damn bad play.

Agree. All my life, the Colts have been a top notch team. Need to get back to that consistently. 

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, KoB2011 said:

New England, Dallas, and Miami are some of the weakest defenses in the league? I mean I'll give you Detroit having a weak defense the game after that, but that isn't his fault. 

His last four starts prior to the game he got hurt, which were against those four teams, the Bears are averaging over 30 PPG and his QBR was anything from 63 to 96, but at least 73 in three of the four. Josh Allen is third in the league in QBR and it's 73 for the year.... 

Just looked at the stats…granted it’s not apples to apples because teams have played a different schedule…example New England has faced Jets twice, Indy, Steelers, and Browns…bottom 10 passing teams…haven’t really played well against above average qbs. Dallas and New England actually have a couple of the fewest pass defended this year. Meaning their secondary aren’t really knocking down passes as much as they both lead the league in sacks and hurries. So their defensive numbers can be skewed a bit. I wouldn’t place either of them as elite pass defenses. I’m not saying Fields didn’t play well in those games but a majority came off his legs and then effected how he was defended. As teams see he is more willing to be a runner he is going to have to earn his keep throwing…and we’ve yet to see him consistently beat teams with his arm. I wouldn’t say he has turned a corner yet but the Bears have certainly done a better job at using his best talent (legs) better. In time though I think best talent will have to feature his arm/brain to be successful in the long run. Maybe it isn’t a popular take but it’s mine.

[IU Scott]

2 hours ago, KoB2011 said:

Turnovers have definitely been bad, and about half of them have been his fault. Gotta fix that for sure.

But as @IU Scott, there's others that are clearly worse. And frankly, he isn't really that different than anyone we've had since Luck, sans Rivers. 

The problem with this team is that we have a terrible offensive line and we are below average at almost every position that matters in terms of winning. Your boy LDB has loaded us up on studs at worthless positions and you've unfortunately bought what he is selling in terms of that being a good job. We are woefully behind contenders from a talent perspective, and that is on the GM. 

Can't forget the terrible experiment of Kerry Collins. I won't go back to the beginning because I can find a lot worse QB's to put a Colts uniform on.

[dgambill]

6 minutes ago, btownqb said:

Agree. All my life, the Colts have been a top notch team. Need to get back to that consistently. 

Yep…a pro bowl level qb quickly to a HOF qb and then directly to another pro bowl caliber qb will give you a great run. What we’ve had since is mediocrity. Kinda signals that if you want to have sustained success…you need to address a certain position. We just haven’t done that very well. Hopefully we find our future qb…starting from there and I think  the way Ballard has been able to find good players we can find a way to win games. But without that qb play…it just doesn’t matter almost what else he does.

[IU Scott]

2 hours ago, btownqb said:

The offensive line has played poorly. Yes. That is on Frank Reich and the players. Idk who LDB is. 

Worthless positions? Where did this stuff come from? What could be determined as a worthless position in football? 

Not worthless but he has put money into positions that can be easily filled without paying huge money to like RG, C, Middle linebacker interior DL. Still have no clear solutions at QB, LT, WR1, pass rusher which most view as the most important position. Actually you can put CB in their because Gilmore is a short term solution.

[btownqb]

1 minute ago, dgambill said:

Yep…a pro bowl level qb quickly to a HOF qb and then directly to another pro bowl caliber qb will give you a great run. What we’ve had since is mediocrity. Kinda signals that if you want to have sustained success…you need to address a certain position. We just haven’t done that very well. Hopefully we find our future qb…starting from there and I think  the way Ballard has been able to find good players we can find a way to win games. But without that qb play…it just doesn’t matter almost what else he does.

Irsay should have been willing to suck for a year or two early on. 

We didn't need to be average the year Luck left, and we really didn't need to make the playoffs with Rivers. Should have played some schmo off the bench, tanked, and continued the rebuild then. 

[btownqb]

1 minute ago, IU Scott said:

Not worthless but he has put money into positions that can be easily filled without paying huge money to like RG, C, Middle linebacker interior DL. Still have no clear solutions at QB, LT, WR1, pass rusher which most view as the most important position. Actually you can put CB in their because Gilmore is a short term solution.

WR is pretty well taken care of with Pierce and Pittman, imo. along with PC. 

I am glad we paid RG, C, and WLB btw. They were more than worthy of their contracts. I still don't see where you all got this idea that these positions are somehow less important. 

Our DEs and DL in general are completely fine and probably the best position group on our team. 

Is not paying Q Nelson and not paying Darius Leonard your actual stance here? 

[btownqb]

I cannot wrap my head around the idea that paying Smith, Nelson, Kelly, Leonard was wrong. 

We had that money PLUS money for 20 million dollar QBs. 

[IU Scott]

1 hour ago, btownqb said:

Ok. But this is like year 4 of Vrabel having this team in the mix at the top of the AFC. I mean, they ended Brady's time in NE, right? 

9-7

9-7

11-5

12-5

7-4 

48-28 overall is flat out getting it done. No elite QB, no elite LT, no elite WRs (THIS YEAR) or his first year coaching. No elite TEs. No elite corners..... they just line up and kick the shit out of you. They are DAMN good on the interior of both lines, they don't miss tackles. 

Luwan is a pretty good LT and was a first round pick. He is hurt this year but it isn't like they haven't tried to get a legitimate LT. The difference in the DLine is that Titans have good edge rushers and we really don't.

[IU Scott]

7 minutes ago, btownqb said:

WR is pretty well taken care of with Pierce and Pittman, imo. along with PC. 

I am glad we paid RG, C, and WLB btw. They were more than worthy of their contracts. I still don't see where you all got this idea that these positions are somehow less important. 

Our DEs and DL in general are completely fine and probably the best position group on our team. 

Is not paying Q Nelson and not paying Darius Leonard your actual stance here? 

Mainly because 99% of the experts you listen to say the exact same thing. Just look at Polian which is a HOF GM and taken 6 teams to Super Bowls. On the Online we had a LT that was a first round pick. Thevtest were drafted 4th or lower and Saturday was a undrafted free agent.  Our QB was a #1 draft pick. Our two HOF WR wad first round pick. One of our great DE was a first round pick.

[IU Scott]

11 minutes ago, btownqb said:

WR is pretty well taken care of with Pierce and Pittman, imo. along with PC. 

I am glad we paid RG, C, and WLB btw. They were more than worthy of their contracts. I still don't see where you all got this idea that these positions are somehow less important. 

Our DEs and DL in general are completely fine and probably the best position group on our team. 

Is not paying Q Nelson and not paying Darius Leonard your actual stance here? 

If I could take that money to get a WR1 like Hill, yes I wouldn't have paid those two. If that money could have brought in a QB hell yes I wouldn't pay them.

[btownqb]

3 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Luwan is a pretty good LT and was a first round pick. He is hurt this year but it isn't like they haven't tried to get a legitimate LT. The difference in the DLine is that Titans have good edge rushers and we really don't.

Agree on Lewan. 

Yannick is on pace for well over 10 sacks, Paye was on pace for 10+ sacks. They aren't Freeney or Mathis.... but 100% they aren't given the opportunity to pin their ears back nearly as often as some of these teams. I would say we have good edge rushers, but not great. There aren't a lot of great ones, and Kwity is still developing. 

I would take our starting DL over theirs. Even with Landry healthy. Barely, but I would still take ours. Throw in Dayo, Lewis as backups... 100% would take ours. 

[btownqb]

1 minute ago, IU Scott said:

If I could take that money to get a WR1 like Hill, yes I wouldn't have paid those two. If that money could have brought in a QB hell yes I wouldn't pay them.

We brought in 3 20 million dollar QBs. So... can't use that argument. 

I mean, I can make a lot of things work in trades on Madden, that is not reality though. If I could have P Mahomes, I would take him. Hell Kelce too. 

Go get Deebo while we're at it! 

[IU Scott]

I think my main complaint with Ballard is he is to stubborn in his philosophy and won't change even when it is not working. I hate every year he isn't aggressive in free agency because he worries about cap space. What good is cap space if there are glaring wholes in the roster. If you still have cap space during the season and don't use it to bring in players that is just stupid. Look what the Eagles did two weeks ago when they saw they were having trouble stopping the run. They went out and hot two veteran DT and it looks like it has helped.

[IU Scott]

2 minutes ago, btownqb said:

We brought in 3 20 million dollar QBs. So... can't use that argument. 

I mean, I can make a lot of things work in trades on Madden, that is not reality though. If I could have P Mahomes, I would take him. Hell Kelce too. 

Go get Deebo while we're at it! 

Well the Dolphins and Eagles went out and made big trades for WR even though they already had a good one. Now look at them because both are one of the best teams in the league.

[Seeking6]

1 hour ago, btownqb said:

I agree about 2 RBs. No question, hell... give me three. Just didn't know 100% if Pollard truly compliments Herbert. Splitting hairs. 

Either way, Bears would undoubtedly be better with Pollard. Concur. 

Found this today on twitter. Reason why I want Pollard it fits my mold. He won't be able to break the $ bank and he has young legs for his age because he hasn't been used. 

[dgambill]

28 minutes ago, btownqb said:

Irsay should have been willing to suck for a year or two early on. 

We didn't need to be average the year Luck left, and we really didn't need to make the playoffs with Rivers. Should have played some schmo off the bench, tanked, and continued the rebuild then. 

Basically let Brissett continue. We made the playoffs so it’s hard to blame Irsay but all we’ve done is kick the can down the road past several years. In the end we avoided what we will inevitably have to do anyways.

[Steubenhoosier]

15 minutes ago, btownqb said:

Agree on Lewan. 

Yannick is on pace for well over 10 sacks, Paye was on pace for 10+ sacks. They aren't Freeney or Mathis.... but 100% they aren't given the opportunity to pin their ears back nearly as often as some of these teams. I would say we have good edge rushers, but not great. There aren't a lot of great ones, and Kwity is still developing. 

I would take our starting DL over theirs. Even with Landry healthy. Barely, but I would still take ours. Throw in Dayo, Lewis as backups... 100% would take ours. 

People don't seem to understand that especially the O and D lines, work as a unit. Yes, there's a lot tied up in an All-Pro interior lineman, but it is his play that allows the pass rushers more freedom to get to the quarterback because he draws double teams. It is his play that allow the linebackers to have freer reign. In large part due to his play, their ypr statistic is one of the best in the league. Complain about the way money was dispersed other places, but Buckner absolutely is worth every penny he's being paid.

[btownqb]

1 minute ago, Steubenhoosier said:

People don't seem to understand that especially the O and D lines, work as a unit. Yes, there's a lot tied up in an All-Pro interior lineman, but it is his play that allows the pass rushers more freedom to get to the quarterback because he draws double teams. It is his play that allow the linebackers to have freer reign. In large part due to his play, their ypr statistic is one of the best in the league. Complain about the way money was dispersed other places, but Buckner absolutely is worth every penny he's being paid.

100% he is. Every F'ing dime. 

[btownqb]

15 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Well the Dolphins and Eagles went out and made big trades for WR even though they already had a good one. Now look at them because both are one of the best teams in the league.

Yeah, they also have QBs on rookie contracts. 

[dgambill]

4 minutes ago, Seeking6 said:

Found this today on twitter. Reason why I want Pollard it fits my mold. He won't be able to break the $ bank and he has young legs for his age because he hasn't been used. 

You can win with 80% of that list. Running backs are for the most part are interchangeable.

[dgambill]

18 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

Well the Dolphins and Eagles went out and made big trades for WR even though they already had a good one. Now look at them because both are one of the best teams in the league.

They also have qbs on rookie deals.

[dgambill]

21 minutes ago, IU Scott said:

I think my main complaint with Ballard is he is to stubborn in his philosophy and won't change even when it is not working. I hate every year he isn't aggressive in free agency because he worries about cap space. What good is cap space if there are glaring wholes in the roster. If you still have cap space during the season and don't use it to bring in players that is just stupid. Look what the Eagles did two weeks ago when they saw they were having trouble stopping the run. They went out and hot two veteran DT and it looks like it has helped.

A lot easier to bring in run stuffing DT than a pass rusher for example. As we see…you can literally find them sitting on the couch.