Week 6: You Can't Blame the Indianapolis Colts Coaching Staff for this Loss
by nopuntintended on Oct 17, 2011 12:44 PM EDT
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Long time Washington Post columnist Meg Greenfield famously said "99 percent of politics is deciding whom to blame."
The same applies to losing sports franchises and after an 0-6 start, the decision for whom to hold responsible for the early season implosion has seemed pretty easy: The Colts coaching staff.
Each week fans, the media and this blog alike have been quick to point out every poorly timed time-out, imprudent challenge and obstinately designed defensive scheme.
The cacophony of criticism has reached a point where in Indy, Jim Caldwell has become synonymous with losing.
Not so yesterday. If we are going to heap the blame on Caldwell when he errors, we must be sure to deliver an equal measure of praise when praise is due.
Yesterday, Caldwell and the coaching staff devised a very solid game plan. The banged up, out-manned Colts played smart football with confidence and poise.
If Pierre Garcon doesn't suffer a late mental collapse, you got the feeling the Colts would have left Paul-Brown Stadium with a win.
Going into the game, the concern facing the Bengals was three-fold.
Most importantly was stopping the run. Check.
One of the tougher-hard nosed runners in the league, the Colts held Cedric Benson to just 57 on 3.6 ypc average.
The second facet of the Bengals offense with which the Colts were worried, was trying to stop receiver A.J. Green.
Check.
The Colts much-maligned secondary held the stud rookie out of Georgia to just 5 catches for 51 yards. While he did score a touchdown, Powers - who was slowed by a hamstring - covered the route well. Unfortunately, Green made an exceptional play and was able to out-jump him. Can't do anything about that.
Lastly, the final area of anxiety for the Colts was protecting Curtis Painter.
For such a haphazard offensive line, which featured Linkenbach at left tackle and a hobbled Ryan Diem at right tackle, the Colts line held up admirably surrendering just one sack to the league's top defense.
In large part Painter was protected (and later able to get into a rhythm) because the Colts ran the ball early and used bubble screens to Garcon and Wayne to keep the Bengals off balance.
Overall, the numbers point to a well coached game by Caldwell and crew.
The Colts ran the ball effectively and often, used creative schemes to protect the Painter and allow him to gain confidence and were relatively tough defensively.
In the key areas where the Colts have struggled, they showed marked improvements.
The Colts turned in their best statistical numbers on both converting third down (6-12) and stopping opponents and getting off the field on third downs (6-14) for the season.
Indianapolis was also 2-2 in the red zone, completely surprising Cincinnati with a little offensive ingenuity for Dallas Clark's late score.
Most importantly, the Colts continued several positive trademarks including committing only one penalty and showing heart by making a late fourth quarter surge.
What ultimately doomed the Colts was not the coaching nor the game plan, but rather inexplicable turnovers coupled with an inability to make any defensive plays (a rarity when Freeney and Mathis are in the game). Dallas Clark had a bad fumble on the Colt's opening series and Garcon had a total head-scratcher late in the game. Painter followed Garcon's but the interception was more a result of desperation than lack of judgment.
Because the Colts weren't able to get any of the giveaways back, the bus ride was another line trip home for a team that has continually found ways to lose.
This week however, the coaching staff shouldn't have to shoulder the blame
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Good article punintended. Isn’t amazing how so many people in this city have so many opinions on “what the Colts should have done” as if they could do a better job coaching than the current coaching staff? The coaching staff doesn’t have to suit up and play. The players do. That’s what most fans don’t seem to get about the game of football.
49ers
Coaches don’t suit up,minute they can make a ton of difference…49ers have basically the same team as last year with talent that IMO is worse than the colts with painter, yet Harbaugh has them at 5-1. Now tell me that is all on the players and no coaching
Hmm wonder how
Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Braylon Edwards, Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Patrick Willis, Carlos Rodgers, and Donte Whitner all feel about that.
"It's ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm!" - Mike Tyson.
“If Pierre Garcon doesn’t suffer a late mental collapse, the Colts would have left Paul-Brown Stadium with a win.”
No guarantee we would’ve scored at TD on that possession.
by MinerFootball on Oct 17, 2011 12:57 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I think its a safe bet.
"It's ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm!" - Mike Tyson.
...
You could argue it’s a safe bet with Peyton Manning under center, but not with Clyde Christianson calling plays for Curtis Painter….with Jim Caldwell in charge of timeouts.
www.Coltsider.com
check out the new Colts blog!
by kmbryant09 on Oct 17, 2011 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Up until the Garcon fumble we were outplaying the Bengals.
We did drive down the field from our own 26 to bring us within 3 points with the 1 yard Dallas Clark TD reception. Pierre Garcon did get interfered with which helped (26 yards) but I think we had all the momentum up until that point. I wasn’t even nervous to be honest it just felt like we were winning that game.
"It's ludicrous these mortals even attempt to enter my realm!" - Mike Tyson.
we were only down 3
all we needed was a FG to tie
Whenever you get stressed, always remember: RDWHAHB
That's true
But I would’ve had no confidence in our D to either stop Cincy from scoring if we left them enough time on the clock or if they got the ball 1st in OT. The author just made it sound like if 85 doesn’t fumble there the Colts would’ve definitely won. That’s far from true.
by MinerFootball on Oct 17, 2011 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree to some extent.
We can’t blame the entire staff (Christensen called a great game, imo) but Coyer continues to “impress” with his decisions. First of all, the 7-10 yard cushion on 3rd down is enough to make me shoot myself. But on 3rd and 5, he decides to have an epiphany and puts Chris Rucker on A.J. Green, who then decides to get a huge PI call. Result: Easy TD for Cedric Benson. This stupidity happens every week. The secondary is a bunch of young, mediocre (still learning) guys and the Coyer couldn’t make an adjustment to save his life. Angerer, Conner, Bethea, and Muir held up front all day versus the run, limiting a bruiser like Benson to a 3.6 AVG, with a 3.0 Bengals’ AVG across the board. Very impressive. They did their job on that front but the inability to generate a pass rush allowed Andy Dalton to do work. With this secondary, that’s a big problem. Garcon’s bonehead fumble probably came at the price of our first win, but something must be done about the secondary/Coyer. Even with Manning playing to cover up all of their mistakes, I’d still be agitated. Letting Tryon go, hell, even letting Kelvin Hayden go at this point is totally mindless.
Coltsider.com - Staff Writer
Christensen didnt call anything
PEYTON was our offensive coordinator!! I was sitting right behind the Colts bench watching him tell Clyde what to do. When the offense would come off the field after a failed 3rd down guess who they went to see on the sidelines…PEYTON!! He still runs this team, and this is yet another game we wouldve won if he played. That makes us 5-1 with 18. No offense to Painter, whos done OK, but 18 covers up a bunch of the holes on this team…and there are TONS of holes!!
by bigpony on Oct 17, 2011 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Don't agree
You’re three points don’t really make sense. First off, Benson never has a high ypc average. Secondly, while containing Green might be important, so is containing Simpsons, who scorched the Colts for over 100 yards.
Also, you said the coaches had devised an excellent game plan, but yet we let a rookie QB complete over 78 % of his passes and I don’t think we even hit him all game. Freeney and Mathis were non-entities (not a tackle between the two) and no other help was offered to get pressure on a ROOKIE QB.
Blah
Wouldn't this have been topic #1
during the coaches meetings and game plan….to get pressure on the opposing teams ROOKIE qb? I don’t care how you do it you have to figure out a way to do it and it should have been topic #1 in the defensive planning.
I mean what the hell is going on here, I can call a better game from my recliner after 8 or 9 beers than these ass clowns can.
This staff is SUPER DUPER SHITTY!
by Blue Report on Oct 17, 2011 1:52 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yes good point
have to blitz and hit a rookie QB even if u can’t sack him, nothing to lose he had as much time as Brees did in the SB
by OBGYNOSUPREME on Oct 17, 2011 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions
Disagree....
It doesn’t matter to me what happened to who or who did what, the job of this coaching staff is to prepare this team to compete, and the job of the front office is to build a team capable of competing. Both parties have failed miserably. This may become one of (if not the) worst colapses in all of football history before the season is over and I don’t want to hear about Peyton not playing, absolutely no excuse for this dumpster fire that is burning right now in Indy.
Are we seriously to the point where we are going to say “if” Garcon had not fumbled or “if” Caldwell would have been more agressive leading up to half time or “if” whatever….there is no “if” bottom line we are horrible and the front office and coaching staff has failed this franchise, its owner, fans, sponsors and players.
If I were Jim Irsay I would clean the f%$*ing house with a sweeper the size of a dump truck. Leave no stone unturned starting with the Polian family. Let the new GM come in and pick his coach and lets try this again.
by Blue Report on Oct 17, 2011 1:27 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Jim Caldwell has proven himself to be a...
…terrible game manager. Given every opportunity to prove that he understands game situations he has come up woefully short. He has proven himself to be hyper-conservative and has directly led to Colts losses by mismanaging crucial points in games.
What he does do, exceptionally well, is prepare his team to play. They always appear to play for him, and play hard. That is not something that is automatic in the National Football League. Yes, they are professionals, and yes, we do have the benefit of a veteran locker room, but Jim Caldwell has proven that as a motivator and leader of men his is cut out to be a head coach.
The truth is we don’t see what goes on behind closed doors at practice, in the film room, in the training room. There has to be a reason why Caldwell is still coaching the team, and why the front office still has faith in him.
He’s one-half of a great coach. That’s probably better than a lot of people who hold one of the other 31 most-coveted jobs in pro football.
by DeepThought on Oct 17, 2011 1:43 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Caldwell is now 0-for the NFL as head coach...
When Peyton either stops playing (the ‘09 Jets game), doesn’t play any meaningful time (the ‘09 Bills game) or doesn’t play at all (this year). The guy ONLY wins games when Peyton is playing. He’s a horrid college head football coach who doesn’t have a clue how to win unless the GOAT is playing for him at QB.
This season is blowing holes in just about everything – this team is only a winner because of Peyton Manning, period. And that’s sad. That’s a terrible indictment of the front office, the coaching staff and the other players on this team. It’s embarrassing that just about everybody acknowledges that this team is 5-1 with Peyton and 0-6 without him. That just about anybody else is drawing a paycheck is flat out stealing Irsay’s money and if Irsay doesn’t demand and/or make changes himself, he’s a boob.
by Yougotme on Oct 17, 2011 2:00 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
yes agreed
Caldwell is horrible ,, just have to suffer through this season, and all the razzing from all my friends down here in S Fla.,, and then Colts get a #1or #2 pick each round of the draft, a 4th place in the division schedule,, a healthy Peyton, and some of these younger guys getting good experience this year,, all set up for worst to first next year,, hopefully with a NEW Head Coach and a new O and D co-ord,, just too bad the yr they host the SB – they are sucking
by OBGYNOSUPREME on Oct 17, 2011 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Caldwell
He is only coach because Billy “The Bully” Polian is still running the team not Chris Polian or Jim Irsay. The Bully is proving a point to all around that he is still a genius no matter the cost. He was very good but now he is just a bully who is trying to hang on to past glory. No matter what the Colts players say they have no faith in Caldwell. They believe in Peyton and w/o him they have no leader. This coaching staff could not make any in game adjustments against a pee wee football team. 1 example: In the 4th quarter, 3rd and 9, Brian Leonard in the backfield, Bengals throw a screen for 25 yards. 80% of the time Leonard gets the call if he is in the game and the coaches cant figure that out. My son called the play from the couch. That shows you the coaching staff is unprepared and unable to adjust.
i agree, our coaching staff is pathetic
who DIDNT see the 3rd and long screens coming??? Besides our coaches and players, of course
worse than pathetic
worse than pitiful, Like Mr T said " I pity the fool !!!!"
by OBGYNOSUPREME on Oct 17, 2011 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't need to blame
I just don’t want to go o-fer.
So every week one player on offense is tasked to throw the game
So that you can not point towards one playing, good strategy.
BROWN
Brown must have pissed of someone on the COLTS there is no reason he should not be starting he is very versatile and can get around the edge better then either Addai or Carter i just don’t understand
I think the most fans feel this...
Our entire coaching staff is very average at best. Our cumulative roster is pretty average. Our front office is more stuck up in their ways than most organizations, they would rather give up perfect seasons for “not risking injury”, while sending the same unit out in crappy ass conditions (buffalo), so reggie and dallas can get to 100 catches.
What makes me angry is WHY THE EFF ARE WE DOING THIS WHEN WE HAVE A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME QB. If i was the owner, i go all in.. surround him with the best coaches and players, go for history… but instead we surround him with “average”. We have not made a single big time trade to help the team… trust me we have more than enough gaping holes.
The reason most fans are now outraged is because all these holes are clearly visible. FIX it for the man who’s given everything for this team. Make a big time effort to fix things and give Peyton all the help he can get to get one more RING. Thats the right thing to do. Polial in great at making bad teams great, but he is also too stuck up to go the distance to make good teams great.
Things need to change!
DID SOMEONE SAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Truly agree with you there.
I’m not glad Manning is out for the year (please let it only be this season), but I’m glad it showing our glaring holes. Special Teams never seems to be addressed. We continue to over pay for guys on defense when our defense as a hole is pretty bad. The vanilla defense is just terrible. Bend don’t break/built for a lead…WTF kind of excuse for a defense is that?
Injuries have been a hindrance, and I don’t know if we have just been unlucky with injuries or if there is something else to it. I think the main reason our defense is banged up is because they always seem to be on the field. With our offense well rested, not sure how guys continue to get hurt.
Busted picks also hurt.
It’s so strange that all the busted picks first and second round picks and an injured Manning all came to a head at once. It’s like a big train wreck with a plane crash all at the same time. How can 1 man make this team a playoff team?
I just feel bad for Manning. He’s not surrounded by that much talent. Just imagine if Manning was in NE. They’d probably have 4 or more SB wins.
I don’t know how the GM can’t put together a good defense and special teams. Take some f*cking pressure off Manning. I love how they don’t address the O-Line last year and Manning had to throw the ball in less time than any other QB. I’m simply amazed he wanted to sign another contract here.
And it's now my sig
by Bronn on May 17, 2011 4:56 PM EDT
I agree with you for the most part
but we have made a few trades – traded for Corey Simon and Booger.
Writer for Stampede Blue.
by nopuntintended on Oct 17, 2011 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
What do you suppose we should have traded?
Every draft has been focused on putting a team around our hero Peyton, however, as a result we dig in the bottom rounds of the draft and hope to find quality defensive players to help a lack luster defense. Defense wins championships especially when you have Peyton. Furthermore, trading players would have been completely out of the question. We were surrounded by key players like Dwight Freeney, Bethea, Mathis, Wayne, Saturday, Addai, and even Bracket. Neither one of those players could we have afforded to lose nor were any of the backups worth anything to get much back. Last, I made this argument before who in the hell was available that was a better fit for the Colts than Caldwell. IMO if another coach took over the helm other than Caldwell we would have been in a much worse position. Our great QB would have been learning a new system. Our Defense most likely would have tried to play like they were much larger than they were with a new DC. With that theory I see the Colts having seasons like this one much sooner. Also, not to mention the poor output the draft has been when the Colts were trying to patch holes. That definitely didn’t do them any favors.
by Wayne_4_President on Oct 17, 2011 10:39 PM EDT up reply actions
wow thanks for john chick he is doing really well he could be our best pass rusher
his stats dont show the whole story either he hardly plays and he gets his sacks stolen by other players
Raiders QB need
I saw the Raiders are looking for a veteran QB, since Jason campbell’s injury!
I think that the Colts should try to trade them Kerry Collins, a former Raider QB for what ever they can get ???!
We’re 0-6!
Painter can continue to start and gain some experience, and MAYBE turn into a decent backup QB going forward!
If something was to happen to Painter, we have Orlovsky!
We’re 0-6!
If we get a draft pick or something in return, great, We get out from under his contract, and something in return!
It’s not like he’s going to help us that much, if any, going forward!
agreed
Collins is worthless to us!!!!! take a 7th round pick for him, and get rid of his salary
by OBGYNOSUPREME on Oct 17, 2011 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions
You assume Oakland's Front Office will remain incompetent,
Despite losing the biggest reason for why they pick who they pick.
And no-one’s trading for Collins when there are plenty of QBs out there just as good, if not better.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
Caldwell
As long as Coyer and Ray Ray are still on the coaching staff, Caldwell gets no passes from me.
I don't always drink beer....but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.
Regarding Caldwell, Polian, Irsay, Coyer, etc...
All I have to say is ‘Come on, man!’
The Colts losing isn't whats making the season long. . .
. . . its listening to “so called fans” gripe about coaching, insist the team is tanking a.k.a.
“Suck for Luck”, and honestly believe that their analysis of a game is actual worth anything. IMO the coaching staff isn’t horrible. I would give them a “B” grade. And yes I have been watching the games and what I’ve seen are competitive games. Unlike most I do not have high expectations of this season. If anyone honestly believes this team is highly talented and shouldn’t be 0-16 this season they are truly being the “ex-girlfriend that doesn’t realize she has been dumped” My advice would be sit back like a TRUE FAN, jump off the high horse and watch ball games. If a win comes great if not pray the game was competitive and look forward to the draft because that is the only place the Colts are going to find more talented players to improve.
by Wayne_4_President on Oct 17, 2011 10:23 PM EDT reply actions
No Huddle
The coaching staff decides when to run it and they didn’t do it enough. The Colts are effective when running it and Painter has demonstrated he can do it, so why not run it all the time? Forget changing it up, run the thing from 1st snap to last. It offers competitive advantages so I see no reason not to run it 100%.
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