Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts Curse in Jacksonville Lives on with Another Pathetic Loss

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Indianapolis Colts curse in Jacksonville continues with yet another loss, 37-34. We're going to get to it today. Let's dive into it. Let's go Colts fans. You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Thank you all for tuning in and making us your first post-game listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network.

Starting point is 00:00:38 Your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates that you want to talk to faster. Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. Terms and conditions apply. Hello, everyone. I am Zach Hicks, your favorite film nerd over at horseshoehuddle.com and of the Locked On Colts podcast.

Starting point is 00:00:59 Obviously, my co-host Jake Arthur was a genius. He scheduled a family function for today, so he is not here to talk about a Colts game in Jacksonville. Such a smart man. Next year, I will be the one with the family function on Jacksonville week. But it's just me covering solo here the crazy game that was Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars. And look, man, going into the fourth quarter, this game seemed like a typical Indy at Jacksonville game. Joe Flacco delivered late to make it really, really entertaining down the

Starting point is 00:01:29 stretch. But ultimately, this horrible, horrible, horrible defense just made it, you know, kind of the intended outcome that we all thought was going to happen. So today we're going to talk about Joe Flacco's performance as the backup quarterback stepping into this game and kind of balling out, honestly, especially in that fourth quarter. So we're going to talk about Flacco's performance as the backup quarterback, stepping into this game and kind of balling out, honestly, especially in that fourth quarter. So we're going to talk about Flacco and get some injury news and notes. Then we're going to dive into the offense and the people around Flacco and how those guys performed. And then at the end of the show, we're going to talk about this defense.

Starting point is 00:01:59 Yeah, I'm not excited about that one. You guys can definitely hop out in that final segment if you want to when it comes to this Colts defense, because what a horrible, horrible day from that group there. But starting off the top of the show, we do want to talk a little bit about the curse of Jacksonville. This is the Colts 10th straight loss in Jacksonville. I mean, the curse goes back to 2014.

Starting point is 00:02:21 So again, like if you guys are like, here's some perspective on it. The last time the Colts won in Jacksonville, Joe Flacco was in the elite conversation of being, you know, is Joe Flacco elite? Like that wasn't a joke back in 2014 with the Baltimore Ravens. He was coming off a Superbowl win a couple of years prior. So the is Joe Flacco elite conversation was big. Andrew Luck was a big time, like third year quarterback we were all super excited about. And I was cheating my way through AP World history. Like this is where we were going back then. Now I'm nearly 30 years old and we still haven't won in Jacksonville. So it has been a long, long, long time since the Colts have won in Jacksonville. But look, Joe Flacco came to play in this game. I will say this, and this is not something to degrade his performance in any way. So if you guys are clipping any of this, I, you know, I get it, but like it wasn't a perfect day from Joe Flacco. Quarters two and three were not particularly good from the veteran quarterback. He was very

Starting point is 00:03:22 tentative in those, in those quarters, taking a lot of checkdowns when he had shots open over the middle and over the deep part of the field. And he was just too tentative in those quarters. And then that fumble obviously ended up turning into three points the other way. You can obviously, Braden Smith's at fault for that too, but Flacco's fumble. As an old veteran quarterback,

Starting point is 00:03:40 you have to be a little more conscious of the situation in there in that moment. You can't hold the ball out and just be completely blind to your backside. But I will say this, again, getting that out of the way, the way Flacco played in that fourth quarter is everything you want from not only a backup quarterback, but from a starter in this league. I mean, it was a situation where there's really no chance of winning going into that fourth quarter. And honestly, when your defense is still giving up touchdowns left and right on, what was it, 24 points allowed in five plays or something in that fourth quarter

Starting point is 00:04:12 or going into that fourth quarter, like his defense on the other side of the field was playing some atrocious football, like god-awful football, where they were allowing points like they were nothing and to still come out there and deliver some big time throws. I know Alec Pierce made made the most of those throws. I mean, his one handed catch was one of the craziest catches I've ever seen. And then the other two plays were still great plays by Pierce and Flacco.

Starting point is 00:04:37 But like just to deliver those balls down the field and give the Colts a chance to win this game, you know, it says a lot about Joe Flacco. So, yeah, I think the game plan was very, very different for Flacco. Like, yes, they still did a lot of the play action stuff from the shotgun that they've done with Richardson a lot this year. But obviously the run game changed a lot. A lot of the targets on these throws changed to be a little bit more shorter down the field. I know they still had some, like, Alec Pierce deep shots earlier in the game that Flacco wasn't able to get to, but you know, a lot of the targets on these throws were, were kind of underneath passes short of the sticks and, and create run after the catch

Starting point is 00:05:12 opportunities. But, you know, at the end of the day, Flacco came out in that fourth quarter and just ripped it down the field, something that we kind of wanted a little bit earlier, but he did it in that fourth quarter and he gave the Colts a chance to win this game late. So yes, again, Flacco, not perfect. Wasn't like, I don't call this an AA, like an A plus plus plus plus game or whatever from him. But you look at the stat line, you look what he was able to do in that fourth quarter, especially the situation coming in for his first start of the season, 40 year old quarterback, like it doesn't get much better than that. So yeah, well, you kind of grade a little bit on a curve here and you say, look,

Starting point is 00:05:45 Joe Flacco did everything you could ever hope for out of a backup quarterback in today's NFL. It's just his defense on the other side, very much let him down. Like you shouldn't be asked to put up more than 34 points in an NFL game, especially against the offense that they were going against. I mean, the Jaguars were averaging 15 points a game coming into this game. There's no excuse. There's no excuse for his defense to let him down that

Starting point is 00:06:09 much. So Joe Flacco, just an outstanding game from him coming off the bench. 33 of 44 for 359 yards and three touchdowns. Just everything you could hope for out of a backup quarterback, out of a starting quarterback, out of a quarterback in general. So Joe Flacco, you know, we're going to break down more of his performance on tomorrow's episode where when Ben Boris at Colts Film Room joins me, we're going to talk about kind of the difference in offense when he came in and how the Colts treated the offense with Flacco compared to how they treat it with Richardson. But man, what a showing in that fourth quarter from Flacco. Delivered some big time throws. His receivers made some big plays too, but some big time throws from Flacco in that fourth quarter and gave the Colts a chance to win. That's all you could really ask out of your backup

Starting point is 00:06:55 quarterback is to give the team a chance to win. I wish, look, I wish that fourth quarter explosion was more there in the second and third quarters, but again, I'm not going to ask too much out of a backup quarterback stepping in and doing his thing. So Joe Flacco, nearly 40 years old or 40 years old, whatever it is that he's at right now, has had a fantastic career at this point. I mean, a guy who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens at one of the greatest playoff stretches we have ever seen with the Baltimore Ravens back then. And then 10 years, over 10 years later, he's still throwing for 300 yards here in the modern NFL where quarterbacks are struggling to throw for over 300 yards unless you play against the Colts defense. So hat off to Joe Flacco in this one. Really, really good showing from him. And I'm glad he was able to kind of lead that offensive explosion late in the game. Did some really good things for this Colts team.

Starting point is 00:07:47 Now, before we get out of this first segment, though, we do have to talk about the most unfortunate thing besides the Colts defense. So most unfortunate aspect of this game, aside from the Colts defense, and that is right guard Will Fries. It looks like his season is almost certainly going to be coming to an end in this one, which is really unfortunate. A guy who was having his best career season to date over the first month of the season. I mean, he was pro football folks' second highest rated guard in the NFL.

Starting point is 00:08:13 Fantastic in the past game, was I think their third or fourth highest rated run blocker as well. Was having another really good game in this one. Wasn't allowing any pressures or sacks or anything. Gets rolled up on on a third and short or a second and short run. He gets carted off the field. They put an air cast on his leg. Shane Steichen said after the game that they are doing surgery on his tibia

Starting point is 00:08:34 as we speak right now. So it looks like Will Fries is likely done for the season. And it's such an unfortunate thing because it was a contract year for this great player. He was set to earn a big time paycheck after the year because of it. And again, just one of my favorite players in the Colts. I mean, a guy who I've developed a friendship with over the years, a really good guy. And it's such an unfortunate part of the game where you see a guy who's finally putting

Starting point is 00:09:00 it all together, finally earning everything that he's worked for his entire life and goes down with such a major injury that's going to cost him some money and obviously cost the Colts the rest of the season as well. Like it just sucks on every single front. So hopefully, you know, Will Fry's able to bounce back from the surgery here and bounce back next year. But it does look like Will Fry's will be done for the year. And Dalton Tucker, who filled in really well today. I mean, we can talk about Dalton Tucker, obviously, this week as well. And Dalton Tucker, who filled in really well today. I mean, we can talk about Dalton Tucker obviously this week as well, but Dalton Tucker filled in really well today for the Colts and he's in line to be the starting right guard for the rest of the season. So Will Fry's likely done for the year. Again, probably the worst development of the season

Starting point is 00:09:39 or the worst development of this game. But yeah, that's our injury update for now. Again, we'll have more updates this week on the other 30 Colts players that's our injury update for now. Again, we'll have more updates this week on the other 30 Colts players that are banged up right now and kind of talk about all that throughout the week. But coming up, we're going to talk about the rest of the offense, which is, you know, a bunch of other guys who showed up around Joe Flacco, especially in that fourth quarter and did some really good things for this Colts team. But first, when you're hiring for your small business, you want to find quality professionals that are right for the role. That's why you have to check out LinkedIn Jobs. LinkedIn Jobs has the tools to help you find the right professionals for your team faster and for free. LinkedIn isn't just

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Starting point is 00:10:45 slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. And this show is also sponsored by BetterHelp. So we're going to talk about things that scare you. And something that scares me as a Colts fan is this game in Jacksonville every single year. Now the Colts made it more competitive than normal, but this is a game that scares me every single year. We are right to be scared of it. And ultimately it cost the Colts big time this weekend. And you know, if you guys are thinking of starting therapy to avoid the things that scare you and maybe avoid just this Colts team in general, give BetterHelp a try. It's entirely online designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist

Starting point is 00:11:27 and switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Overcome your fears with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash locked on today to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com slash locked on. All right, Locked On Colts listeners, we're here talking Colts offense. We're going to start with the good and then we're going to get to the Gus Bradley and the defense afterwards because it is just a brutal conversation that we have to have about that defense. But the offense, again, for half the game, it was a struggle on offense. They struggled to run the ball without

Starting point is 00:12:02 that plus one quarterback advantage that Anthony Richardson gives them. It was a big time disadvantage. Obviously, not having Jonathan Taylor was a big part of it as well. And the Colts kind of wisely came into this game and said, we're not even going to try to run the ball because it's just not a game plan for success in this one. And to Shane Steichen's credit, to Joe Flacco's credit, the mostly pass dominant offense thing did kind of work. Again, they put up 34 points in this game. They were able to move the ball quite a bit.

Starting point is 00:12:31 Second and third quarters were not great for this offense, but first quarter came out strong with an early touchdown. Fourth quarter, they were slinging it all over the yard and scoring like crazy. So again, not a perfect day for the offense. It kind of is like the Joe Flacco thing where it's like not a perfect day, but like this is good enough to win in the NFL. Like you shouldn't have to score more than 34 points. You shouldn't have to be perfect on offense to win. And this offense did enough to win the game.

Starting point is 00:12:59 The running game in general was kind of dead today. They only had 15 carries for 64 yards out of their running backs. The longest rush of the day came from old man Joe Flacco and a 21 yard scamper in the fourth quarter. A fantastic little run from him there. The guy that we really have to talk about though is Alec Pierce. Alec Pierce, the guy who was quiet all day, zero targets heading into the fourth quarter, culture down two scores in that fourth quarter quarter really had like no hope of winning the game in that fourth quarter and heck I was I was upstairs I was checking on something upstairs I go downstairs and I see they had two two long completions that Pierce to be down to the one

Starting point is 00:13:34 yard line Trey Sarban finishes off the run they come out for the next drive two plays 70 something yards and a touchdown to Pierce Pierce finishes the day three catches for 134 yards and a touchdown to Pierce. Pierce finishes the day three catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. Why did we wait to the fourth quarter to throw the ball to him? Like, why did we wait to the fourth quarter? I mean, this dude, he just performs every time he gets a target. And, like, it doesn't need to be a perfect ball. I mean, we saw the first catch he had today where Flacco lost it to the sideline and Pierce goes up with one hand and snags it and pulls it down. Like it doesn't need to be a perfect ball. I really like, I know this has

Starting point is 00:14:09 kind of become a joke here. Like in terms of like, we just, we just make fun, like make light of it all the time. But like, I'm very serious here. If you see a one-on-one with Pierce, just throw it deep to him. Like this guy has performed every time he's had a one-on-one this year, just chuck it up to him and hope to get that big play. I mean, when in doubt, you'll get a, you'll get a pass interference or something like give some shots to Pierce before the fourth quarter and becomes desperation mode. Because man, Alec Pierce did some fantastic things in the fourth quarter. I mean, this was top tier NFL receiver stuff in that fourth quarter with what he was doing with his with his targets. So, man, Alec Pierce, I know he was the guy who took a

Starting point is 00:14:51 little bit of time to really refine his game and and find his rhythm. But so far this year, he's averaging nearly 30 yards a catch, like 13 catches for almost 400 yards this season. Like Alec Pierce is on a historic run right now to start this year. And I just hope the Colts keep targeting him going forward because this guy is performing like give him more shots, give him more chances down the field, because every time he's getting these chances, he's making the most out of them. So Alec Pierce, man, oh, my gosh, what a what a fourth quarter from Alec Pierce. As much as we want to give Joe Flacco credit, we also got to give credit to Alec Pierce for his performance late in that game. Other pass catchers to talk about, Josh Downs had a very Josh Downs game, nine receptions for 69 yards. Again, I wish some of

Starting point is 00:15:35 the targets came a little bit more down the field, but he did his role underneath. A.D. Mitchell, I believe, had three catches for 38 or four catches for 38 yards in this game. The A.D. Mitchell is A.D. Mitchell stuff is kind of like he's coming along. He's getting there. But we are seeing some of the same issues every single week with A.D. Mitchell, where the tentativeness at the catch point, being a little scared around traffic and just not fighting for the ball. It's kind of like the anti Alec Pierce, where Alec Pierce is not going to get open on every single route. It's kind of like the anti Alec Pierce where Alec Pierce is not going to get open on every single route. He's not going to be perfect, but you know, he's going for the, he's going to go up and get that ball. You know, like it doesn't need to be him wide open for him

Starting point is 00:16:14 to get that ball. AD Mitchell. It's like, look, this guy is wide open on every single play. Like he just toast press man coverage. He is open anytime he's left on an Island, but will he complete the catch? I don't know. Will he be in the right spot or the right landmark? I don't know. So that's kind of the issue we're at with A.D. Mitchell, where he's very similar to like an Anthony Richardson, where these two young players have the most difficult aspect of playing the position down pat. You know, Anthony Richardson can create explosives. He can avoid sacks and he can hit the long ball, but he struggles with the layups. A.D. Mitchell is a guy who can get open

Starting point is 00:16:50 against press and heck, just get open in general, but the other parts are not there. He's not finishing routes. He's not catching contested passes. He's not getting to his landmarks that he needs to get to. So where do you go with a player like that? I'm not too sure. I'll leave it to the Colts coaches, obviously, to figure that out. But I do believe he has the potential to be a very good player one day. It's just, as of right now, it feels like his snaps are kind of rough, you know, because he's not finishing these plays after he's getting open. But yeah, A.D. Mitchell, I mean, at least he got some receptions out there. Offensive line today, Braden Smith had a really rough day against

Starting point is 00:17:29 Trayvon Walker. Trayvon Walker, one of the most athletic and powerful players in the league. Now, he might only do the bull rush all game long, but that's something that Braden Smith was going to struggle with, especially with his bum knee that he's been working with these last couple weeks. So Braden Smith, his worst game of the year. I thought Tanner Bortolini played a really solid game again, though. Quinton Nelson was outstanding in this one. Barinhart Ryman, mostly good in this game. Like, a couple beats from Josh Hines-Allen, but not anything too crazy.

Starting point is 00:17:57 And then Dalton Tucker came in and played some good ball, too. So, again, when it comes to this offense, like, it was good enough. It should have won. I thought Shane Steigen had a pretty good game plan. Again, it was going to be hard to run the ball with the plus one QB advantage being gone and with Trey Sermon being your starting back. So they kind of leaned into the passing game a lot and it gave the Colts a chance to win 34 points on offense with the injuries they had at QB one at running running back one, at center, and at right guard halfway

Starting point is 00:18:26 through the game, like this Colts offense did enough to win this game. They should have won this game with how this offense performed. But now we have to talk about the other elephant in the room, which is what the heck are we going to do about this defense going forward? Because I don't know if there's any answer for this defense. It might just be broken beyond repair. And I know we've had this conversation in the past when it comes to Gus Bradley's defense and Indy, but like this is such an inexcusable performance that I don't know what else to say about this. So coming up, we are going to talk about the defense, really lay into not only Gus Bradley, but the players on defense and just where, I mean, where the heck do we go from here with this? Even like, what is the answer? There probably isn't one, but we'll,

Starting point is 00:19:09 we'll try to figure something out here in just a second. But Hey, NFL, Hey, NFL fans, you can start the season with a big return on fan duel America's number one sports book. So when you get a hunch in the middle of the game, you can check out the latest stats of you live play play-by-play, and so much more on the same page where you place your bets. Look, guys, going to that fourth quarter, I had a hunch the Jaguars were going to continually score every time they got on the field against this Colts defense. So I could have gone over to FanDuel and won a lot of money

Starting point is 00:19:38 by putting a lot of it on the Jaguars scoring in that fourth quarter. You'll get started with $200 in bonus bets guaranteed when you place your first $5 bet. That's Fanduel.com. All right, Locked on Colts listeners, now we're getting to the part that you guys have all been waiting for. And yeah, Gus Bradley, I mean, every comment here on the YouTube section is about firing Gus Bradley. And yes, I completely agree that when you have a game like this, you do have to have

Starting point is 00:20:13 that conversation. Maybe not the team has that conversation because I don't know if that fixes anything, but we have to have that conversation on this show and amongst ourselves is like, is Gus Bradley the guy? And the answer is probably no, because regardless of injuries that you have, you were going against one of the league's worst offenses that was putrid in pass protection, a quarterback who's completing 53% of his passes and not looking good this year. And what did Trevor Lawrence finish with? He finished with

Starting point is 00:20:41 28 of 34 for 371 yards and two touchdowns. And look, yes, the Colts defense had injuries, but the Colts offense put up 34 points in this game without QB1, without running back one, without center one, without right guard for one for most of this game. And they put up 34 points. They held up their end of the bargain with injuries as well. So yes, we can talk about how the Colts were missing three of their top edge rushers. They were missing DeForest Buckner, missing two corners. But at the end of the day, at least be adequate, like at least be below average.

Starting point is 00:21:12 Like it can't be this putrid. There are too many players still on the field that are getting paid high dollar to perform like this. I mean, look at some of these guys out there. I mean, Julian Blackman's in his like fourth year. I know he's not getting paid a ton of money, but Julian Blackman was atrocious out there today. Zyre Franklin, EJ Speed getting picked on in coverage,

Starting point is 00:21:30 being awful in the run defense. They're getting paid too much money for stuff like that. Grover Stewart, this guy's on his third contract, just not good enough. The edge rushers, like I know they're down to their fourth and fifth edge rushers, but those fourth and fifth guys are first round pick, Leatu, Latu, and Dayo Adengbo, former top 50 pick

Starting point is 00:21:48 or top 55 pick, whatever the heck he was, going into his fourth year. Like these are not atrocious players. They're not putting out, you know, first graders on the field. Like I'm fine with Dallas Flowers making mistakes and Sam Womack making mistakes. But when it comes down to EJ Speed,

Starting point is 00:22:04 Zyra Franklin, Julian Blackman, Grover Stewart, to a lesser degree, I think Stewart was fine today. But like those guys, there's no excuse. There's no excuse for Dayo Odengbo and Laatu Latu to have two pressures in this game combined. I don't even know if they got the pressures. The Colts, I mean, the Colts pass rush in general had two pressures in this game. So I don't even know if those guys got the pressure. So it's really no excuse to really talk about the performance of the players out there. And then honestly, we can talk about Gus Bradley too, because this is year three of him out there. Year three of Gus Bradley's defense.

Starting point is 00:22:39 It's just not good enough. Like this is, this is, the standard is so low right now. Like I said, for my keys to the game, my keys to win in the game going into this week was defense. Pick one area, pick one area that won't be good in. You can be good in run defense or be good in pass defense. I don't care. Just be good in one of those. I set the bar so low. The bar was on the floor coming into this game and just any game where it's like, look, as long as you're fine in one of the two areas, the Colts offense will figure out a way because Shane Steichen's a really good offensive coach and Joe Flacco knows what he's doing. Like pick one area,

Starting point is 00:23:13 but you can't have a game like this where pass defense, atrocious run defense, atrocious. We don't have a bend. Don't break defense. We have a bend and break defense. Like it's bending and breaking. Like you have it breaking at the seams on early downs. And then even when they bend all the way to the end zone, they're still allowing touchdowns and they're breaking at the seams there. So like, I don't know what to do with this Colts defense. Yes, it'll be a little bit better when they get players like the Forrest Buckner back, when they get Quiddie Paye back, when they get Kenny Moore back. But this is just an inexcusable game from this defense. Again, one of the worst offenses in

Starting point is 00:23:50 football statistically coming into this. You have a guy who, a quarterback who's completing 53% of his passes and not playing good football. I know Trevor Lawrence is better than the typical bad quarterback, but again, he's been struggling. Look the what buffalo bills beat beat the crap out of this offense last week and look at all the injuries the bills have on that defense look how many players were not playing for the bills last week like i i don't really know what you can do with this defense right now they're they're giving up explosives they're giving up explosives in the run game and in the passing game quarterbacks are completing the underneath stuff like teams are driving the full line to the field on them too.

Starting point is 00:24:27 And they're also getting, like they're getting exposed in the pass game. Like I don't, I don't know what to do or say about this defense anymore. There's really nothing positive. Like there is nothing positive about this defense. Like, you know what? One positive, I guess. I'll say one positive. Nick Cross, hats off, man.

Starting point is 00:24:43 Good game. Good-ish game. I know he missed a couple tackles but good pick he's played some good football and he's really been trying but like everyone else man like fired them into the sun like because again I don't think this is just a Gus Bradley thing like I really think it's it's also just players thing like these guys are not showing up and and when I look at what Gus Bradley's been doing this year in terms of his scheme and what he's calling, like, yes, he could blitz more. Yes, he could disguise more.

Starting point is 00:25:12 But it's not like it's not like he's only doing cover three like he used to. Like he's like eighth or ninth in the NFL this year and cover three usage. Like he's not even being as predictable as he has used to be. So it's like not even like just Gus, like it's everyone. And I know that Gus Bradley has to take some some fault here for it, too, because this is ultimately his unit. But like this is a player's issue. This is a talent acquisition issue with Chris Ballard.

Starting point is 00:25:40 And this is obviously a coaching issue. Like this defense feels so far away, especially when you look on the other side of the ball and you look at this Colts offense where they had backup quarterback coming in, they had backup running back coming in. They had two of their five offensive linemen out and they also had a backup. I mean, not backup, but they had a hampered right tackle in the game and they were still able to produce. They were still able to go out there and get some points on the board because they have the play caller down in Shane Steichen. They have a good enough bundle of players where even if they lost some players, like,

Starting point is 00:26:13 they could survive that because they have a good enough system and a good enough group of players there. But this defense, it feels like you just need to tear it out, like, just tear it out completely and start over. Like, there are so many bad things with this defense. And this is a Colts team where a lot of money is being spent on the defense. I know a lot of guys were out in this game, but again, there's a lot of money being paid to the players that were currently on the field today. EJ Speed, Zyra Franklin, Grover Stewart. Those guys are getting paid good money.

Starting point is 00:26:42 Like they got to show up in these games and and they simply didn't um so i mean look again it's gonna get a little bit better when they get healthier but even even then like let's say it gets a little bit better from here they'll be like a good defense whatsoever and i don't have any hope in this defense getting much better the rest of the year. It's going to be a really bad defense all season. And that's on Gus Bradley. That's on Chris Ballard. And that is on the players they are paying to be out there. This is just unacceptable play. Like it is purely like we are watching an NFL, like just an NFL in general, where offenses

Starting point is 00:27:27 are struggling to score points. You know, teams are not putting up these gigantic. I mean, you look at look at CJ Stroud and Josh Allen today. They were it was like 20 to 20 late in that game. I don't know how exactly how it finished because I started recording. But like two of the best quarterbacks in football going head to head 20 to 20. Like that's the nature of this game nowadays is teams are not putting up a ton of points. So to come out here against one of the worst offenses that was scoring 15 points a game

Starting point is 00:27:51 and allow 37 like it was, I mean, it was like it was nothing, man. It was easy. It was like they could have run the wishbone offense or something and put up 40 in this game against the Colts defense. Like, it was an absolute travesty what this defense was doing. Like, I just don't understand like how this is possible, how this is such a fundamental breakdown from coaching to talent acquisition to players on the field. It's just not good enough. It's not good. And the standard needs to be higher. Like I have been a defender of Gus Bradley as a veteran coach, who's not the worst thing

Starting point is 00:28:26 in the world. Yes, he has his flaws, but not the worst thing in the world. And I've been a defender of Chris Ballard's talent acquisition before, but games like this are very much, very much like eye-opening where it's like, you can't have performances like this. They simply can't happen. You know, like it's fine to be a team that allows completions underneath, but takes away explosives like the Matt Eberfluss system. It's fine to be a team that stops the run game, but

Starting point is 00:28:51 still gets picked apart in the passing game. But when you have every single aspect of your defense corroding like this in a game, there's nothing to talk about. Like this is every single aspect of the defense. They're allowing explosives in the pass game, allowing explosives in the run game, allowing a healthy yards per carry. I know that was fueled by the explosives, but a healthy yards per carry by the end of the game. Quarterbacks are completing everything underneath. You're bending and breaking, you're breaking and bending. Like, what do you have here with this defense? Like, there's nothing, there's nothing. And it's like, oh man, it is just brutal. Like it is an absolutely brutal showing from this team. So yeah, like you guys are all saying fire Gus Bradley after this game.

Starting point is 00:29:32 And I get it. I get the frustration. I get the annoyance. The Colts are probably not going to do it because it's just not how they operate. But it really does get into that conversation when you have a performance like this. It is simply unacceptable no matter how many injuries you have. It really is unacceptable to have a game like this where the opposing team is scoring at will on you.

Starting point is 00:29:53 And the opposing team was not a good offense, you know? So yeah, I mean, I'm kind of with you guys. Like at this point, like it's just such a disgusting showing from the defense. There's really just nothing you can do a disgusting showing from the defense there's really just nothing you can do and take away from the showing like it is a pathetic pathetic pathetic outing and I you know what I fully believe in this offensive staff I believe that they have the right head coach I believe they have the right pieces in place on offense I mean we'll see with Anthony Richardson but at least the players around him, but this defense, man, needs to be torn out from its studs and start over again, because it's just unacceptable to play

Starting point is 00:30:30 games like this. So, you know, again, defensive coordinator, players on defense, the GM who's acquiring talent, like something needs to change here, because this is just an unacceptable showing from this Colts defense. But I think I ranted enough there on the Colts defense. I'm sick of talking about them. I'm sure you guys are sick of listening to me talk about them because it's just, oh man, I'm going to try to ignore the Colts defense going forward because it's just, that's the kind of showing this was. At least we could talk about a fun offensive game from the Colts. But at the end of the day, the curse continues. Colts are 10 straight losses in Jacksonville.

Starting point is 00:31:09 I don't know when this will ever end. I mean, again, like I said, this curse started when I was a sophomore in high school. I'm nearing 30 years old at this point with a wife and a house. Like, maybe I'll be a grandpa or I'll be in a nursing home by the time this streak ends. I don't know. It'll go on forever and ever. But I do want to thank you guys for making Locked On Culture first listen today. Now, if you're a second listening, go find the new Locked On NFL with two shows every day.

Starting point is 00:31:37 First, the Madman Tyler Rowland kicks off your morning with a double shot of NFL espresso. And then stop by the barbershop with Tony Wiggins for some real NFL talk. Find Locked on NFL on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. And if you guys want to become a Locked on Colts insider and chat with us directly and get that insider scoop, follow the link in our show notes. And if you guys don't already,

Starting point is 00:31:57 make sure you're following at Locked on Colts, at JakeArthurNFL, and at Zach Hicks2 all on Twitter. Also subscribe to us on YouTube or wherever you list your podcasts. We love your guys' ratings, views, subscribe to us on YouTube or every list of your podcasts. We love you guys, ratings, views, and we wish you guys a happy rest of your day. Hopefully you can get over this loss and we'll see you guys back here tomorrow for our conversation on Colts quarterback play.

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Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts Curse in Jacksonville Lives on with Another Pathetic Loss

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