Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts' Frank Reich, Chris Ballard, Players On Hot Seat

Episode Date: September 20, 2022

The Indianapolis Colts are in disaster territory to start 2022, and the same issues of years past have reared their ugly head. With the same issues popping up every year, should the team make a move a...t general manager or head coach after the season? Also, how much blame do these players get for their performance of late?Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQ🎧 Apple https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id1151621306🎧 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6meP450baAtjX4rTENZ5ij🎧 Audacy https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/locked-on-colts-daily-podcast-on-the-indianapolis-colts-21701🎧 Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vUFBZODk1ODUyODkyNQ🎧 Megaphone https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/lockedoncoltsFollow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, and @LockedOnColts!Today’s episode is presented by PrizePicks. PrizePicks is daily fantasy made easy. Pick 2-5 players and if they score more or less than their PrizePicks projection you can win up to 10x your money on your entry. First-time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONSupport Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!NugenixNow get a complimentary bottle of Nugenix Total T when you text NFLto 231-231. Text now and get a bottle of Nugenix Thermo, their most powerful fat incinerator ever, with key ingredients to help you get back into shape fast.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFLBuilt BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds, and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!BriteCoThe guys at BriteCo Jewelry Insurance made buying insurance for your engagement ring, your watch, or whatever so easy you can get covered in 2 minutes on your cell phone. You won't find a better deal on coverage that's so affordable. Go to https://brite.co/lockedonPrizePicksFirst-time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONTuroDitch boring rental cars and find your drive at Turo.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 A day after being dismantled in Duval, it's time to assign some more specific blame for the Colts' absolute stinker against the Jaguars. Let's get to it. You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Thank you, everyone, for tuning in and making us your number one listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day.
Starting point is 00:00:56 Today's episode is presented by PrizePix. PrizePix is daily fantasy made easy. Pick two to five players and if they score more or less than their PrizePix projection, you can win up to 10 times your money on your entry. First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit up to $100 with the promo code LOCKEDON. That's prizepicks.com, promo code LOCKEDON. This is Jake Arthur alongside Zach Hicks. You know the two of us from horseshoehuddle.com, of course. On today's show, we're going to talk about what you guys are talking about. Frank Reich's on the hot seat, Chris Ballard's on the hot seat, and the Colts starter players are not playing like it. Why is that, and what needs to change?
Starting point is 00:01:32 So we'll go ahead and start with the guy pulling the strings on the field, and that's Frank Reich. So, obviously, just to kind of give some backstory to this, I, you and I have both talked about this the last 24 hours. So yes, there are two games into this season and they're winless. So it's feels like an overreaction at times, but it's not when you consider the track record, this really is a continuation of those last two games from last season where they've come out and just,
Starting point is 00:02:04 they're literally they're it's like beating a dead horse and they are the dead horse for the last four games totally uninspired football not prepared to play they're undisciplined as well stupid penalties doing stupid things on the field miscommunications in areas they don't usually have it that all falls on the head coach yeah yeah you know it's it's fun's, it's fun. I, you know, I, I want to say this to all you guys, you know, the, the moments after a game we have to record cause this is our show and stuff like that. So, you know, the,
Starting point is 00:02:33 the emotions are high and things are going crazy. So, you know, 24 hours later I was able to sit down and take a deep breath and realize this game still was utterly disastrous. My emotions and my reactions are the exact same 24 hours later. I mean, it is a game that just couldn't happen, and a lot of that comes down to the head coach. And honestly, like, I think I'm in the firm territory of this is – this is very similar to, like, the Mike Zimmer era with the Vikings the couple of years, you know, where I am not going to sit here and say Mike Zimmer or Frank Reich are bad coaches.
Starting point is 00:03:11 They are good coaches. I will stand. I will go to my grave saying that they are good coaches and they know football and they've done a lot of good things with their respective teams. But eventually it just gets to that breaking point. And with Zimmer and the Vikings, it happened the last couple of years, and that's why he is no longer with that team. And I think the Colts are getting close to that breaking point. We are seeing this team hit all-time lows with Frank Reich. And I know some people have said like, oh, this isn't even their worst start under Frank Reich, but this is the worst start you could have for this team. I mean, this is, you know, on paper, this is the best team of the Frank Reich era
Starting point is 00:03:47 with a quarterback that is arguably the best quarterback they've had since Andrew Luck. They have a complete team. They have a lot of good players on this team. And we'll talk about some of the holes, obviously, but this is a good roster. There's no excuse for them to come out so, so flat in two games to start this year, and obviously the two games at the end of last year,
Starting point is 00:04:11 that cost them a chance to make the playoffs. So while, yes, there's a lot of blame to go around for the coaching and the certain holes in the roster that haven't been fixed in years, there's a lot of blame that just goes right up to the head coach on this one, and Frank Reich is at the center point of that. Again, I think Frank Reich is a very good coach. I really do think, uh, he's a very good coach. And I think if he lands on his feet as like an offensive coordinator or something like that, if they don't make the playoffs this year, uh, I think he'll be fine, but I just, at some point, something's got to change. And I know he
Starting point is 00:04:41 hasn't been dealt the best hand here in Ind with constant quarterback changes and stuff like that but eventually you just got to say that this is not working and and you can't have games like this again this this game again it seems like an overreaction you guys really want to see a lot of our reaction to what happened this past game go check out our podcast from from uh sunday afternoon sunday evening or whatever it was uh because we kind of went into more detail there but this is a game that just couldn't happen, especially from a coaching standpoint. When your whole mantra this whole offseason was, we are not going to let this happen again,
Starting point is 00:05:13 and then it's even worse the next season. It's even worse. It's even worse. So that is reflective of the coach, and I do think if the Colts miss the playoffs this year, I'll honestly say without a doubt in my mind, if the Colts missed the playoffs this year, I, you know, I'll honestly say without a doubt in my mind, if the Colts missed the playoffs this year, Frank Reich is 100% gone. Like Chris Ballard, I think it's not as, as you know, 100%,
Starting point is 00:05:37 but if the Colts missed the playoffs this year, Frank Reich is going to be the guy that's out for sure. Yeah. I don't think anything is going to happen during the season unless these games just continue. There's nothing you can do if you just look lifeless through several weeks. Something has to change, but I don't anticipate that being the case. This is too good of a roster for that to keep happening. But it's kind of interesting.
Starting point is 00:06:02 I did a little TV today, and I was asked about firings and stuff. And again, I obviously don't think Frank would be, but like, you have to start looking at some position coaches because there has to be repercussions when things like this start to happen. And the defense this early in the season gets a little bit of a pass because literally everyone is new, uh, on the coaching staff there. They're still implementing their scheme and getting guys used to how they do things. Like that is what it is on the offensive side of all.
Starting point is 00:06:30 You're not going to fire edgy Wayne already. The tight ends is something to look at. The running backs have been great. John and Taylor actually averaged six yards of carry on Sunday, believe it or not. The offensive line to me is the glaring one. They've got a ton of money. Yeah. They've got a ton of money sunk into that group. They're regressing and Strasser, this is your three, I think with this group, like there's, yes, there's a couple new pieces,
Starting point is 00:06:59 but you've got guys who are supposed to be your dependables that are just not doing well whatsoever. And that's, I think that's a big thing that's going to have to be looked at because if these types of things keep happening, something has got to give and someone will demand some sort of change. Right. Right. And, and part of my, the whole Frank Reich conversation to me is, you know, he said something today, which obviously again, anything Frank Reich says from this point on, unless they start winning, is going to fall on deaf ears. Nobody wants to hear anything he has to say, especially because he's such a like a calm headed, like a level headed type guy. That's not what worst to first, you know, go from last to first place.
Starting point is 00:07:46 And it's so indicative of this team that they can never be a frontrunner, ever. And I think that falls on their head coach, and I think it falls on a lot of these players. They can never be just good, you know? It always has to be clawing yourself out of the hole you dug into. So when they had, like last season, right? Last season, the last four games. We'll talk about the last four games real quick. out of the hole you dug into so when they had what like like last season right last season the last four games we'll talk about the last four games real quick uh they had the patriots game that they needed to win they wanted to have a chance to make the playoffs they come out there
Starting point is 00:08:12 and they utterly dominate the patriots outside of the passing game outside their own passing game but they just dominate the patriots then they have a game they had no business winning the they were the true underdogs against the cardinals with all their players out and they beat the cardinals and then when they were the favorites in those last two games when they were not the underdogs and they were expected to win the team came out so flat and lifeless like they expected to win and they lost both games so now you get into this next season where it's like oh things are different things are different but you're but you're kind of riding the high of like oh we got matt ryan we got we got Stephon Gilmore, we got Yantan Gakwe, we're going all in, and now we have these two teams that we are heavily favored against,
Starting point is 00:08:51 and you've got the same lifeless, dead team. And I don't think it's an issue of just playing down to their opponents. I just think you have a whole team that is based around being the underdog, that is based around being the guy who's counted out. And now that a lot of these guys aren't the underdogs anymore, you know, Kenny Moore II is not an underdog that is based around being the guy who's counted out and now that a lot of these guys aren't the underdogs anymore you know kenny moore the second is not an underdog anymore he's he's a pro bowler uh what do we get and we you know what we got since then we've got four really bad games and i think a lot of that does fall on frank right because frank reich's always been
Starting point is 00:09:20 that guy too frank reich throughout his whole career as a quarterback, as a coach and everything, he excels when he's behind and everything looks bleak. Frank Reich is able to pull through. That's why I don't think the Colts will ever bottom out with Frank Reich. It's kind of that Norv Turner, like Mike Zimmer thing, where they'll never really bottom out with a guy like Frank Reich because he'll always be able to drag the team out of that. But do you really want it to consistently be we're dragging ourselves to
Starting point is 00:09:48 the seven or eight seed every single season because of the hole that we dig ourselves into early in the season against lesser opponents I just I'm not like I really do think if they miss the playoffs this year I'm like right as of right now after this game I'm pretty much out on Ballard and Wright but I think if they miss the playoffs for sure this year, you have to make that change at head coach. And what we're going to talk about in our upcoming segment, personally, if they miss the playoffs this year, I would make a change at GM as well. It'll be inexcusable. And we've said it before this, even with full confidence in Ballard and Reich, because we, I mean, we didn't envision it happening, but yeah, if they miss the playoffs, something big has to change. And we're going to run long on this, but something I definitely wanted to make note of was,
Starting point is 00:10:34 so there were glaring absences with Naheem Hines and Mike Paris Campbell, for example, that's two guys. If you listen to us last week, we said they would be key in a Colts win if they were to win. Like there was a recipe for those two guys to be heavily involved. Frank Reich was asked about that today, Monday. And basically, I didn't love the answer. I mean, he had a reason for it, but I didn't love it. He basically said.
Starting point is 00:10:57 It didn't make any sense. It didn't make sense. Yeah. Nighthawk was out of the game plan because they were trailing for a lot of the game. It's like, that doesn't make any sense. It should be the other way around. Right. plan because they were trailing for a lot of game it's like that doesn't make any sense it should be the other way around right he basically said they had you know they had michael pitton and alec pierce in play they thought they were going to play all week that yeah that was stupid both both
Starting point is 00:11:14 guys went out and then so teams have the first 15 plays of the game scripted right and they said naheem was going to have three four five looks in this which he had and he got the first play was a slant for 19 yards looked great that first drive things were clicking until the interception and naheem was a part of that and then just the interception happened and then everything fell apart naheem stopped being used barely at all paris campbell who was the de facto top receiver because of the injuries had two targets in the game the whole game had was they weren't down by 20-24 points the entire game like there was ample opportunity to get those things corrected and like why they couldn't figure it out in a couple
Starting point is 00:11:59 days of how to keep Naheem involved it didn't make make sense to me. It didn't make sense. I just had to mention that. I know we were going to run long on that. No, I get it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But Zach, whenever I watch a game that makes me want to drive away into the abyss,
Starting point is 00:12:12 I rely on Turo. Turo is the world's largest car sharing marketplace. I like to think of it as Airbnb for cars. It's a pretty cool concept, to be honest with you. With Turo, you can book any car you want, wherever you want it, from a community of local hosts. Browse a huge selection of vehicles for just about any occasion or budget across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Book a spacious SUV or minivan for a family road trip.
Starting point is 00:12:38 Get a nice classic luxury car for a special event like a birthday or holiday. Or you can just find an affordable economy car if you're on a budget and you just need to get from point A to point B. Shoot, many Turo hosts can even deliver the car right to you. Every trip is backed by liability insurance. Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Ditch those boring rental cars and find yourself driving at Turo.com. All right, Zach, we move on from Frank Reich. It's now Chris Ballard's turn. And something a lot of people said today that I think a lot makes a lot of sense. I think he is great at finding talent. However,
Starting point is 00:13:17 how that talent is built together inside a roster and how things are prioritized. That now becomes the question. Do you have any, any issue with that? Cause I, I think there's some merit to it. Yeah. I will say there's one of my buddies who's within the NFL. I'm not going to say like what he works with the NFL, but we've been talking about this for years and stuff, very candidly talking about the biggest issue with, with Chris Ballard and how it could all go awry for the Colts eventually.
Starting point is 00:13:46 And we're seeing it kind of right now. I think, and I completely agree with his take, and I'm purely taking his take. So if he listens to this by any chance, he'll know. But I think the biggest issue with Chris Ballard in the front office, with under Chris Ballard, is the lack of ability to self-scout. There has not been any, like, there's a reason why the Build Chris Ballard is the lack of ability to self-scout. There has not been any, like, there's a reason why the Build a Ballard series has a pretty decent hit rate. That's very predictable.
Starting point is 00:14:20 It's very predictable because Chris Ballard sticks to his mode, sticks to what has worked for him in the past. And even if it doesn't work for him, he doesn't really change his preferences. Wide receiver is a great example. I mean, wide receiver is one of the premium positions in all football and of all the picks that they spent there and the guys that are making the roster continually, you know, Mike Strawn, Desmond Patman, Paris Campbell. I mean, again, Alec Pearson, Mike Pippen Jr. I'm not going to throw them in there, but just all these guys, they're all the exact same receiver.
Starting point is 00:14:43 They're all big bodied receivers who have some explosion who can um you know who are you know again the taller bigger guys and stuff like that you don't really have many of those slot guys you don't have like elijah moore for instance this guy that would never would have been drafted by chris ballard because of his size and stuff like that and you see that the colts just stick so hard to that thing with wide receiver and it's caused him to have a lot of misses over the years. And then you could also flip that over to defensive end. At defensive end, they are so predicated on taking explosive guys, guys with those great 10-yard splits and verticals and stuff like that.
Starting point is 00:15:20 And they're not as big on other things. They don't care about if a guy has to be be explosive but he has to be like 250 or 260 has to be like a bigger body guy and stuff like that you know and then when they took the smaller body guys it didn't fit with the scheme that they were doing uh so it was just you got so many misses at key positions misses at defensive end misses at uh wide receiver uh and those are those are huge huge positions when it comes to team building. And it's great when you're hitting on guys like Grover Stewart and you're hitting on guys like Julian Blackman,
Starting point is 00:15:52 who I think whenever he's played has been really good, when you're hitting on guys like Quinton Nelson. But you need to hit on the premium positions to be successful. And if you're not hitting on the premium positions, you have to use free agency or trades to supplement that. Now, the trade for DeForest Buckner, for the most part, has been fine. The trade for Yann Ngakwe so far has not been very good. But those are kind of a little too late. Like the Yann Ngakwe one is years too late, you know, and stuff like that. You know, we had years of bad pass rush before they even tried to make a move like that. So I do think
Starting point is 00:16:23 there is a sense of arrogance, I guess, with the Chris Ballard. I don't want to say he's arrogant because he's really not an arrogant guy. It's just the lack of self-scouting, I think, and changing their own ways has just really plagued this front office. And we're seeing it hurt the Colts time and time again. And I know that you and I, we always have to talk ourselves into whatever wide receiver group they're going into. They're going into the season with, but at the beginning of every free agency,
Starting point is 00:16:50 we're always like, Oh, here's the guy that could sign. Here's the guy that gets signed. And we just know it's never going to happen. And we just come to the same issues again and again in the actual season. So, yeah,
Starting point is 00:16:59 I think there's a lot of issues with the Chris Ballard tenure. And I think it's, it's bleeding over to the field now. I think he's a great talent evaluator. He finds a lot of gems. But Chris Ballard tenure and I think it's it's bleeding over to the field now uh I think he's a great talent evaluator he finds a lot of gems uh but I mean the the not not using free agency whatsoever has hurt them uh not addressing key positions whenever it's been a key need not adding depth to a roster and just you know being confident in UDFAs and bottom you know bottom draft picks um I think there's just a lot of issues with Chris Ballard's team-building philosophy that has hurt the Colts.
Starting point is 00:17:29 And, again, I do think if they miss the playoffs this year, I would be okay with them letting him go because I do think if they miss the playoffs this year, it is time to make a change. Yeah. I think, so, again, there's – we can't argue that he's been able to find some really good talent in places. But I think there's been such a reluctance to bend their own rules and, you know, make a guy fit into their locker room or whatever the issue is.
Starting point is 00:17:59 Like, quarterback in this league is important. Like, sometimes you're going to have to try and move mountains to get someone in there. Right. Yeah. That's another huge issue. Never wanting to, never wanting to draft a quarterback.
Starting point is 00:18:12 He's been so scared to do anything draft related for a quarterback. And I'm not saying I don't want to use the hindsight thing of, Oh, we should have gone up and got Herbert. Cause no one knew Herbert was going to be this like, like, so I don't want to throw that, but like,
Starting point is 00:18:29 you know, not wanting to wait for the draft and making that rash trade for Carson West or stuff like that you know like it's it's just he doesn't want to commit to a rookie and it's hurting yeah these teams that wind up with these really good quarterbacks a lot of them are moving up in drafts to get them right right they're not always just staying pat and letting them fall in their lap you gotta get aggressive sometimes like sure it'll hamstring your draft capital for a year or two but like okay well you're gonna have a premium quarterback like some sometimes that's just worth it so does trading for carson wentz hamstrings your your your draft capital you know yeah it costs them that first yeah but i think what it does when when you build the roster this way and you fill it out best player available all the time you kind of let guys fall in your lap you take these really good players and the roster is well balanced but you don't have that
Starting point is 00:19:16 elite quarterback or you know these these really good players at premium positions you just tread water and you stay mediocre for a long time. Like you're, you stay relevant and you stay picking from 16 to 20 or whatever. And you're not in position to get these guys, but it's nice. You, you win a handful of games every year, but you're never taking that next step. And you're, it's like you are now when you're taking a step back because you're lacking at the position. Like, look at the AFC right now.
Starting point is 00:19:47 Look at the other quarterbacks. Like, even if the Colts got into the playoffs, would you have any confidence in any number of these matchups they'd be going into? I mean, literally what we were saying all season is like, yeah, you know, if you get in the dance, you have a chance. But, like, we were never going to say they were the favorites in the AFC by any even if they were you know won the afc south we were never going to call them the favorites in the afc um yeah no i do think what's plagued the chris ballard just to kind of summarize i think what's plagued the chris ballard uh front office tenure so far you know five years now or going into six years with him is just the lack of willingness to change the lack of wanting to use free agency whatsoever outside of one or two signings a season and the lack of willingness to change, the lack of wanting to use free agency whatsoever
Starting point is 00:20:25 outside of one or two signings a season, and the lack of honestly taking risks. Yes, there have been two trades where he's traded away his first round pick. Yes, he has done that. But it's been for established players. It's never taken the risk in the draft. It's never making a huge trade for a premium position either outside of quarterback.
Starting point is 00:20:46 He's at least kind of done that with veteran quarterbacks. So I don't know. I do think there's a lot of things plaguing this team. And I do think he would survive the end of this year unless this team completely bottoms out. But honestly, I'd be in the long list of people calling for him to be gone as well if they miss the playoffs. But you know how this team is performing right now. Their prize next spring might be one of those top picks in the draft. But you guys don't have to wait that long for a prize with PrizePix. When you feel certain about something, that's a good time to hop on the PrizePix app. For me, I'm feeling pretty certain that Patrick Mahomes is going to exceed 290.5 passing yards on Sunday against the Colts.
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Starting point is 00:22:06 are quick and safe plus prize fix is currently operational in over 30 states and in canada download the prize fix app or go to prizefix.com sign up and play daily fantasy sports first time users can receive a 100 discount instant discount uh instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. If you deposit $100, PrizePix will give you $100. If you deposit $50, PrizePix will give you $50. Don't forget to enter promo code LOCKEDON at signup for instant deposit match up to $100. All right, let's get to this last part of the segment because, again, we kind of talked about this yesterday, Jake, or on the Sunday podcast after the game.
Starting point is 00:22:48 I do think people are letting the players off the hook a little bit for this game. And I think that's very wrong, because, yes, we can put a lot of blame on Chris Ballard for the makeup of this team. We can put a lot of blame on Frank Reich for these guys coming out flat and stuff like that. But the Colts have talent. It's not like we're going out there with, you know, I don't even want to say, I almost said Detroit Lions talent, but Detroit Lions are looking pretty good right now. They're not going out there with the tanking Miami Dolphins from a couple years ago talent, you know, where they're actively trying to tank. You know, they're throwing out there all pro DeForest Buckner, all pro Qu Quinton Nelson, pro-bowl Ryan Kelly,
Starting point is 00:23:28 I think pro-bowl alternate Braden Smith, pro-bowler Yannick Ngakwe, past pro-bowler. I don't think he was last year. Kenny Moore was a pro-bowler. All these guys are players who have had a lot of success in this league, guys who have been pro-bowlers, guys who have been towards the top of their position, and they are just not performing whatsoever. Like, Yannakwe and deforest buckner right now have one qb hit no sacks and four pressures in two games against two offensive
Starting point is 00:23:54 lines that are like they're fine but these aren't like great offensive lines you know we're not no one's saying the jaguars and texans have the best offensive lines in football. So I think there's some real issues with the players in this team. And I think for me, it kind of goes back to the underdog mentality. These guys have always been underdogs their whole life. And now they're starting to get credit. They're starting to get big paydays and they're starting to get hype. And I don't think that that's a position that they're typically used to playing from. I don't want to speak to someone else's mentality because I just don't know these players personally that well. But I do think we're starting to see a lot of that on the field,
Starting point is 00:24:29 especially from a player like Kenny Moore II, where his play has dropped off drastically since he became a pro bowler last year. Yeah, I think something that's confused me is how they're playing. Again, it looks like they're not prepared whatsoever right right at no point do they look like they're in control they're getting just trounced they're getting out schemed out coached out played the whole time and so they they say you know practices at an all-time intensity and this and that right okay how does that make sense like i don't doubt it like sure
Starting point is 00:25:06 their their practices are probably great but like what is then happening on game day like yeah are you just most excited to play against your friends your teammates in practice you don't want to play these dudes that it matters whether you win or lose i don't get that yeah Yeah. It's just, it's the most baffling thing to me. Like I don't have any good answers. Like there's only a few guys who we know are really good, who are playing like it. And I just don't understand like, or have these guys just hit a wall? Like,
Starting point is 00:25:40 is it this underdog? Now we're expected to perform well thing. I, I just legit. That's my own theory. That's like my only theory. I don't know now we're expected to perform well thing? I just legit don't know. That's my only theory. That's, like, my only theory. I don't know because we're just seeing so – like, it's not one or two guys. And, again, I do think that is a coaching issue.
Starting point is 00:25:53 I do think that is something that goes on the head coach. But, again, these are grown men. These are not high school players or college kids, you know. You don't – like, I don't care who your coach is. You shouldn't need a coach to motivate you to play or to come out there like like yes the scheme could be bad yes the play designs could be bad yes uh underperforming there could be other underperforming players but at the end of the day if you're a star player if you know if you're an all pro player a star player you have to have some
Starting point is 00:26:22 pride to at least go out there at a game like this and try to at least do something. Again, I know DeForest Buckner and Kenny Moore II were both hurt in this game. I know they were both banged up going into this game. But if you told me after the game that those are two ones and all pro, ones a pro bowler, I would laugh at you. I did not see that whatsoever. And we haven't seen that from either of them this year. Again, with Yannick Ngakwe, if you told me that he's hit over 10 sacks every single year of his career, you know, these past two games, I would be like, how? How does he even get close to the quarterback? And then on the offensive side, you told me that the Colts have three pro bowl level or all pro
Starting point is 00:26:58 level linemen. I mean, that would be the most absurd thing I've ever heard because this offensive line looks like the worst in football. And there's no excuse for it to look this bad. And maybe that is a coaching thing. But we're also getting players that are just not playing whatsoever to their talent level. And I do think, again, these are grown men. Some of the blame has to go on them. These players are underperforming and maybe they just need a new coaching staff to light a fire under them. But I'm not going to just let them off the hook for this.
Starting point is 00:27:25 I mean, if you're getting shut out, it's not just that your coaches are bad. It's also that you got smacked around on the field. You know, the coaches can only do so much. The GM can only do so much. But if you're getting shut out, like, I mean, 24-0, the Colts were not in this game by halftime. I mean, it didn't feel like the Colts were going to somewhat be in this game by halftime, and it was 14-0, like the Colts were going to somewhat be in this game by halftime.
Starting point is 00:27:45 And it was 14-0, and it felt like the game was insurmountable. They were getting beat down that bad. That's a player thing, too. The players deserve plenty of blame. And honestly, I don't even want to absolve Matt Ryan either. Matt Ryan looked terrible. Yeah, because I know a lot of the comments were about Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan and all that stuff.
Starting point is 00:28:03 Matt Ryan looked terrible. And I'm comfortable saying that for someone who's very high on Matt Ryan in the offseason, and I still think Matt Ryan will kind of figure it out this year, and I think they'll be okay there. He was terrible. And he's a big part of this as well, especially for a guy who we got all those articles with The Athletic and all that stuff about how the leadership is different and how, oh my gosh, he's holding us accountable, which, wow, you guys need someone to hold you accountable. Wow, great article. But we just, where has that been?
Starting point is 00:28:31 How do you get shut out by the Jaguars with this new quarterback that's holding you all accountable and getting in your face and stuff? So I do think, again, the coaching, the GM, they deserve to be on the hot seat and they deserve their criticism. But don't let these players off the hook. Because if you're getting smacked around like that, especially by a team who, by all consensus, is not a top tier team in the league,
Starting point is 00:28:51 there's something wrong with your players on the field as well. Yeah. And that's another thing for me is they've spent all this time the last three, four years building this locker room. That's supposed to self it's supposed to self-police it's supposed to hold each other accountable how are they looking this uninspired then which to they say they don't hear it but they hear this outside noise they probably they probably don't hear us but they hear the outside noise it's been deafening this week already i wouldn't be surprised if
Starting point is 00:29:22 there's a players only meeting or like something like the leadership council, the fixed all fixes, the thing that fixes everything, the players. The unfortunate part of it is it's had, it's had to happen the last couple of years. At some point you have your divorce Buckner get up there and he says four words and then everybody walks out. That's the players only meeting, but yeah, man, Well, I was going to ask you something real quick. So in, in relation to the players now, some of these guys aren't just going to get replaced in the lineup. Like you're not ripping Kenny Moore out of there and replacing it right now.
Starting point is 00:29:55 But what's a few moves you would make now or very soon? Like you got to think like Bernard Ryman getting in there at left tackle is coming soon. Whatever you need to do to get Isaiah Rogers on the field, do it. Oh, gosh. Isaiah Rogers Sr. I don't know why he's not. I mean, just give me a snap at this point. Isaiah Rogers Sr. has not given up one catch this year.
Starting point is 00:30:19 He's been their best pass defender. He's been awesome. But, no, yeah, Isaiah Rogers Sr. Get him out there at least a little bit. Because I mean, this defense has what one turnover forced in two games. Why is Isaiah Rogers senior sitting on the bench? This is your turnover guy. I mean, come on. Leonard's not out there. He's your main turnover guy.
Starting point is 00:30:39 Leonard's not out there. Kenny Moore's not doing it. Rogers is your other one. Yeah. Maybe he would. I think getting more Dio D'Ambo out there, I think he's been at least showing some energy in his couple snaps. But, again, he's barely playing right now. So it's like, what do we even know? Mike Strawn out there more than some of these other receivers. Like, why was Des Patman getting so many snaps over Mike Strawn?
Starting point is 00:31:00 And targets. Yeah. Like, I don't know. Yeah, Bernard Ryman's an obvious one. And honestly, I do think you have to consider Will Fries over over Danny Pinter because yeah, because Will Fries might not be the best run blocker, but he's going to be much better at pass pro than what we've seen, like out of Danny Pinter and the right side of this line. So, I mean,
Starting point is 00:31:20 at this point, I don't think it even matters if you're just average and treading water, as long as you're not a detriment. That's all they need right now is someone who's not hurting. Yeah. I don't know right now, though. I don't know. It's a mess.
Starting point is 00:31:34 So we'll probably toss more stuff around that this week. But that's it for today, guys. Hang with us the rest of this week as we throw this one in the rearview mirror and look ahead to the blitzkrieg that might be coming in the form of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. In the comments of this YouTube video, please put your score predictions for this upcoming game. Let's have some fun with it. Be sure to follow us on social media at JakeArthurNFL, on Twitter at ZachHicks2 on Twitter, and at and at locked on Colts on Twitter. Also subscribe to the YouTube channel.
Starting point is 00:32:07 There's a very lively conversation going on a Sunday's podcast of like 200 comments on there on Carson Wentz and coaching stuff and Duvall's just thrown in there. I mean, it's a very fun conversation, so please join. You guys love the County that your team is in cool and wherever you guys listen to your podcast rate reviews and scribe and and uh keep making the lockdown
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