LOL!
It's true though. The more you look back on last year with more and more actual critical reviews by smart inner circle football people and the reports of how this offense has already in just a few days on the practice field appeared to look entirely different- with the same personnel mind you as it has been Hines Patmon and Dulin not the rook getting the hype (yeah there's still a long ways to go and we won't know for 3-4 games if it is a real change), but the over arching theme is- Wentz was just f'ing trashing every principle of Reich's scheme. I know I sound like a broken record but I am ON RECORD with it- sure blame Wentz, and he deserves it for sure, but when it is THAT pervasive, that extends way beyond Wentz- that's much more on Frank for not having the sack to put a stop to it. So in my eyes, we missed the playoffs last year as a result of Frank refusing to give up on the concept that Wentz was this conquering hero figure that would lead us to the promised land if we just trusted him. Terrible decision and it cost us bigtime.

They gambled on Wentz and Reich deserves criticism for it. But once the season started, there was no other decent option. They were gonna go as far as Wentz took them because he was the only option.

I totally agree Reichs love for Wentz clouded his judgment, I disagree he’s a bad coach. He’s had a different QB every season and hasn’t gotten a true camp out of any of them due to injury Covid or whatever. So I’m very excited to see this offense ran by a QB with an entire camp to work with Reich

Aside from '19 when a backup had to start on two weeks notice, we put up like 27-28pts/gm under Reich. He's had a good QB twice and they were good seasons. People say, "He hasn't even won the divison" during his good seasons. But...

After Luck came back from the dead and guys like Castonzo/Hilton got healthy we went 10-1 including spanking the division champs twice including the playoffs on the road.

In 2020, with old man Rivers, we went 11-5 and playoffs. We beat Tennessee 34-17 on the road and only two weeks later we lost to them 45-26. What happened? Well, Buckner, Autry, Okereke, Taylor, and Kelly were out due to Covid/injury; then Castonzo and Willis got hurt and left the game. Seven starters might account for a 36-point swing in two weeks.

(I'm just pointing out that a shit roll of the dice like that can be the difference between winning the division by two games and losing the division to a tie-breaker.)

o


And/or playing in a division in which an 8-8 record will be good enough to win it.

The shittiest rolls of the dice since the implement of the 16-game schedule in 1978 were the 1985 Broncos and the 2008 Patriots, both of whom went 11-5 and didn't make the post-season.




https://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/r...Teams/1985-den


https://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/r.../Teams/2008-ne

o

The dirt of his rehab boy?

It seems like you’re blaming Reich for Ballard’s failure to sign a competent backup QB. Like it or not, the fact is that Reich was stuck with starting Wentz. The Colts were in the hunt for a playoff spot, and plan B was Ehlinger.

Yep, brutal. I always think of the 2010 Saints. I don't feel bad because I hate them, but they went 11-5 and had to travel three time zones to Seattle because the Seahawks won the NFC West with a 7-9 record. Seattle ends up beating them because it's football.

Then there's lesser examples like the '08 Colts going 12-4 but the Titans decided to start the season 10-0 and took the division.

Etc., etc...

And the '08 Colts had the similar experience of traveling to the west coast to play the 8-8 Chargers and of course we lost (although we had plenty of chances win that one walking away).

The NFL really should change the playoff seeding since there's no reason a 7/8 win team should be seeded higher than a 10+ win team.

o


2008 was a personal heartbreaker for me, because we beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh, and were the hottest team in football that went from 3-4 to 12-4. I really believe that the Colts were the only team in the AFC that was capable of beating the Steelers in the post-season that year (as they had already done so in the regular season), and that the Steelers and their fans all breathed a sigh of relief when the Colts were KO'd by the Chargers in overtime.

o