Quote:
Originally Posted by Chaka
I wasn’t calling for Frank’s head, though the OL issues regarding Kelly, Nelson and Smith seemed to me most likely to be a coaching issue based upon the fact that these guys have shown themselves capable of playing at a very high level in the past. The decisions regarding Pryor and Pinter are mostly on Ballard (though I don’t doubt that Reich had some input/say on this too).
That said, once again I’ll point out an inconsistency for those who think Frank didn’t deserve to be fired, and Saturday didn’t deserve to be hired. You can't have both. The Colts are playing at least as well as they were under Frank. This suggests one of two things, either (1) Frank was coaching at a level which was at or below that of a wholly inexperienced, grossly unqualified coach, or (2) Saturday’s inexperience hasn’t harmed the Colts at all, and he’s performing at a level equivalent to an experienced coach.
|
Wasn’t their high level play in the past largely under the same coaches? Was Nelson and Smith so well coached in college they are just now losing their technique and understanding? Sorry I’m not buying it. 2/5 of the expected starting unit sucked. That has a huge affect on a unit required to work as one. Especially early with stunts that require trust and communication. There are likely other issues as well (Qs back, Kelly’s mental health, Covid), but coaching as the primary issue makes no sense.
Let’s see how this team finishes the season before we claim it’s just as good. Frank was 3-3-1 prior to being forced to start Ehlinger. He has a proven history of recovering from slow starts. We won’t know if the same would have happened this season. With all the new offensive Additions I’d expect improvement as the season progresses. We’ll see what we get.
And for the record, the Saturday hiring wasn’t bad because of Xs and Os. At the point you fire a coach mid season you pretty much are writing the season off. Losing every game from here on out is in the Colts best interest. In that respect I believe Saturday is a better choice than Reich. The Saturday hiring was bad because of the perception around the league. Coupled with the QB interference from Irsay, the Colts are a clown show. The top candidates aren’t looking for clown shows. It’s possible Irsay overcomes that with money, but I don’t see the Colts being regarded as a top destination for coaches in the off-season. Irsay and Ballard’s handling of QB position, Reich, and Saturday will be a huge reason why. Anyone who thinks guys that have spent their careers working their way up the ranks won’t be put off by the firing of Reich (after the QB debacle) and the hiring of a guy with no experience is simply wrong. That’s the issue with the situation.