| No Bill No Chris... No problem |
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January 4th, 2012, 07:26 PM |
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With the Colts losing the last game of the season to Jacksonville 13 to 19 the Colts secure the 1st overall draft choice of the 2012 NFL Draft this April. Monday after the regular season has ended is known in the NFL as Black Monday as this is when Coaches and General Managers are re-evaluated. I had a full Monday so I couldnt make the Monday morning meeting at the Colts Complex; I did however see that Head Coach Jim Caldwell addressed the media at 12:30. With his address I knew he wasnt fired as this would have been done before Coach Caldwell spoke to the media. With that said; approximately at 2pm I get an email from the Colts PR department stating that owner and CEO Jim Irsay is having a special Press Conference in other words someone just got there pink slip. Sure enough owner and CEO Jim Irsay fired Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian & his son Chris Polian who was the Colts General Manager (GM). Bill Polian has been a big part of the Colts success since he was hired in 1997. Bills 1st year as the GM he also had the luxury of the 1st overall draft choice in the 1998 draft. This brought Peyton Manning to Indianapolis as Polian was known for his draft evaluation talents. How did Bill Polian get to be the Colts GM & Vice Chairman? Bill Polian was the GM of the Buffalo Bills & went to the Super Bowl 3 times and never won. The team ended up going 4 times in a row however Bill was only the GM of 3. Bill then was hired as the GM to the expansion team Carolina Panthers and took them to the Championship game in just 2 years; something no one has ever done. Bill Polian as stated earlier had a great knack in evaluating talent. Some of Bills picks early in his Colts career include; Peyton Manning over Ryan Leaf, Edjerrin James over Ricky Williams, Joseph Addai over Reggie Bush. Bill had an even better talent of picking up undrafted players (walk ons); Jeff Saturday, James Mungro, Gary Brackett, Ben Utecht, Ryan Lija and Melvin Bullitt to name a few. Bill Polian has been on his way to retirement for a couple years. Chris Polian has been the GM since 2009 of the Colts; it was easy to see that the good olboy system of giving your relation a job just doesnt work not even in politics anymore. Some questionable 1st round picks in the last couple years are; Donald Brown, Jerry Hughes and Anthony Gonzalez all on Chris Polians watch. This just reiterates Chris Polian is no Bill Polian. Bill & Chriss attitudes also seem to have something to do with the twin firings as Bill more than once called out media once calling Bob Kravitz Rats in the sewer when he questioned Chriss (Bills son) skills to be a GM in the NFL. Bills attitude also got him fired in Buffalo. As of Wednesday the 4th of January Head coach Jim Caldwell released Special Teams Coach Ray Rychleski. I felt we needed to make a change and head in a new direction, stated Caldwell. Rychleski joined the Colts in 2009 when the Colts ranked 7th in special team stats & in one year (2010) moved to 15th. Field position is key in the NFL and can cost you games as well as wear out your defense. So whats next; well with Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday & Ryan Diem as free agents? Look for Dwight Freeney, Gary Brackett & Peyton Manning to have contract renegotiations to free up some cap room if they want to sign some of these players. Peyton Mannings health uncertain and needing some new coaches and a GM this year is going to be interesting. |
| 2-13 |
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December 29th, 2011, 08:22 PM |
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In the final drive in the 4th quarter with less than 2 minutes to play in the game; The Colts were down by 4 pts. Colts 3rd string quarterback Dan Orlovsky has only won 1 game as a starter in his career, could he orchestrate a come from behind victory? Yes, with some help; the Texans have 92 penalties on the year it was only a matter of time before one cost them the game. The Texans finished the Colts last drive with 3 penalties. Illegal use of the hands by Texans rookie Defensive end J.J. Watt, very next play J.J. Watt again had a penalty this time a Roughing the Passer call. Two incomplete passes later by Orlovsky & Texans 3rd year safety Glover Quin had a pass interference call on the 1 yard line to keep the drive alive. The very next play Colts receiver Reggie Wayne caught a touchdown from Orlovsky and put the Colts up 19 to 16 with 19 seconds on the clock. The Texans couldnt move the ball after the kickoff and Colts held off the Texans sending them back to Texas wondering if they will ever win a playoff game in Texans history? After the game the locker room was all smiles and chipper excited for the win. Well you guys have heard me say it, he walks by my locker every time and says, throw left. He ran by me in pregames and said, throw left. Sounds stupid and it has kind of has sat in me. Quarterback Dan Orlovsky stated after the game. The future for Reggie Wayne is uncertain to say the least. He has been very vocal on wanting more money and there were some talks of him thinking about holding out before the lockout. Apparently a 6 year contract worth 39.5 million dollars is hard to feed your family, I wouldnt know. That is an equivalent to 1.5 million dollars a touchdown this year. Dan Orlovsky finished the game with 23 attempts for 41 completions for 244 yards with 1 touchdown. T.J. Yates (Texans QB) only had 16 attempts and completing 13 of them for 132 yards. The running game is a specialty of the Texans as Arian Foster had 158 yards with 23 attempts and 1 touchdown. More than the entire Colts had on the ground as they could only muster 95 total yards on the ground. With all the winning at the end of the season the Colts are close to losing the chance of the 1st overall pick in the draft. As it stand the Vikings are 3&12 and play a struggling Bears team this Sunday @ 1pm and the Rams are 2&13 and play the 49ers @ 1pm this Sunday. The Colts can still lock in the 1st overall draft pick if; The Rams lose & the Colts lose or the Colts win and the Rams win. The Vikings are already 3-12 so if they win or lose they are ok because in the event of a tie the NFL uses the Strength of the Schedule to determine who get the 1st overall and the Colts have that covered. Getting the 1st overall is a story in its own as the 1st doesnt always pan out as the teams would always want. However; it is good to have that option. |
| 0 & 12 |
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December 6th, 2011, 06:41 PM |
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The Colts lost a close one Sunday in Foxboro; 24 to 31 that makes the Colts 0-12. The Last time the Colts were 0 -12 was during the 1986 season were they finished the season 3 -13 and ended up winning their last 3 games; I wouldnt hold my breath but it could happen. Dan Orlovsky got his first start as a Colts quarterback and didnt do half bad. Orlovsky orchestrated 3 touchdowns in the 4th quarter and almost brought the Colts there first win of the season. Orlovsky ended the day with very respectable numbers; 353 yards 2 touchdowns and 1 interception he only had 7 incompletions ending the game with 30 completions for 37 attempts. Pierre Garcon was Orlovskys favorite target and ended the day with 9 receptions for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns; both TDs coming in the 4th quarter. The Colts lead in rushing as well with 99 yards to New Englands 73 yards. The Colts spread the ball to 3 different rushers with Donald Brown leading the carries with 14 and getting 41 yards with 1 touchdown. Joseph Addai was next with 13 carries for 39 yards with Dolone Carter having 3 carries with 20 yards and 1 fumble; Orlovsky rounded with 1 carry with -1 yard. The Colts also lead in 1st downs, total plays, 3rd down conversions, yards per pass and yards per rush. So how did the Colts lose the game? The Pats (New England) had a better Red Zone efficacy converting 3 of 3 every time they attempted, The Pats had less penalties, the Pats had less turnovers in other words the Pats had better discipline and fundamentals in the game. The Colts had to do some roster moves after the game due to injuries. The Colts waived Tight End Mike McNeill and claimed Linebackers Zac Diles from Tampa Bay also Kevin Bentley from Jacksonville. Diles and Bentley was brought in due to Linebacker Pat Angerer left the game with a knee injury but no word on how bad it is yet. Two corners Jerraud Powers and Terrence Johnson was put on IR (Injured Reserve) and are done for the season as they both had injuries in the game. Drake Nevis rookie Defensive tackle was also put on IR. Kind of fitting for the season the Colts are having as they are limited on corners. The Colts head to Baltimore this Sunday the Dec 11th at 1pm a team that is 9-3 and have bad blood still thick in its veins. Then the Colts come home and face the 7-5 Tennessee Titans Dec 18th, the division leaders Houston Texans enjoying a 9-3 record come to Indy for their last home game Thursday Dec 22nd at 8:20 then wrap up the season at Jacksonville facing the 3-9 Jaguars Sun Jan 1st at 1pm. What game will the Colts get their 1st win on; or will they be the Detroit Lions of yester year? |
Jeff Herrod - Former Colts Player and Ole Miss Hall of Famer
| 9/11 | @ Texans | L 7 - 34 | |
| 9/18 | BROWNS | L 19 - 27 | |
| 9/25 | STEELERS | L 20 - 23 | |
| 10/3 | @ Buccaneers | L 17 - 24 | |
| 10/9 | Chiefs | L 24 - 28 | |
| 10/16 | @ Bengals | L 17 - 27 | |
| 10/23 | @ Saints | L 7 - 62 | |
| 10/30 | @ Titans | L 10 - 27 | |
| 11/6 | FALCONS | L 7 -31 | |
| 11/13 | JAGUARS | L 3 - 17 | |
| BYE WEEK | |||
| 11/27 | PANTHERS | L 27 - 19 | |
| 12/4 | @ Patriots | L 24 - 31 | |
| 12/11 | @ Ravens | L 10 - 24 | |
| 12/18 | TITANS | W 27 - 13 | |
| 12/22 | TEXANS | W 19 - 16 | |
| 1/1 | @ Jaguars | L 13 - 19 | |
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