Mr. Irsay,
First off, I want to thank you for the competitive team that you’ve given the fans of Indianapolis over the last 15 years. We’ve been spoiled by perennial playoff appearances, Super Bowls, record-breaking performances and top notch players that, for the most part, stay out of trouble. You’ve interacted with fans and made each of us feel a part of the organization. I know that this season hasn’t gone the way we all hoped but the fans love the team and will continue to support the team, good times and bad. Afterall, it is because of our past success that the NFL has decided to bring its biggest event to Indianapolis this February. You’ve made a basketball town a football town… and that’s not easy in Indiana.
It is because of your team’s past success that you are under so much scrutiny now.
The current coaching staff has to go. Jim Caldwell is one of the nicest guys that I’ve ever had the chance to meet – but he isn’t an NFL football coach. In every phase of coaching is seems that this staff has come up short.
When the Colts lost Peyton Manning this season it seemed obvious that the gameplan would have to change. I’ve seen no noticeable difference in strategy. The defense still seems to be playing a very safe, bend-but-don’t-break style instead of an aggressive style, trying to force turnovers. The offense seems to run when it should pass (2nd and 14 yesterday) and pass when it should run (the game against Pittsburgh). There has been no creativity on offense, defense or special teams. The coaching staff continues to be ultra-conservative on fourth down and in the redzone and seems to refuse to take any chances.
There has been no development of our younger players. The coaching staff has to share accountability for the failures of the last couple of drafts. Tony Ugoh, Donald Brown, Jerry Hughes and Anthony Gonzalez have all been disasters. The inability to get these young players to play up to their potential has cost the Colts in cap space and talent on the roster.
The coaching staff needs to not only develop, but discern talent. Kyle DeVan and John Chick are difference makers on their new teams after being cut from the Colts this preseason. Justin Tryon had to be a better player in the secondary than Jacob Lacey or Kevin Thomas yet couldn’t get on the field. Kerry Collins was brought in at the last moment to give the team ‘hope’ until Manning returned – and he has made Curtis Painter look like a Pro Bowler. Was all of this not obvious in practices?
The Colts have been consistently out-coached for the last several years. When Caldwell pulled the starters against the Jets you could tell that he lost some of the players. The Super Bowl loss to Saints and the playoff loss to the Jets were obvious coaching failures where Caldwell didn’t match up with the guy on the other sideline. Watch Manning’s face when Caldwell’s called the last timeout during the Jets game… That says it all.
In your tweets you made reference to the Kurt Warner and Tom Brady Super Bowl runs, trying to make a case that this team could still be a contender. You forgot one thing: The coaches that made those runs are legendary – Dick Vermiel and Bill Belichick. Well-coached teams can overcome adversity and are prepared to shift their gameplan to fit the available personnel.
The season is a loss and that’s been a difficult pill to swallow. I’m on the fence over the whole Andrew Luck situation. If Manning is going to return and be close to normal I don’t want Luck. We owe it to Peyton to load up as much as possible for his last few years in the league, why waste a top pick on a quarterback that won’t see the field for three years? IF we find ourselves with the top pick in the draft this year I think we should hold it for a King’s Ransom and acquire as many draft choices and veterans as possible.
I also have no issue if you would like to deal Reggie Wayne or Robert Mathis. Don’t misunderstand, I appreciate both players and what they’ve given to the organization over the last several years. But, you tell me, who doesn’t fit in this list? Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens,…. Reggie Wayne. Reggie is going to want top five receiver money and I don’t think he’s worth it – he’s good, not great. Manning has NEVER had a weapon like Moss, Megatron or Fitzgerald (spare me the Marvin Harrison argument… we can do that later) and the money spent on Wayne could be better spent somewhere else.
Mathis is a top five defensive end and I would love to have him back – but not at the price that it will cost and at the risk of another year with a mediocre secondary.
The whole point is this: If we can’t resign them to a reasonable contract then get what you can out of them before we lose them without compensation. We aren’t playoff bound this year anyway!
I don’t claim to have the answers but I can recognize the problems (I can’t fix my car but I can tell you when it isn’t running right). I still have confidence in you and the Polians. Here’s hoping that we load up for an incredible season next year….
…..and that we’ve moved on from Jim Caldwell.
Sincerely,
Nick Ragsdale
Colts Football Insider
Colts Football Insider 
Matt
October 17, 2011
You have some good points. If the Colts could get Luck they would have to take him, you need to think about the next 15 years of the franchise rather than the next three. Besides, fusion surgery is very complicated, and there is no guarantee he will ever be 100%. Peyton will be jeopardizing his quality life in years to come.
The Colts defense has been a “bend, but dont break” defense for 12 years now. This is nothing new, they have been crappy and undersized for a long time.
Completely agree about the front office, Caldwell is barely a coach, Polian has missed on a ton of high round draft picks, and the defense STILL, for as long as I can remember, sucks.
I would just ask J.Irsay to….GET RID OF THE TAMPA 2! How many years to we have to fail miserably with the Tampa 2??? Change the defensive scheme, run a 3-4, or a man-to-man 4-3, anything, just try something different and get bigger players on defense! I cant take it anymore.