If there were ever any questions about why Roger Goodell smartly wants to shorten the preseason, all it would take to dispel them would be to watch a tape of the latest eye bleeder from a team that everyone concedes is one of the best in football. Here's my random thoughts for the night:
- We were going to do a sweet photo blog, but my buddy Nate forgot his camera. No problem, man. That'll be $75 for the ticket.
- The ushers were WAAAY overzealous. I almost got into a shouting match both with an elderly black lady and a guy with a voice box (both 'event staff'). It wasn't my finest night. The old lady insisted on checking my ticket (in the upper bowl!) every time I got up. It was ridiculous. Voice box guy was the third usher to move my group of friends out of an 'aisle'. The last time we were in a corner. I couldn't figure out where to go. On the way home, I heard the announcers lauding The Luke for wide concourses where people can congregate and talk. Yeah right. They treated every conversation like an Al Queda planning meeting. Get a grip, Lucas Oil staff. Start treating your CUSTOMERS like people and not annoyances. I know you are just doing your jobs, but don't let the power go to your head.
- The stands were shockingly empty.
- Dungy talked about keeping 4 QBs. There's no way that happens. Gray is cut. 3-12 with a fumble is inexcusable. He showed no pocket presence or accuracy.
- Courtney Roby did his best to make the team, but injuries may make that impossible. If the Colts keep Saturday off IR, and keep Sorgi even if he's hurt and not really available, I'm not sure that there will be room to keep a guy who ONLY returns kickoffs and would be a 6th WR. I hope he makes it, but keeping 3 QBs would be tough on him
- Jared Lorenzen is horrible, but he could well be a heartbeat away from the throne if Sorgi can't go. Chris Simms? Dante Culpepper? Dare I say....Jeff George? There has to be a better solution than this.
- So long KK. I wish you could have caught that ball last January. I at least wanted you to play ok to showcase your skills to someone else. Dress warm up in Canada, ok pal?
- The biggest cheers of the night were for a replay of MJax picking of Brady to send us to the Super Bowl and for #18 waiving to the crowd on his way out at half time. He was active and throwing on the sidelines (he dressed for the game), and looked fine in pregame workouts. I'd say the Floria/Lombardi train is very close to having officially jumped the tracks.
All in all, we can mercifully close this sordid chapter in Colts preseason history. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to clean my face. My eyes have been bleeding all night. Both from the football I was forced to watch and from my fingers desperately clawing at eyes so as to stop the pain of watching Quinn Gray "play football".
12 comments:
He started off so well. That's the thing about "Potential" players. They'll get you in trouble when you assume they'll improve. Gray got worse. The inaccuracy was there from the start, but the passes started to be caught by the wrong team instead of hitting the turf.
He missed some WIDE OPEN throws. It was ugly.
That's too bad about Roby.
Five preseason games is really too many. I had a Gamecast window open and I think I clicked on it twice; the Packers were on TV but after the first play the only mildly interesting bit was Garrett Weber-Gale showing off his gold medals on the sideline.
Saturday is going to the PUP list which frees up a spot for 6 weeks when the Colts make that determination as to take him off PUP or place him on IR. That will not keep Roby off the team. He has been the only bright spot in the past two crap season games for the Colts and TJ Rushing is on IR so they need a return guy. Garcon is proving he is not superman and I think Aromashadou will be cut along with Hall? Keep in mind Roby is on kick off return, kick off, and punt teams (not punt return). Besides Roby no other kick off returner showed much of anything in the final 3 crap season games. Roby makes it. No question.
My understanding is that Saturday is not eligible for the PUP list becuase he practiced and played in the preseason. The PUP list only covers players who never participated at all in any camp or preseason games.
I could be wrong about that, but I'm fairly sure.
Ask yourself why Garcon didn't show anything...
He was getting passes thrown by Lorenzen and Gray. No wonder he didn't produce. Hall is a special teams gunner. Roby doesn't field punts.
I hope Roby makes it, I really do. I merely believe that a kickoff return specialist is a luxary under tight roster conditions.
Saturday is NOT eligible for the PUP list. Phil B confirmed this for me yesterday. Once you play in pre-season you have to make the team, be cut, or be IR'd.
I think Garcon is on shaky ground. If I had to pick between Garcon and Roby right now I'd chose Roby. BUT I don't see the benefit of keeping 3 QBs. Nobody else is going to sign Hefty. The only way a 3rd QB plays is if both QBs go down in a single game which probably means you are screwed for that game anyway. If PM or JS get hurt one week, then you re-sign Hefty or hopefully someone better the Monday after the game. Keeping Hefty on the roster seems like a complete waste to me. QB's like him are a dime a dozen on the in-season waiver wire.
true, but QBs like him that have worked with your team all preseason aren't. Imagine how bad he'd be if he didn't know what was going on.
If Garcon makes the team and Roby doesn't, no one should be shocked. Preseason game production is simply not that important for a WR (esp. when the QBs are crap personified).
The fourth WR will see playing time on this team. The 4th WR is arguably more important than the kick returner, especially given Marvin's age. Don't forget the Hagler injury either. They have to keep him, and can't PUP him because he'll be ready in a couple of weeks.
Roby may well return kicks for this team before the end of the year, but I'm not sure he's there in week one.
Someone pretty good is going to get cut. I saw a list on Stampede Blue that had Josh Thomas getting cut, something I don't see happening.
Thomas is a run stopper who doesn't stop the run. FO's game charters had him as the worst DE on the team vs the run.
He's a defensive end. He's not a run stopper.
Actually, as I thought about Thomas, I should clarify. Most of last year he played at DE. They did move him inside for the playoff game and moved Reagor outside. Still, the FO stats showed that he was a terrible run player, because he was the primary sub for Freeney for most of they year, and just rushed straight up field.
I could see Thomas getting cut. I didn't really think it was a possibility until I thought about it more. But, yeah, it could happen. I personally think they will put Hagler on PUP. Why? An extra roster spot for the first six weeks. He would come back just in time for @TEN and NE. If he's going to miss 3-4 weeks anyway, I say PUP him. It is just one small solution on a roster with so many tough cut decisions.
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