Cunning Runt Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Not sure myself on this one. Certainly he's done some things differently. He blitzes a bit more than Dungy and in general, the defense flys to the ball. Are Garcon/Collie a result of being coached up or Manning bringing it out in them? Both? Conversely, it can certaonly be said that the Colts are really all about Manning and what he's able to do almost single-handedly. So, I pose the question - how much of the Colts' success is a result of Caldwell's coaching vs. the success they would've had no matter who was coach. For my part, I think they were gonna be tremendously good no matter who was coach and I honestly couldn't say that there's no way they're going to the Super Bowl if Caldwell weren't their coach. Or maybe he's good simply because he realized he didn't need to make changes. The flip-side is that I would think that almost anybody could've figured that out. I'm bored, but please discuss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 (edited) Possible oversimplification, but he inherited the best QB to ever play the game, he definitely has a nice head start. That guy runs the entire offense, try not to screw up the defense too bad, and there's your recipe for success. And I'm quite sure Caldwell isn't the one making Collie and Garcon into good receivers. Edited January 26, 2010 by Hugh 0ne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Pretty much what you both said. He's basically a figurehead riding Manning's coattails, much like Dungy and Mora before him. Caldwell's job is to not mess w/the formula which has worked so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunning Runt Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 The one thing he did bring is more defensive aggressiveness. Dungy seemed to have a "bend, but don't break" mentality. Caldwell's defense is more of a playmaking, attacking defense. Certainly better against the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeR Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 They were bottom 10 vs the run this year FYI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunning Runt Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 They were bottom 10 vs the run this year FYI. Were they? I thought I heard them talking before the game Sunday that they were ranked like 16th. I probably heard wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh 0ne Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Were they? I thought I heard them talking before the game Sunday that they were ranked like 16th. I probably heard wrong. 2009: 24th in yards allowed, 9th in rushing TD's allowed. 2008: 24th in yards allowed, 24th in rushing TD's allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunning Runt Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 2009: 24th in yards allowed, 9th in rushing TD's allowed.2008: 24th in yards allowed, 24th in rushing TD's allowed. Thanks - that's a pretty big improvement on that one stat - an important one. And it's not like the Colts were blowing teams out all year. In a good number of games, teams were able to stick with their running game well into the 4th quarter. I change my mind. Manning has nothing to do with it. It's all Caldwell. Seriously though, you can see that on the field. So for that, I do give him props. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 The Colts have a HC. His name is Manning, the player/coach, the best QB of all time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetsfan Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I guarantee if Secret Squirrel or Norv Turner were coaching the Colts they would be out of the playoffs by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heydave76 Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 I thought the best thing Caldwell did as head coach was fire Ron Meeks and bring in Larry Coyer. The defense seems to be better coached. You don't see a lot of missed tackles like you use to with Meeks. Meeks let the play come to his defense and they got run over a lot. Coyer's defense plays "downhill" and moves forward to the runner. He also drafted guys a little bigger for the defensive line. So, I feel Caldwell's biggest contribution this year has been making the defense better and just leaving the offense alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 He also got rid of the Colts special teams coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmypg Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Give me/anyone a good DC & we can win a SB with that team. We'd probably be going for 19-0 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pope Flick Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Pretty much what you both said. He's basically a figurehead riding Manning's coattails, much like Dungy and Mora before him. Caldwell's job is to not mess w/the formula which has worked so well. Disagree, 100%. You can't ever assign a 14-2 season (which might very well have been better) as coattails. Otherwise, the 1985 Bears would have more than one SB, Marino would have won at least once, etc. He's a good coach with great talent on his team and he's done great things thus far with it. That is never a given, unless you want to believe the other 31 teams are actually rooting for him as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Not sure myself on this one. Certainly he's done some things differently. He blitzes a bit more than Dungy and in general, the defense flys to the ball. Are Garcon/Collie a result of being coached up or Manning bringing it out in them? Both? Conversely, it can certaonly be said that the Colts are really all about Manning and what he's able to do almost single-handedly. So, I pose the question - how much of the Colts' success is a result of Caldwell's coaching vs. the success they would've had no matter who was coach. For my part, I think they were gonna be tremendously good no matter who was coach and I honestly couldn't say that there's no way they're going to the Super Bowl if Caldwell weren't their coach. Or maybe he's good simply because he realized he didn't need to make changes. The flip-side is that I would think that almost anybody could've figured that out. I'm bored, but please discuss. I heard Manning the other day giving props to reggie wayne for developing these 2 receivers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrudge Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Pretty much what you both said. He's basically a figurehead riding Manning's coattails, much like Dungy and Mora before him. Caldwell's job is to not mess w/the formula which has worked so well.Disagree, 100%. You can't ever assign a 14-2 season (which might very well have been better) as coattails. Otherwise, the 1985 Bears would have more than one SB, Marino would have won at least once, etc. He's a good coach with great talent on his team and he's done great things thus far with it. That is never a given, unless you want to believe the other 31 teams are actually rooting for him as well.I'm right in the middle of both of you. I think it's both. All coaches that take over for a successful team and continue on that success ride partially on their predecessor's and existing players coattails. I would put Mike Tomlin in the same boat. However as as Pope Flick said, you can't attribute 16-2 to just coattails. There obviously has to be something there. I think it's a bit to early to judge Caldwell Head Coaching career after just one season, so I would put a hold on that Canton bust. But it's not just ALL coattails One thing that I think some people forget is that he's been with the team for 7 years prior. If anyone has a right to ride the coattails some, I think he is one that can. He's riding them a lot less then what say Jon Gruden rode Dungy's in Tampa Bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 (edited) I agree. It's too early to call. Seifert road what Walsh built with the 49ers. Gruden road what Dungy built to the Super Bowl. The next few years will tell us a lot about Caldwell. If they win the Super Bowl, resting starters was the right strategy. Edited January 28, 2010 by CaptainHook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmypg Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I agree. It's too early to call. Seifert road what Walsh built with the 49ers. Gruden road what Dungy built to the Super Bowl. The next few years will tell us a lot about Caldwell. If they win the Super Bowl, resting starters was the right strategy. I disagree with that. It makes it an alright strategy but not necessarily right. If they played they could be 18-0 & making history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 (edited) I disagree with that. It makes it an alright strategy but not necessarily right. If they played they could be 18-0 & making history. Or they could be out of the play-offs. If they beat the Jets in Week 16, which they would have, the Jets miss the post-season, and most likely the Colts have to face the Chargers in the playoffs. That hasn't gone so well the last two years. Edited January 28, 2010 by CaptainHook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrudge Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 I disagree with that. It makes it an alright strategy but not necessarily right. If they played they could be 18-0 & making history.The primary goal of any team is to win the superbowl. That's what every team plays for. If they can do that, then whatever path that they took there was a "right" one to reach their primary goal. That doesn't mean that other paths were wrong, or that other paths could have taken them past better things along the way. Those paths could also have been right, but since they are blind paths and you can't see what's ahead there is also risks in taking those paths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 (edited) With the inuries the Colts has sustained in the playoffs (Powers hurt his foot and missed the AFC Championship, Freeney sprained his ankle at the end against the Jets, Addai was banged up in both games) it's hard not to argue with protecting against injuries. Like cdrudge said, the ultimate goal is winning the Super Bowl. It's hard to argue with what the Colts did at this point. Edited January 28, 2010 by CaptainHook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrudge Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 It's hard to argue with what the Colts did at this point.Agreed. However I do think its perfectly reasonable to debate "if only" or "what if". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Agreed. However I do think its perfectly reasonable to debate "if only" or "what if". Yep. Sadly, we will never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detlef Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 You absolutely have to give Caldwell plenty of credit for where the Colts are. Obviously he has the best game manager behind center the league has ever seen and there's a relatively long list of coaches who could have taken this team to the SB this year. But that list doesn't include all of them. Besides, let's not compare this to a Walsh v Seifert deal because Dungy didn't win multiple SBs and completely revolutionize the entire league the way Walsh did. Seifert was handed the keys to a team that was the unquestioned best team in the league for some time. The Colts haven't even been that in their own conference for the last 5 years. This certainly isn't to say the Caldwell could take a lesser team this far, but you have to give him props. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timmypg Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 My point is how many people can say who won the 73 SB? Everyone knows the 72 Dolphins because they made history. While I agree that going into a season winning the SB is your goal things can change. Hell, he played Wayne & Clark in week 17 to get them 100 catches each. That's a relatively useless stat that he risked injuries for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.