VrabelJr

There was clearly more than enough talent on that team to win more than 2 games last year. Getting a new (as well as an impromptu interim) Head Coach, a Rookie QB (as good as he has been playing) and a few street veterans is not enough to propel a team from 2-14 to potentially 12-4.

tobias funke

It's fun to joke about but I don't think you've thought this through logistically.

PATSYLICIOUS

They definitely quit. I don't know if they purposely lost, but I'd say the players definitely didn't give it their all. In the first month or so of the season they did play alot of teams very competitively and came within plays of winning quite a few games. Then wen it became apparent they weren't making the playoffs they became downright useless. Clearly quit IMO, it worked out very well for them though.

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MUFC7

If last year isn't a indication that the NFL needs a draft lottery I don't know what will make it change. I would bet that a team will suck again for Manziel (if he will be that got once he can be drafted)

thenepatsrule

Post of the day my friend

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Pujo

My feeling is that a QB really is that important. Do you think Irsay (and it would have had to be Irsay since Caldwell and Polian got canned) gathered the players and said, "lose em all"? If that happened, I'm sure some player would mention it to the media after moving on from the team. I do think having a crap QB disheartens players, but I strongly doubt an intentional flop.

VrabelJr

No but as an owner you have some of the strongest power of sentiment over your team (besides the HC). Irsay wasn't exactly chipper last year. I think there are ways to make your team lose as bad as they did last year without being explicit. The success they are having this year makes that seem even more so.

Brady=Dilf

Wrong. They completely gutted the entire team and installed new schemes on offense and defense. That and the fact they are 7-1 in one score games is why they are 8-4.

Returning starters on offense:
Donald Brown (benched, only started 4 games)
Reggie Wayne
Joe Reitz (hurt, only started 4 games)

Returning starters on defense:
Antoine Bethea
Dwight Freeney (missed 2 games)
Robert Mathis (missed 4 games)
Jerraud Powers (missed 4 games, on IR)
Antonio Johnson
Kavell Conner

This "talent" you speak of from last year is completely gone. You don't keep around scrubs from a 2-14 team. They cut nearly everyone. Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai, Gary Brackett, Tamme is in Denver, Lacey in Detroit. Gonzalez was cut I think and the Pats actually brought him in and then cut him. Their entire LB core except Kavell Conner was cut or not resigned. Angerer lost his job to an ex-CFL player and is now depth.

Look at their offense. Two rookie starting TEs, rookie starting RB, castoff O-linemen, new starting WR, two rookie WRs, and a rookie QB.

The single biggest reason why they went 2-14? No Peyton Manning. Remember that their team is built to win with a lead. That lead comes from having Peyton under center. Once the Colts build a lead, teams are forced to throw against their tampa 2 coverage which was actually very good against the pass. It worked in their favor. That's why the Colts rarely ever blew double digit leads but it did happen a few times.

Now put in a scrub like Curtis Painter under center or Kerry Collins/Dan orlovsky, and that entire philosophy crumbles. How do you get a lead with these guys under center? They suck. That's why they went 2-14. Completely different philosophy this year.

Pujo

That's the thing, I think the owner has some influence, but not that much. Especially when you have a coach playing for his job, players playing for contracts, guys with some pride, etc. Certainly I don't think anything rising to the level of throwing games happened, maybe just feeling dejected and not being able to quite get up for Sundays as well as they're doing this year.

Was Irsay hoping to lose, though? Probably.

The_Riddler

That team made a Business Decision to roll over like a dog when they learned about Peyton's fate last year. No doubt in my mind. They purposely rolled over like puppies to land Luck. Everyone knows it. I posted about it all last season after watching their second half performances in numerous games. Leads mysteriously evaporated, balls were mysteriously dropped and fumbled, on and on and on. It was sickening.

I'll never forget the game against Cincinatti when they had the Bengals beat and Pierre Garcon literally held the ball up in traffic before he went to the ground for no reason whatsoever and he held the ball up allowing 3 Bengals to literally tip it out of his hands for the game winning fumble recovery when the Colts literally had the game won. It was bogus. Why the commisioner never reviewed that game and others is beyond me.

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Hey Rex have you met our new Tightends? Say Hi to Aaron and Gronk !