BGO Blind Pig: Week 8 at Indianapolis Colts

[Boone]

On this week's Blind Pig, the guys talk about the potential return and future of Chase Young, the nail-biter vs. Green Bay, and wax poetically about what we hope our Commanders do to the reeling Colts and their first-time QB starter this Sunday in Indy. Special Guest: Kel Varnsen

Oh - and SELL THE TEAM!

 

[Canadian Hog]

Great episode, gentlemen! Also great to hear the input of the legend, Kel Varnsen!

I really liked the Chase Young conversation. Would I trade him?

I think there are a couple things you need to take into consideration:

a) Resources - while it has been great all this time being able to trot out four first rounders on the D-line, we all know that sooner or later guys are going to want to get paid. We have had the luxury for the most part (minus Allen) of paying these guys based on their rookie contracts to this point. The day is soon coming where they are all going to want to get paid as we all know. I think we all knew in the back of our minds that when push comes to shove, the reality is that we would likely be able to keep two of them long-term. If we are really lucky, maybe a third can stick around if we get creative with the salary cap, while simultaneously not ignoring other areas of need on the team down the road.

b) Is Montez Sweat the real deal? If the answer to that question is yes, and you believe that he can consistently be a game wrecker, you might have to think long and hard about moving Young, especially if he can net you a large haul. I read something earlier this week indicating that the Panthers were turning down two first rounder for Brian Burns. If Young brings you something very comparable in return and you really like what Sweat brings to the table, maybe you role with Montez and don't look back.

c) Confidence in the FO's ability to draft - the best teams in the league are able to bring in productive, cheap labour via the draft. How do we feel about the job Rivera and his staff have done in terms of replacing talent via the draft? There have been some definite hits, but questions marks as well. In many regards, it has been a mixed bag. It's one thing to get a bunch of picks back in return for a talent like Young, it's a completely different animal to be able to put those picks to good use. Am I confident Rivera and his staff can make good on draft capital in exchange for Young? The jury is still out on that one...

All in all, it is a very hard question to answer with no definitive and obvious answer. That said, if you are convinced that Montez Sweat can prove himself to be a top five rusher in the NFL by season's end, I would certainly be listening to offers.

 

[Bulldog]

Great point.

When drafting players and signing free agents teams have to consider the starting 22 overall and the placement of talent and salary at each level of the offense and defense.

Teams can't uber-spend on any one position (perhaps outside of qb) and be successful for long.

Dallas spent so much draft capital and salary on the OL for years that it prevented them from being able to improve their defense and depth overall and that cost them.

Washington took 4 first rounders on the DL and the calculus I made was that ultimately you can only afford to pay TWO of the four a megabucks contract, most likely ONE of the DTs and ONE of the DEs.

That decision is now in front of us. Allen is signed long-term, so who gets the second contract?

Allen is a better player than Payne and no doubt Payne has benefited from playing next to him. So, trading him to me is the best way to recoup assets and move on. Whether this team gets any added value for him beyond the mandated league compensation is unlikely given Ron's stance on trading players at the deadline.

Ron Rivera: 'Men, we are in there for the fight to 7-9! We can't afford to lose any soldiers!'.

 

[DieselPwr44]

Listened to the pod on the road today and enjoyed the conversation.

Wholeheartedly agree on the sentiment about Turner needing to craft his offense around Heinicke,just do not think he possesses the ability to do that.

And to address Boone's point about keeping Heinicke in the pocket to keep him safe/not getting hurt: Wouldn't rolling him out do just that by getting him away from the three weakest links on the Oline(guard and center)?

On the trade front: I think you keep Young to find out if he can return to form as a dynamic pass rusher/disrupter.
Do not know what they have in Mathis,which is why I wish they would've kept one of Ioannidis or Settle for depth. Would make trading Payne easier(according to Sheehan,teams have called with interest on him) but they've never had any foresight in such matters which is why they always get stuck in a tight spot.

Good discussion fellas,keep up the great work!

 

[Boone]

I have no problem with rolling TH out - in fact I was screaming for a few designed runs and especially at the goal line. I was more referencing why they may not be keen on RPO style plays.

That’s what I thought Derek was suggesting - having Heinicke use his legs to make plays.

 

[SilentThreat]

I have no problem with rolling TH out - in fact I was screaming for a few designed runs and especially at the goal line. I was more referencing why they may not be keen on RPO style plays.

That’s what I thought Derek was suggesting - having Heinicke use his legs to make plays.

I hope I clarified.. i'm more about play action bootlegs, moving the pocket and letting him get OUT of a collapsing pocket. Get out from behind the line and give himself options.. not necessarily to run, but more to threaten it. One or Two broken pockets where Heinicke can create yards on a designed roll out forces the defense to respect sideline to sideline. Maybe create a spy LB situation, creating a better match up on the back end when you pull an LB down to simply watch the QB. I don't want him putting himself in harms way... just want to add an element to the offense to win matchups against the defense. Not a 2012 RG3 offense... more of a Pat Mahomes / Russ Wilson offense. Moving pockets....

 

[Boone]

You did clarify, I just misunderstood you initially

I have mixed feelings about it honestly - because I'm not sure how good TH really can be without the threat of scrambling. We saw last season, the more they reigned him in, the less effective he was. So it's a 'pick your poison' scenario.

 

[Om]

Interesting comment by Scott Turner yesterday ... including noting that Green Bay put 1-2 spies on Taylor in certain situations to keep him from killing them with rush yards (he had 90 against them last season). I also learned that Green Bay came into the game with the #1 rated 3rd-down defense--after starting 0-4, we went 7-12 on 3d downs the rest of the way, including converting four of those in "long yardage" (3rd-and-7 or more) situations.

 

[DieselPwr44]

 

[Bulldog]

The fact that Green Bay strategized to spy Taylor on key third downs in the game doesn't really change the fact Washington can use him on earlier downs on rolls and keepers to pick up yardage when teams are playing a straight up DL-LB front seven and don't bring a safety down or substitute in for a hybrid linebacker with speed.

It's exactly how the Ravens beat the Bucs last night. The Bucs were able to hold Baltimore to 3 points for a long while because the Ravens were predictably running the ball on first down off tackle or trying to throw short to Andrews who the Bucs were going to double as the primary threat.

In the fourth quarter the OC for the Ravens put the ball in Jackson's hands on FIRST down and he gained a good bit of yardage on those controlled plays, which in turn opened up the middle of the field so Jackson could throw the ball against man coverage.

That's the reason Turner needs to DIVERSIFY what he is doing and not be so predictable in when certain plays are going to be utilized.

It's not that the team has to run a flea flicker off a reverse every drive, but SOME degree of independence from the conventional would be nice to see.

Yes, we finally got the ball to Terry McLaurin and he was finally able to score TD #2 on the season.

But 5 catches? His high for the year is 6.

He clearly isn't being targeted enough on the short and intermediate throws to get him and the offense started early in these games.

The 16.3 yards per catch average is nice.

But not having the 7-8 yard slants and 10-15 yard crosses in our playbook really cuts down on our ability to scheme the downs, keep the ball at times and get the ball out quickly given the state of the OL as pass blockers.

 

[Chris]

If you all would have let Patrick do his prediction last…you could have closed it with Kel.