COLTS SQUAD SHOW: Early STATEMENT Game | How the Colts Can Put the AFC On Notice With Big Debut

0:00This is the Lockdown Podcast Network celebrating 10 years of your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by the Dell XPS. I'm Wes Goldberg from Lockdown NBA Daily and Lockdown Heat. So what does it feel like to have a better laptop like the Dell XPS powered by Intel Core? With a premium design that's thin and light, it feels smooth. With a responsive touch screen, it feels fast and precise. And with long lasting battery life, it feels like non-stop energy with a laptop that can keep up. Built for those who want better, the Dell XPS. Built for you. Welcome to the Cold Squad Show. I'm Derek Schultz and football. Football. That's all I got to say. And I'm Zach Hicks and we've already had a major quarterback injury and a deep passenger appearance on the defense on a duck thrown by quarterback. The NFL is officially back, baby.

1:00And I'm Alan Pickett, former Euler. And my concern is, can the cult stop the rushing attack of the Ravens? We will discuss. Cold Nation, rise up. It's the Cold Squad. Everything Indianapolis Colts every week. Covering all the big hits and game-changing plays from the Circle City. The way only the Lockdown Podcast Network can. It's time to squad up the cult squad show starts now. Welcome to the Cold Squad Show. Today's show brought to you by CalShi for a limited time download the CalShi app and use code Lockdown to get $10. When you trade $10, I'm Derek Schultz, longtime and sports stalker. I'm joined by an other name legend in longtime NFL running back home. And get along with Lockdown. And then we'll talk about the Colts Daily Host Zach Hicks, Jake Arthur, who will return coming up here at a later show as well. Our good friend and Lockdown Colts hit host Will Starlipper for our Sunday post game show after the Colts. debut for the 2026 season.

2:02As Zach had mentioned, the NFL season returned tonight. And we've already got stuff to talk about as far as the NFL season is concerned. It officially returns for the Colts though on Sundays. They play host of the Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium. We'll dive right into that matchup on tonight's show, including where the Colts can take advantage in this Baltimore matchup. A new center for the Ravens. How we need carved up Jesse Minter last year when they were out in LA, etc. We'll talk about that in segment number one. What a win over Baltimore would mean to send a message that they're going to pick off where they pick up where they left off pre-Jones injury. I mean, you guys have seen the national prognostications for the Colts, right? They're very tepid. Tepid too bad. I mean, a lot of people nationally expecting this to be a bottom 13. What a win over the Ravens would mean for the Colts. Should they be able to pull it off this week to raise people's eyebrows and alert them to, hey, this is still the team from the first half of 2025. That's back now and healthy and better than ever.

3:03Segment number three of the first five weeks. The most important portion of the season for the Colts. And how many wins to feel good about where they are? Well, no, this is an arduous stretch to open up the season. We'll talk about that coming up later on the show and then sleepers surprises, Super Bowl picks always fun. We'll make sure to delete the evidence after the fact after we make our Super Bowl picks because those always seem to go south. But we'll talk about that coming up here in segment number four. But Zach, I wanted to start here with the matchup, right? This is the Wednesday show for the Wednesday squad show. We're going to spend a lot of time talking about the upcoming opponent. But besides the hearts, I think it's a big challenge. Especially in the genesis of the Thursday. So that's a great issue. Of course in week one, it's the Baltimore Ravens. A team that the Colts are very familiar with. Where can they take advantage in your eyes in this Baltimore matchup? Besides the fact that they've got a new center at starter and certainly go over Stuart. And and to force Buckner up front, are hoping to take advantage of that particular matchup. But besides that kind of where else do you see where the Colts can potentially take advantage?

4:05coaching staff that really the viscerated Jesse Minter's defense last year. And honestly, if you want to expand that to just the defensive like mines in charge of this Baltimore defense, he also tore apart the dolphins in week one, which the Ravens defense coordinator came from the dolphins this last season as well. So Shane Slycan really had answers for both these defensive minds that we're going to see here in Baltimore. Now that's not a one-to-one comparison. We're not going to just see the exact same replica of what happened in those games. In this week one game, but a lot of what Jesse Minter wanted to do last year with the chargers was dropping to quarters coverage, not really disguised too much of it over the course of the year, dropping to quarters and have these match principles in quarters. And Slycan was very comfortable just throwing the ball to the flats over and over and over and forcing these guys to come up and make tackles on Tyler Warren. Make tackles on Michael Pittman Jr. And then when they did come up to try to make those tackles, then they isolated Alex Pierce on the outside, had a couple deep shots to Pierce, had some one-on-one comebacks and curls on the outside to Pierce.

5:08And it was just a miserable experience for Minter's defense and probably the worst defensive game that Minter called all last season just because there was just no answers for what the cults were doing. So I think in terms of matchups, the cults in Shane Slycan have gotten the better of Minter in the past. And a lot of what Minter wants to do is something that Shane Slycan can take advantage of. He's a fairly static zone coverage oriented defensive coach. And Shane Slycan just feast on those type of coaches over time. We've seen that time and time again. In terms of the cults defense, it's going to be a challenge because I do think the cults want to play a lot more man coverage this season. But there are a couple quarters. Actually, don't want to play man coverage against. And I would say Lamar Jackson is one of them. You can still disrupt things if you do man coverage against him. But you have to be sure as hell and your rush lanes rushing the passer that he is not going to escape the pocket because if you bring six guys against a quarterback like Lamar and he gets out of the pocket, that could be a 60 yard touchdown run. That could be a 70 yard touchdown run. You just can't take that risk sometimes

6:11as a defense. So overall, though, I think just having the advantage of the force Buckner and Grover Stewart versus their young interior, they're overall offensive line. In my opinion, it's not one of the better ones in football. And if you're the cults, maybe you're salivating a little bit at the thought of that having again Grover Stewart and Buckner going against a bit of a weaker interior. And you need those guys to be wrecking balls because if the cults can just get by in this game rushing just for maybe occasionally bringing a fifth guy and zoning out the back end of the defense, that would be great because if you have to go to man coverage, like I said, against Lamar, it could lead to some disastrous results. So overall, I do like how the cults match up in this game, though. I think they have as long as their starters are on the field, defensively at least. I think they have the advantage in the defensive trenches, which is, I don't know how often we're going to say that this year. I think they're defensive backs match up well with these wider receivers. And then again, on the other side of the ball, the cults offense last year was so lethal against mentors, defense. And I don't expect to see like this drastically different style of defense from Inter. I don't think he's going to draw a whole new game plan based off of one opponent or anything like that. Like he'll

7:15do some different things. I'm sure he'll pull out some man coverage concepts that to really try to like get on these wider receivers. I think they're going to stack the box early in four Stainel Jones to throw the ball on them to really test that Achilles early in this game. But the cults can answer that early test. I think they have a good advantage here against this Ravens defense. Well, I hope I don't sound too much like an echo. There are lots of things I agree with what you said from an offensive standpoint. I think the cults do have an advantage. First of all, Baltimore is a team that likes to play three linebackers. I'm sure that with the cults sets, they'll probably bring in a nickel because three linebackers is just going to be a match up made in hell for that particular defense. And I can guarantee you that the one person that's watching that film from last year, the charger film from last year,

8:16the one person who's watching it more than anybody else is mentor trying to figure out how do I stop this guy? But you know, when I was down in Westfield and watching practice did get the opportunity to listen to Saw Scardner, talk about Shane Stuykin and said he said he's a top three play collar in the league. You know, so I think Shane's ability to pick apart a defense. I mean, he's a wizard when it comes to, you know, calling the right play or having the right offense. Now, the players have to follow through the players have to execute can't have dropped balls can't have stupid penalties and got to have people healthy. If if Baltimore plays zone against the Colts, the Colts will blow them off the field. I'll just say that because

9:17the one thing, the one adjustment of I think that mentor could make is they start squatting on somebody's routes because yeah, you, whether it's quarters or any type of zone, you know, you still have a field for where the receiver's going to break where the receiver's going to sit, you know, and I anticipate the Colts will layer the routes so that they create an, you know, an over under type of scenario for the defense have to make a choice. But I think with the play makers of Colts have playing zone. I mean, Daniel Jones might throw for 350. So I do see an advantage with the offense because his offense is finally on all cylinders. The other thing that that happens is, you know, teams are geared up to stop Jonathan Taylor, you know, and I mean, he rushes for all these yards, but

10:17he doesn't usually rush for him till the second half. So they waste a lot of time just trying to stack the line of scrimmage to stop the run Colts aren't trying to run in the first half. They're just trying to spread everybody out and get everybody tired. And then you Jonathan Taylor is the hammer. Now, defensively, I don't know if the Colts have an advantage. I do like what you said, Zach, about before Buckner and Grover Stewart being there to sort of, you know, create a solid middle to stop some of the running. But Lamar Jackson is the scariest quarterback to play in the NFL. You know, so the fact that this Colts defense does not have a history of putting pressure on the quarterback may not be a bad thing as long as everybody establishes lane integrity with their rush. Don't have to get to Lamar.

11:18But if you can just conceal him, you know, just keep him in the pocket because he is so dangerous. And then I also wonder about, you know, the running of Derek Henry, although, you know, a little cat has been let out of the bag. Yeah, I for as big as he is, don't try to tackle him. Just try to knock the ball out. You know, and I think that has gotten in his head now because he is a brutal runner. And it just is nothing more than he would like to have a DB try to square up on him and tackle him. But I think it's in his head now where sometimes ball security and thinking about the ball and holding onto the ball after you fumbled a few times. That takes over in your mind instead of getting that extra yard. This is no, I need to hold onto the ball. That can take away from your ability to freelance out there running.

12:22You know, so I hope that, you know, guys can have a swat at that ball and get in his head. And I think the Colts defense has the advantage in the defensive backfield. But I still see this Colts offense is one that's tight in reliant. They really like to feature those tight ends. And to me, it's a little bit of bully ball that they're able to play. And, you know, what I mean by bully ball is they give, they throw the ball to much bigger receivers where much smaller DBs have to tackle them. And just get it down the field. I know they've got Zay flowers and some speed on the outside. But I think they sort of rely on trying to be physical with you out physical you on offense. But I think the Colts clearly have the advantage in the defensive backfield covering those receivers.

13:29So it shapes up as a very, very interesting matchup. Yeah, I just wonder kind of what we're going to see that's different because there's a lot of things different from if we're just talking about the steak and mentor mentor aspect of it. There's a lot of things different like this is a whole new team, you know, Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson and, you know, he's a head coach and not a coordinator anymore. So you've got the offensive side and the defensive side as well. I know coaches have ten CZAC, but how much of what we're expecting to see on Sunday will be sort of tweaks to wholesale changes of what we saw in LA last week, because I think it's easy to just say, well, Sticon dumped on him in LA. So that means this is going to repeat again. And I'm not saying that that's not going to happen because Shane Sticon is that good, but clearly Jesse Mentor's got different person all the work with and some different mentalities and tweaks to bring to the table this time around. Yeah, I mean, the biggest expactors going to be Tray Hendrickson, you know, last year at this time in this game, the chargers didn't have that bonafide like top pass rusher that could just impact the game.

14:36They had a lot of injuries up front. Clule Mac was banged up for that matchup. A Chen and a Wo Su was a little bit out of just taking out of that game early. So the chargers didn't really have that clear bucket getter at the defensive end spot in that game where Tray Hendrickson is that player and that can be a huge difference in games like this. I will say though, I mean, the difference between like a Darwin James versus Kyle Hamilton, you know, I think it's a similar type of player that the culture able to scheme around last year. So overall, yeah, Mentor is going to bring some adjustments to this. I think they're going to be pretty blitz heavy and I think they're going to play a lot of man coverage because again, they're going to dare the Colts with Alec Pearson and Daniel Jones to beat them early because those guys are coming off injuries. And they're going to dare them early like we saw with Wilson last year with the dolphins in that first game. They had like a blitz rate of like 48% against the Colts in the first game. The Colts answered the call in that one, but there were games later on where they didn't answer the call against the blitz. So they're going to come out here and be aggressive against this Colts offense. And it's going to be on the Colts to really match that energy.

15:37But if they can hit a big shot early in the game to pierce or downs or whoever, then I think that opens up everything and it can get it back to being what it was last year where. Mentor and them want to get back to playing some quarters and you know, you're going to be kind of stuck allowing the flat shots and they're the flats open and getting guys after the catch. So I think the Colts can open up this game pretty well. It's just they got to answer the call when when those blitzes come early and often. We all know that the national NFL prognosticators have been down on this year's Colts. How far would a win on Sunday over the Ravens go and showing that this indie team needs to be taken seriously will discuss when the Colts squad show returns next. This portion of the Colts squad show brought you by Quo spelled Q U O the business phone system built so you never miss a call for business. For businesses every call can be an opportunity and missing one can mean missing a customer, Quo brings calls, texts and voice meals together in one place. So teams can see the full conversation respond quickly and stay organized.

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17:48We're back on the locked on cold squad show. Thanks so much for joining us. It is NFL game week, regular season week is the Colts prepare for the Ravens and alongside locked on Colts daily host. Zach Hicks and former NFL are Alan Pinkett. I'm Derek Schultz. I'd love to have you here. Thanks for everybody in the YouTube comments as well hanging out. Want to remind you as we always do to not forget to check out the every day or club. Add free episodes and access to a group chat with Jake Zach and other listeners with lots of Colts. Just have the link of the show notes or go to locked on podcast.com slash every day or club. So statement game right it's week one. We've fallen into this trap before where it's over reaction week kind of nationally as far as the results are concerned. I think the best example ever and I'm reaching into the way back machine here. Lawyer Maloy and the bills shutting out the Patriots in week one. I think that was in the 2003 season. It's like 38 nothing or something like that. Of course the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl that year and you thought at the time. Oh boy. There are some trouble here. So I understand that one game is one game is one game.

18:52Alan you played you know that better than everybody else right but there's something about this to me. It's the Ravens. Not that they're a super bowl favorite or anything like that but when you look at most of the prognostications. They have the Ravens I think firmly as a top third team and an upper echelon team in the AFC. If not the entire NFL. And I think a lot of people at the same time those same folks have the Colts. They're in the late teams to early 20s. Not a basement team but in some cases a bottom third team and pretty universally I've seen them as a bottom half team. I've not seen anybody nationally. You guys can tell me if I'm wrong that has the Colts in the upper half. So not that it matters what people are saying nationally after week one in the season. But how far could Sunday's game if the Colts were to win go in reminding people's act of the first half 2025 team that we saw. Really kind of take the NFL by storm and not only be the most efficient offense in the NFL but one of the most efficient offenses in NFL history through seven eight weeks.

19:56Yeah, I mean it would go a long way just optics wise, you know getting fans back on board getting national media back on board with what this Colts team could be. Ultimately I don't think it means that much on the whole for the whole season. I mean 17 there's 17 games right they all matter exactly the same. That's just the nature of the beast. I guess you could say games against AFC teams matter a tiny bit more than games against NFC teams but aside from that. Yeah, you want to perform well in all these games. It's such a small sample size at every game matters. But yeah, the first game for sure. You want to start off on the right foot get out there want to know and make sure that people could remember what you were last season. But for me, I always struggle with the week one game because I think it is just the most chaotic and just it's the game like look again all these games matter this about the same. But in terms of like judging a team off their results in week one, I do think week one kind of matters the least. I mean the Patriots lost to the Raiders in week one last year and then they won 14 games and went to the Super Bowl.

20:59It's such a chaotic week for football because teams are really trying to figure out who the heck they are. If anything like trying to figure out what works what doesn't getting used to new play callers and new new staffs like like the Ravens are going to be in this game. So I do think like there is an advantage to like, Hey, if you can pull out a win in this insanely chaotic wild wild west in the first game of the season. Then yeah, it does mean a lot because you basically stole a win that like it's as a coin flip in the first game. But outside of that, I don't put a ton of stock into it. It would be great to get a win, but it really matters just seeing the trends throughout the season. So I know I'm coming at this from a very analytics mindset instead of like the emotional family. Yeah, momentum, carry the momentum into week two and week three and just keep running it through like, yeah, that would be awesome. And the Frank right quote or whatever like keep climbing that mountain would be great. But ultimately, you know, do you can in week one and it's a long season and try to figure out your way after that.

21:59But yeah, I mean, it would be great for revives at least, right? For fans, for national people, just for talk for talking heads like us. It would be awesome for vibes to get a win in this first game against the Baltimore Ravens. In a team that I think, you know, they might start a little slow because they are adjusting to a lot of new things. But I do think by the end of the year, the Ravens are going to be a pretty good football team. Well, I mean, let's let's consider now that if the cults win this first game, it would be deemed an upset because Baltimore is a three and a half point favorite. And usually when you play at home, you're the three point favorite. So it would, I think it should be a motivating type of thing for the cults to, you know, for the national media and the bookies to doubt that what they did in the first half of the season last year was a fluke.

23:01But, you know, when I look at this game in the first five games, you know, I'd look, I'd be happy if they were two and three over that stretch. Three and two would be a bonus. But I would rather see them ascending as the year goes along and not petering out. So I'm looking for them to get better as the season goes along and not really just, you know, throw everything at the Ravens to try and win this one game. Each game is important. I understand that. I think it would shock some people if the cults were able to end up victorious in this particular game. And, you know, I think they've got the goods to be able to win, especially in offense. I think this team is going to make its a make its money on the offensive side of the ball.

24:02So if they can be that scoring machine that I anticipate, then should be a good day. But look, you haven't had Daniel Jones take a real snap yet. The forest buckner hasn't taken a real snap yet. And I know their vets and they they understand, but it's, you know, not playing any preseason. Sometimes, you know, preseason is played at one speed. And then in the regular season at ramps up, you know, so to just rely on the fact that you're a veteran. And you know what game speed is. No, you need to, yeah, as you say, Zach, you know, being a spot where the bullets are flying. And, you know, so that you know what ramping up means. So don't be somewhat of an adjustment. But I think the cults are fine. And the fact that this is Daniel Jones second year with this offense, you're going to get improved play from Tyler Warren.

25:08Because he knows this offense now. Yeah, I think the keen and Allen addition really makes this offense, you know, one of those possibly unstoppable offenses. And like I said, if they play zone, they play zone, Daniel Jones will have a field day. But if they do bring pressure, I think the culture and the situation is like, yeah, bring it. You know, because we'll bust one, you know, and this offense is designed to get the ball out quick anyway. You know, they're going to have to disguise their stuff because I think Daniel Jones is smart enough to see if they tip it. One way or the other, he'll make his adjustment and find the open guy. But it would mean a lot. I think the nation would be surprised if the cults one, but they would temper their enthusiasm because it's the first game.

26:13But, you know, remember last year when I came on, you remember the sequence. You want to win your first game. You want to win your home games. And you want to win your division, you do those things. All you want is a shot in the playoffs because anything can happen in the playoffs. But I'm not going to put all of my eggs in the first game basket because I would prefer for them to be learning in these first four or five games. Usually it takes about four games for you to figure out who you are personality wise. You know, I would rather see them ascending at the end. I would, I would rather flip last year and have those last eight games played like the first eight games or, yeah, I know 17 new math. But that's sort of where I sit. One thing I want to throw in there, though, too, is again, with the first week being such a wild wild west, essentially, I really think that one of the deciding factors for early games will be continuity.

27:21Right. And what we saw, what we're seeing tonight, for instance, with the C-ox and Patriots, like maybe this age is poorly, but we're seeing a disgustingly sloppy football game where both teams look horrendous in this game. Patriots are breaking in some new weapons on what on the offense and they're still like kind of adjusting to what that's going to mean for their team this year. The C-ox, obviously, are dealing with not having their good quarterback out there. They're having a bad quarterback out there instead. And that's leading some really sloppy play. So I think overall though, just the continuity, like how many returning players you have now doesn't mean that much for the whole season, maybe not, but I think in the week one game, where things are just. Again, so chaotic having a little bit of continuity and having guys who know each other, where like the Ravens are being breaking in a new coach, new offensive coordinator, new defense, a coordinator, new. Some new things as well, like I do think that could be tough a new center as well. I have a new center out there. I think that could be a bit tough for the Ravens. So I do think this can be a really close game. I would love to see the the colds come out on top, but again, I'm with Alan, like I prefer to study the last stretch of the season more than the first stretch of the season.

28:29Even though like again, we saw some great things early last year from the Colts, who knows what the second half would look like if they actually had a quarterback, they didn't. And in a falling on their face. So yeah, I would love to see them start fast again, but I really want to just see them ascending towards the end of the year, which they haven't done since 2018. And you mentioned ascending towards the end of the year. I mean the best team of the Bowered era started one in five, right? They lost their opener since an adi, I think at home that year, if I remember right in 2018. And then of course, second half of the season was like the direct opposite of the 2025 team. But I do think guys there's something to I mean, I remember we all got together after the Miami game last year and we were kind of like holy crap like what just happened here. And I think the expectations are higher for the Colts now than they were then at least locally. But there is something to like that first impression, right? And even if it's some familiar faces like, you know, Daniel Jones was new last year, he's not new now, obviously same for some other key players and things like that.

29:34I do think there's something to just kind of coming out and and banging your fist on the table in week one and doing it against a Baltimore team that pretty universally is regarded as a great player. So it's going to sound like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, but part of me's kind of like, well yeah, if the Colts are going to be who Carly, Ursa Gordon, and the Colts franchise essentially sold us into them being, which was the first half team of last year, then I'm expect them to come out guns ablaze and on Sunday and hit the ground. stuff all the time. So it's going to sound like I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth, but part of me is kind of like, well, yeah, if the Colts are going to be who Carly Urse Gordon and the Colts franchise essentially sold us into them being, which was the first half team of last year, then I'm expecting them to come out guns ablaze and on Sunday and hit the ground running and being the team that they were through Halloween last year. Yeah, and one thing I will add to this is just like, I think part of why we got so excited last year at the Miami game was the Colts had one of season opener in like nine years. That's it. Yeah. So it's almost like the like the the curses off now. So I don't know how

30:34big of an impact it would have really like again, I think it would go a long way for the Colts fans, right? Like I think the athletic did another poll again like they did last year. We're last year. We were the most pessimistic fan base this year. We were like the fifth most pessimistic fan base going into the season. So a slight improvement, but still very, very pessimistic going into the year. But I do think it would improve things that they win this week one game, but I get it like we saw last year. It's a long season. A lot of stuff and trials and tribulations coming up for this team. It would be great to start with a win, but you know, we still have a lot of football if they don't start with a win in this game. This game against Baltimore kicks off a very difficult stretch, only two home games. Several playoff favorites mixed in there. A trip overseas are the Colts already embarking on the most critical portion of their season starting on Sunday. We'll talk about that when the squad show returns next. This portion of the Colts squad show brought you by Fan Duel. Welcome to your most rewarding NFL season ever only on Fan Duel. How rewarding are we talking?

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32:48Rolling right along here. Midweek edition of the Lockdown Colts Squad Show. Appreciate you being here. I'm Derek Schultz. Zach Hicks. Alan Pinkett is here as well. Jake Arthur will join us again in a future squad show as will our buddy Will Star Lipper is we've got three of the five 60% full for a Colts Squad show tonight. So we're talking about this week one game against Baltimore. That's really what we've been focusing on. And that's going to be a theme of our midweek show Wednesday night. We're going to be kind of doing a pony preview stuff and all of that throughout the year. But really this is just one of a stretch of five. And this happened when we did the scheduled release reaction show, right? Where you looked at the first five games you thought, oh boy, you know Baltimore at home at Kansas City and prime time on Sunday night football Houston who is pretty much universally regarded as the AFC South favorite in that defense. Washington overseas and then at Pittsburgh, which if you're a longtime Colts fan, I you can play Pittsburgh on Jupiter. I don't care. Anytime the Colts play this dealers, generally speaking bad things happen. Those are the first five games this year.

33:51So while it matters that you're playing your best football in December and January and all of that and we're a long way from that, I think a lot of people have circled this opening portion as what's going to tell you a lot about what this team is going to be. Zach and so I mean, I was kind of looking at this and thinking and maybe to distill it down to this, you know, even five games. That's not even a third of the season, right? But if you're looking at these first five and you're saying yourself, okay, what do the Colts need to do here to feel good about where they are after five weeks? Do you have a number in mind? I know you're a process guy. So is it about how they look in these first five games? And then what do you think about just this opening stretch here overall? Yeah, I mean, overall, again, I think the process matters more than anything else. And like you mentioned, it's five games out of a long season and with that long, like these are going to be five of the tougher opponents you play. Oh, yeah, maybe not Washington, but I'm going to say that right now and they'll probably end up being the Colts. I don't want to be too crazy with that. But

34:54like, you know, these are some of their tougher matchups, especially with the travel involved as well, like going to Kansas City, going all the way overseas against Washington and then the quick turn around back to Pittsburgh, that play in a place that they've been cursed for a long time in playing at Pittsburgh. That is a bit of a tough turnaround for this team. But I do think it's going to matter a lot more to the pundits and the fans and like the vibes more so than the actual season itself. But it really could leak into the locker room as well, right? You don't want to start one in four, or oh, and five or anything like that because again, that's when players start the finger pointing and that's when you start getting in your own head and maybe we're not that good of a team. So obviously like every game matters, every win matters. And if you start, you know, in a hole, one in four, oh, and five, it is hard to climb out of that hole, right? Like we saw last year of the Colts when they started off so fast, it wasn't necessarily like, oh, they're this great team that's going to win a suitable, but it was like now the margin for error is a lot easier down the stretch. Now it didn't account for them having to go to a 40 year old quarterback and playing

35:55the best teams in football and losing to all them down the stretch, but that's kind of the part of the early season schedule. Now when it comes to this being the most important stretch of the season, I just don't think it is. The second half of the year is always the most important part of the season. How you finish, how healthy you are down the stretch, and how you're playing down the stretch. And we saw that last year, they didn't deserve to make the playoffs because they weren't healthy and they weren't playing good football down the stretch. And they were losing all these games. So yeah, I want them to stay afloat in these early games, especially with the tough travel and turnaround, but you know, it's hard to really put like a substantial, like a substantial, substantive number on it. Like, hey, win three games when we're good, win two games were good. Like, yeah, ideally you want to be at like two or three wins in this and then you can move from there and hopefully stay there, but I think process wise, you know, if you're going to lose these games, keep them to one score games, keep them to those like coin flip type games, they'll be playing like good football, even if you get it. If you lose to some some crazy variant stuff, that is what it is.

36:57Yeah, they can certainly come out of this positive. Like, I don't think these are insurmountable games. I mean, again, we talked about Baltimore. I think they match up well with Baltimore. I have this is like a truly 50-50 game. Kansas City, yes, they have Pat Mahomes, but I really think people should start looking at that roster. That roster is in rough shape. Now going to Kansas City is going to be tough, but again, they might be starting an undrafted forage and that left tackle in that game as well against the Colts. So I would certainly advise people to go check out that team. Like, it's still Pat Mahomes still a challenge, but they tirade away Trent McDuffy. They didn't really add much to the roster. It is a roster that's in some really rough shape right now. But yeah, the big turnaround with Washington and Pittsburgh will be the big test for this team. Like, how do they respond to that? If they can really gut through those two games, I think that they'll be in good shape going forward. But all this is said again, ultimately, whatever they start early in the season, it is what it is, but I want to see how they finish the season. Because like I mentioned

37:57in the last segment, they have not finished a season strong since 2018. Maybe 2020, they finished it fairly well. And they were a good team going to play also against the bills, but it really has been since 2018 that haven't faded down the stretch, whether it's injuries, whether it's poor play, whether it's poor coaching, whatever it is, they have fallen off down the stretch each and every season, no matter who the coach is, right? No matter who the quarterback is, I want to see them ascending late. So for me, again, I want to see success all phases of the season, but I am most intrigued with the late half of the season. What team they are in week 16 compared to what team they are in week one, that's going to be more important to me than the first five weeks. Well, winning is contagious, but so is losing. And when you become addicted to winning, then the details matter. You pay attention more, and it's just like anything, you win, you have more confidence, you execute so much better. When you lose, you get in a situation where you say,

39:01all here we go again, and you just have a losing mentality. The thing I like is, the schedule is very interesting. So it's one of those, you feel challenged with these first five games, your manhood is going to be challenged. And are you going to race to that occasion or not? Are you going to use the excuse sentence as a long season? Or are you going to be detailed, orientate and do everything possible to win in all of those games? And like I said, it takes about four games for you to figure out how you're going to scheme against the team. If what you're doing is really working, you become acclimated to how you go about beating a team. And it takes a little while for that to happen, but it can happen because they've got the weapons to do it. And I'll say it again, I'd rather see him ascending, but I think a win would be three and

40:10two. And I'm not saying, you know, who they would be, because I think they can beat every single one of them, you know, under the right circumstances, but they could also lose every single one of them. Under the right circumstances. And one of the things that they were, you know, so indignant about was getting younger and faster. And part of the reason to get younger is guys that have been here that are used to losing in Pittsburgh and used to losing in Jacksonville, got to get them out of here and have guys that have an experience, you know, I don't know anything about no damn Jacksonville, you know, and it's another team. Let's go in and play and let's beat them. Let's, you know, beat that streak. And I say that knowing that a trip to Pittsburgh, when I was playing with the oilers or a trip to Cincinnati, there was always something quirky that was going to happen. But we still won our share of those games, but it was just, it was a team

41:17that was motivated to win and the team that wanted to change history. And youth a lot of times, you know, you'll have that exuberance and enthusiasm to go in and make amends for what past teams have done and remind folks, this is last year's Colts team. This is a totally different deal. You know, we got new guys in here and they had no memory of the bad feeling it is to be in the stadium. And so I'm going to count on some of that youthful exuberance to try and carry them through some of these games. But every single one is winnable, but you still want to put yourself in a position where you are growing as the season goes along. Yeah, I mean, I agree with Zach in the sense that like look at the last five games of the season at Philly at Tennessee, Cincinnati at Cleveland, Jacksonville, you've got two division games in there. You only have one

42:19in this first stretch, right? And when you look at those opponents, I mean, Cincinnati is a sleeper, kind of sexy, super bowl run, dark horse pick. Jacksonville at home, I know it's Tennessee, right? But you're in Nashville at Philadelphia, which is where you want to be. I think that stretch probably will tell us just as much as these first five game stretches. But at the same time, what I want to I think these first five games and what I want to see is that it can be a real bell weather, I think, for the rest of the season and and have the culture remained healthy. I do think what they how they performed in the first half of last season was an indicator of who they were far more than the team that we saw kind of fall apart in the second half. You know, this narrative that well, the cult started seven and one or eight and two and they didn't beat anybody. They beat some teams in there. They beat Denver and they they don't don't Denver. That defense was elite last year and they creamed them in that game. I mean, the only thing that really stopped the cult's offense against the Broncos was Shane Steichen deciding to settle for a 68 yard

43:24field goal. You know, that that's the only thing that really stopped them in that game and ended up working out. Thankfully, you know, you look at the Chargers game, kind of the same thing. You look at the Rams game. If not for the Ad Mitchell faux pas, right? That's a whole different game too. The usual, I think, model of success for teams is dunk on the bad teams and be competitive with the good teams. And if you look at the first half last year, the cults did that. So yes, it was the dolphins and there were some in the Titans. There were some crap teams on there, but they suffigely beat those teams down. And that's what a good team does. So there are no chemis here, right? There's no there's no Tennessee. You know, Tennessee is the ultimate free space for the cults. Just really, that's been the case for the entire century. But there's no free space here. But I'm just looking at how they look in these games against Baltimore against Houston, who we expect to be playoff teams. I'm still going to expect Kansas City to be a playoff team because of my homes. I understand the roster and things like that. It's Kansas City and Kansas City in

44:27prime time. I still think that there is something to that game and how the cults look in that game. So more than putting a number on it and saying, well, they got to go four and one. They got to go three. Alan, I agree with you. I would love if the cults go three and two. I would feel great about that. But to me, it's more about kind of how they look because what made me a believer in the 2025 cults was how they looked in the first half of last year. Yeah. I just think at the end of the day, like, again, how these games are played matters. At the end of the day, like, obviously, it's a result driven league and you want the more positive results. But when we look at these things analytically, like one score games are 50, 50 toss ups. If you lose a couple of one score games early in the season, that usually means that you're a pretty good team that is competitive. At the least, if you're losing one score games to good teams, right, which we're assuming some of these teams are going to be. So I'm not saying, okay, come out here and lose by one score in each of these games, but as long as these are competitive back and forth bouts and, you know, whatever happens happens, I can feel good about the cults post the first five games. Now, if they come out

45:30here and they lose by 20 to the Ravens, lose by 15 to the Chiefs, that'll change drastically my thoughts on this team because if you're losing losing by multiple scores in the NFL to anybody, that is a very concerning sign, you know, like one or two multiple score losses are one thing. Like, I think the cults had two multi score losses last year, but once you get into like everyone's beating you by multiple scores when you lose, that is when that the sign of the wheels are kind of falling off a little bit. So, you know, there's a lot of things to analyze and we'll analyze them as we go in these first five weeks, but overall, I just want to see them be a tough competitive football team, whatever the result end up being, like we'll see, but, you know, just kind of want to see the process here early in the season, see if they can at least start off on the right foot. Like, I want to see at least a win in the first two games, you know, one against the Chiefs or the Ravens, I think would be important for them to start the season. We've talked adonsium about what the cults may do this season, but how do we feel about the rest of the league? We're even going to put our super bowl picks. We'll do it all in the cult squad show returns for a final time next.

46:36This portion of the cult squad show brought you by our pals at Calche before the season even kicks off. Everyone's making predictions who wins the division, who makes the playoffs, who's lifting the trophy at season's end. On Calche America's number one prediction market platform, you could trade those predictions in a live market. Will the cults make the playoffs? That's the number one question, right? They reached that bare minimum bar that we've been talking about to retain Chris Bauer and Shane Steichen. As of today, Indianapolis is at 38%, they've hovered around that 40% over the past couple of weeks. That means that a $100 trade would pay out over $250 if the cults got to an 18th game and made the post season for the first time since that weird COVID year in 2020. To go as far as winning the AFC South, a $100 trade for the cults to take the division would pay out nearly 500 bucks if they bust that drought. That's not all they have when it comes to predictions, though, you can trade another prediction category as on Calche. Of course, you can trade on the team who you predict is going

47:36to win the whole thing. On Calche, you're trading against peers in a live market, meaning there is no house. And as the probability changes, you can buy in and out of your position, trade the draft pick the game and more on Calche download the Calche app, use code locked on to get $10 when you trade $10 KAL, S H I Calche trade on anything 18 and over only restricts and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Calche products are not available in all jurisdictions. Prices, values and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see Calche.com slash regulatory. Or back for the final time, locked on cult squad shows that kicks out and pink it and Derek Shultz. Thanks so much for being here. So obviously this is a cult show and the show that Zach and Jake do every day, locked on culture. First listen every day is a cult show. But we're talking about the NFL as well on the show and a new NFL season has begun tonight with the Seattle Seahawks, the defending

48:40champions taking on doing good Patriots as we speak right now during this live stream. The fun thing about the NFL season is that it's always fun to make predictions and then go back and look at how horribly horribly wrong those predictions were. But I wanted to kind of go around the room and kind of just talk about teams outside of the cults teams that you think that hey people are sleeping on this team or you know Zach for instance you said Kansas City is a team that you're down on because of the roster. Who's a team that we're up on? Let's kind of start there Zach. You know somebody that non-cult category right that you're looking at some of the national prognocations and you think this is not quite right. This is not where I would have them. Does anybody jump out to you? I feel like I'm pessimistic on a lot of teams this year. I feel like I'm pessimistic on like half the teams this season but then I want to start like rating them. I'm like I can't put every I can't put 28 teams in the bottom half of the league. So what am I supposed to be doing here? I have no clue what like because I just think that there's so many like regression

49:43points with some of these teams. I think there are just a lot of concerns and maybe that just speaks to the depth of like the NFL is like washing out of the league you know and just making it so like you have these concerns with a bunch of different teams but I think in terms of teams that I think could be better than we expect. I do kind of like the Dallas call that we're seeing from a lot of these people which sounds horrible for me to say as a person who grew up as a Washington fan but getting like a real defensive coordinator in there in Christian Parker who I think is going to be pretty solid for them as well as returning a lot of those skill position players on offense that were so good for them last year. Now do I think they're going to win a Super Bowl? Probably not. I think we've seen enough of Dak Prescott struggling in the playoffs to where that is certainly a thing but I do kind of like them. I think I kind of like the 49ers as well but they everyone gets hurt there every other day so I don't know like they just keep getting banked like they just lost the defensive tackle and practice for the whole season so maybe they'll never escape that curse

50:48when it comes to them. Looking at other teams I do think the Ravens by the end of the season are going to be a really good team. By the end of the season I do think it's going to be a bit of an issue early in the season for them because they are going to be going through this adjustment period but I do like mentor a lot as a coach and I think that they're going to really find their way late in the season and they could be a surprise team that certainly makes a big push there late in the year. Outside of that though I don't know if I have any teams I'm more optimistic on. I'll say the team is I'm a little bit more pessimistic on though like I think the chargers I'm pretty pessimistic on. I just don't like here's like Justin Herbert has been really fine with his counting stats the last couple years but the overall efficiency numbers have been way below average and I think that's hurt their offense and he kind of to me reminds me a lot of like Josh Allen before Allen became an efficient quarterback as well and I think Herbert is still just teetering on that like he's like he's a social media quarterback in a sense where we love the

51:50highlight throws but sometimes the snap to snap stuff is a bit of a struggle and now they're losing mentor who is a big part of their success last year coaching that defense. I know the Colt has success against them but they were very good against other teams so I am a little bit concerned about the chargers the Broncos and their one score game. Block last season was like they were 12 and 1 in one score games or 11 and 1 in one score games last year I think the Colt are one of their only losses in a one score game last season. I have the number here let me pull it up. It was Broncos were 11 and 2 in one score games last season. Wow. Remember the last time we saw a team with that big of discrepancy in one score games was the Chiefs a couple years ago they were like 12 and 1 and what were they last year they were 1 and 9 in one score games the following season so the one score game luck is a true thing it is something that I think a lot of people would like betting markets like really do study and look at for seeing that turn around there so I do think that you know a team like the Broncos is a very clear regression candidate and also the the Steelers like I do think the Colt are going to struggle

52:53with them I'm not trying to downplay that opponent early but the Steelers man they were 7 and 3 in one score games last season. Now they're going to you know they don't have the Mike Tomlin magic right that they had for so what the voodoo magic that Mike Tomlin had right where he could always somehow pull off these crazy wins that they didn't deserve they've lost that now and I you know they don't throw the ball down the field very often Rodgers those lot of these quick screens that just ugly and when they go against decent defenses it's a struggle so I'm not very how I'm them either but yeah I would say like the teams I think are kind of like sleepers oh Detroit Lions that's another good one and they're I forgot to mention them they were banged up last year so I do think the Lions are going to be a very competitive team but yeah like Lions 49ers I think that they can probably over perform expectations and I do think the Chiefs could return to the playoffs this year just because Pat Mahomes right not really because of anything else but mostly because it's Pat Mahomes I think the roster is rough but they were one in like they had 10 one score games last year when Mahomes was really all they had so I do think

53:58that they're going to bounce back this year in a big way and we'll see where that ultimately finished is so I know I said a lot there but I do think 49ers Lions are teams to watch and Chiefs I do think probably get back to the playoffs despite their roster being in a really rough shape right now well for me the the team that's head and shoulders above everybody as the Rams I mean they've got they've got everything and you think about it they add Miles Garrett who led the league and and sacks last year on a team where they they went what four and 12 four and 13 something like that so now he's going to be on a team that they will be passing the ball in the fourth quarter to try in in win the game against the Rams and then Aaron Donald coming back you know that's just going to be a formidable opponent and you know fortunately you know on the offensive side of the ball you know

55:01the older you get playing in the NFL the smarter you get you know and they're they're quarterback to me has seen every defense has seen every kind of look knows how to adjust on it and I mean they got playmakers on the outside the Rams are just a solid solid team I don't want to believe that the Cowboys are going to be good but you know they've ruined many of Thanksgiving for me when I was growing up but they I feel like they're going to be good because Jerry Jones isn't talking yeah so they I think they're quietly optimistic there I think Philly is always going to be tough and you may see Philly explode because there's not that feud between AJ Brown and Jalen Hertz anymore so those are my NFC teams always expect for San Francisco to be around and as long as

56:06Seattle has a defense if they can get their order back then they can be Siri on on the AFC side I think that it's put up a shot up time for Buffalo I think they have a good team I still see holes in in Buffalo and I think they have the talent to make it to the Super Bowl but they got this Buffalo curse so and it rears his head at the wrong time all the time uh Steelers to me I still harken back to Ben Rathlass Burger and that's the type of quarterback who can win your games for Steelers I mean Aaron Rogers is I don't know maybe too silky smooth not Pittsburghy enough you know hard knows enough and yes he throws one of the prettiest balls

57:12in the league but from the mentality standpoint you know Green Bay is one mentality Pittsburgh is another and I don't think that with the players they have it's necessarily that black and black and gold mentality defense oriented you know destroy you Cincinnati could be scary if Joe Burrow stays healthy Cincinnati you just have to see what their defense is like you know they're gonna have to win games 47 to 45 other than that I can't really think of teams that really really stick out to me Kansas City's one that I think will be a contender solely because of the quarterback and in all levels of football you either have that guy or you don't have that guy and when you have that guy you always give yourself a shot and then you know the teams that are in

58:17the Colts division you know I think Jacksonville is ascending but we will see the Texans you know I think they're just a team that can out physical you don't think that much of their offense but they still find a way to get in the end zone so there's definitely parity in the league this year which is gonna make it very very interesting but the team that stands out the most to me that I anticipate winning it all on their home field in the Super Bowl is the LA Rams. Yeah and it's hard to go against that Dallas it would be cool and I guess this wouldn't be cool in the sense that I hate the Cowboys but it would be cool for you know Dak Prescott and all of that they haven't made the conference championship game in 30 years which is a really long drought like I mean we're talking about basically every franchise most of the franchise and League have made it

59:21multiple times in that spanish is this oddity that I'm fascinated with you have to go back to the Ackman and at you know Michael Irvin like the peak level Cowboys teams the last time that they were in a conference championship game but I think I could see it there since and Adi I'm just always against the the sexy pick and the injury variance there with burrow I think you were relying on a lot of things to go right when it comes to that you know I think Philadelphia is gonna bounce back that was a team that made the playoffs last year but they just they had a weird season and they they never looked very good I mean exactly talked about the close games they want a ton of close games they kind of lifted the playoffs and they lost them immediately but I think that they're gonna kind of bounce back this year but we're in the final minute of the show so let's just go around the room super bowl picks wise Alan you already said the Rams are you picking them to win the whole thing and if so who they matched up against Rams and I'll throw this out there oh they're in the same division oops I was gonna say Detroit Lions but the

1:00:23they're they're both in the NFC I still can't see Buffalo going and I don't want to give it to the Texans I'll say Buffalo Rams versus Buffalo I mean if it's not Buffalo this year's actin like right wait wait I don't know why don't you know yeah yeah it's gonna beat like because I think the Ravens year is probably next year I think Jacksonville sneaky because they at least have the quarterback well sometimes the quarterback and they have the defense and the skill position players but their O line is just rough and that's what I think he's holding me back Houston doesn't have the offense I don't think the chargers are gonna have the defense Kansas City doesn't have the roster it's gotta be this year Buffalo like it really has to be this year like there's there's really nothing in your way maybe I mean New England I think can be in their way but New England again I think there's gonna be some regression there they won a lot of one score games against bad teams last year so I'll say Buffalo over let's go with the most fun Super Bowl just because

1:01:27the Super Bowl picks always age poorly anyway let's do Buffalo over Detroit and there just because I think that would be the most fun Super Bowl to watch I was gonna say Buffalo over Detroit just because by default you would have a long suffering fan base right and knock it out but I'll say Buffalo Philly and let's just hope that it's not Philly I'm kind of tired of Philly thanks so much for joining us on Miss late is the district of the Cold Squad Show we are your place for postgame cults reaction our cold squad shows will follow each and every cults game this season including this Sunday of course we'll be with you after the Colts and Ravens wrap around 4 30 or so on Sunday afternoon and don't forget about our usual mid weeks lock as a slot as well Wednesdays 9 30 pm so keep it locked here on locked on Colts as always Jake and Zach every day are your first listen on locked on Colts all season long be sure to follow at locked on Colts on socials and add at Colts underscore hit for our Will Star Lipper guest content for Colts hits don't forget to check out our other great offerings on YouTube and TikTok and we'll see you next time right here on the squad show

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