Colts 2021 Season Review: Quarterbacks
The 2021 season for the Indianapolis Colts didn’t end the way anyone in the organization wanted it to.
Instead of playing deep into January, the Colts dropped their final two games, going from a 98% chance to make the playoffs to missing the postseason for the second time in three years. The last loss came to the league’s worst Jacksonville Jaguars, 26-11.
The epic collapse to end the year has the entire organization reevaluating itself. Owner Jim Irsay has already made it clear that this was unacceptable, and the Colts will have an “all chips in” attitude in 2022. It’ll be up to general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich to take this team to the next level.
Just like the Colts’ brass, we will also be evaluating each aspect of the franchise as they head into the offseason. In our “2021 Season Review” series, we’ll be looking at how each position group did and what their prospects are for 2022.
First on the docket is the quarterback position. While the season started with so much hope at this spot, there are now more questions than ever at the most important position for the Colts.
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Carson Wentz
Stats: 17 games, 322-of-516 (62.4%), 3,563 yds, 27 TDs, 7 INTs, 94.6 rating, 54.7 QBR, 32 sacks
Carson Wentz had quite the rollercoaster season in his first year as the Colts’ starter. The Colts traded for Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles in February in the hopes of reuniting him with Reich and finding the magic the two possessed together back in 2016-2017.
The season did not get off to a great start as Wentz was sidelined the entire preseason with a foot injury, missing valuable time with his new team. He was able to return to start the season, but getting acclimated with his new teammates, and dealing with two sprained ankles, hampered his play as the Colts started 0-3.
Weeks 4-16, we saw the full Wentz experience. There were plenty of games where Wentz played great football, making winning plays and showing why the Colts took the chance on him to be their future at quarterback. Performances against the Miami Dolphins (228 yds, 2 TDs), Baltimore Ravens (402 yds, 2 TDs), Houston Texans (223 yds, 2 TDs), and New York Jets (272 yds, 3 TDs) stand out as some of Wentz’s better games. He even pulled off a fourth-quarter-comeback against the Arizona Cardinals on the road as the Colts were ravished by COVID.
But we also saw the bad from Wentz, where poor decisions and trying to do too much with the football really hurt the team. The two games that come to mind are against the Tennessee Titans, where Wentz threw two really bad interceptions in the fourth quarter and overtime to lose the game, and against the New England Patriots, where Wentz went 5-of-12 for 57 yards and an interception.
The season did not end well for Wentz either. After contracting COVID before the last two games of the season, Wentz did not play up to par in the two losses that cost the Colts their season. More bad decisions, missed throws, and turnovers did the offense in.
“It's been a whirlwind,” Wentz said, reflecting on the season. “It's been a whirlwind for my family, a whirlwind for this team. Obviously, an up and down season as well. A lot of good memories made. A lot of great guys in that locker room, great guys in that organization, men and women. It's a cool place. I’m grateful to be here. It obviously just wasn't the finish that we were looking for.”
For a quarterback that was looking to establish himself as the future of the franchise moving forward, it’s tough to say whether that is the case. His volatile play showed how good he can be, but how bad he can be as well. Wentz must clean things up and be more consistent if he hopes to stay in Indy.
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Sam Ehlinger
Stats: 3 games, 0-of-0, 3 rushing attempts, 9 yds
For Sam Ehlinger, the rookie’s season was all about watching and learning. The sixth-round pick out of the University of Texas did not attempt a single pass on the year but impressed coaches enough that he was able to earn the backup job over fellow quarterbacks Jacob Eason and Brett Hundley.
“In training camp, I was kind of just trying to stay afloat – figure out the plays, figure out what the heck I’m supposed to be doing on each play,” Ehlinger admitted at the end of the season. “Now that I’m comfortable in the offense, I’ve been around, I see how a practice schedule flows, I’m really able to understand the offense but also be what a quarterback is supposed to be. Have command of the huddle, have command at the line of scrimmage, make sure everybody’s in the right call. All the things that Carson has done so well all year. I’ve gotten to learn from him.”
Ehlinger earned Reich’s trust throughout the year, so much so that Reich was prepared to start Ehlinger if Wentz could not go due to COVID in Week 17. In the end, Wentz was able to play, but the Colts like Ehlinger and what he brings to the quarterback room.
“(Sam’s) got that ‘it’ factor,” Reich said. “I mean everyone who has ever been around the guy says it. Sometimes you say that (when) somebody flashes here or there. Sam has been flashing in these moments his whole life.”
It will be interesting to see if the Colts have faith in Ehlinger to be their backup moving forward or if they decide to bring in a veteran quarterback for this spot.
Outlook for 2022
Once again, question marks surround the most important position in football for the Colts. While Wentz’s play towards the middle of the year signaled he could be the long-term answer, the way he ended the season puts everything back on the table.
“You’ve got to get stability at the quarterback position,” Ballard said at the end of the season. “And that position has to play up to his potential to help the team win. Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t blaming all of this on Carson. I’m not. Because everybody else has to do their jobs too. But the hyper-importance of that position, it’s real. You have to get consistency there. The years we’ve gotten it, have been pretty good, and we thought we had it until the end of the season.”
Ballard and Reich were both non-committal on Wentz’s future with the Colts, as neither would say whether he would be the starter next season. The Colts are looking at all of their options when it comes to the quarterback position.
“We’ll look at everything,” Ballard admitted. “There’s solutions, sometimes they’re not ideal, but there are solutions. Sometimes they’re long-term and sometimes they’re not.”
Will Wentz return in 2022? Will the Colts trade for a new starter at quarterback? Does a free agent signing come to town? How about trading up or selecting a rookie in the draft?
All of these are possibilities for what the Colts can do at quarterback this offseason. Being in the AFC with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and others, the conference is stacked with young, talented signal-callers. With that said, one thing is certain: The Colts need to find the answer at quarterback soon before time runs out on this regime.
Have thoughts on the performance of the quarterbacks from the Colts in 2021? Drop a line in the comments below and let us know what you think!
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