Opinion: The Colts Must Start Sam Ehlinger for Remaining Games
Last week, the Indianapolis Colts announced that they would be making their third quarterback change of the year by benching starter Matt Ryan in favor of veteran quarterback Nick Foles.
This was a curious choice, as only three games remained on the schedule. Not many expected Foles to catapult the Colts' anemic offense to new heights, but the majority figured it would be more efficient if anything.
This was not the case on Monday night, as the Los Angeles Chargers systematically picked Foles apart, taking full advantage of his inability to move (just like Ryan) and his chemistry issues with the receiving corps due to the lack of time that Foles had with them throughout the season. With this all considered, here is why the Colts should scrap Foles in favor of Sam Ehlinger.
Foles was underwhelming against LA, posting a poor line of 17-of-29 passing for 143 yards and 3 interceptions with no touchdowns. He tried his best to take some shots downfield and had success with rookie tight end Jelani Woods early. However, things soon turned bad and it was made clear that Foles simply didn’t have much time to work with these receivers to build trust, efficiency, and accuracy with the passing attack.
The offensive line also faltered horrifically, allowing Foles to be put on the dirt for sacks on seven occasions. Yes, the line hasn’t been the most effective, but Ehlinger is far more mobile, which helps a struggling offensive line and seems to have the chemistry already with the squad. This would give the head-coach hopeful Jeff Saturday the best chance to win.
Factor in the ability of Ehlinger’s legs with play-action passes and suddenly the offensive line may be able to breathe with a relaxed defense that respects the running prowess of the signal caller.
Now, Ehlinger has started two games this season, which went horribly wrong, losing to the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots. He totaled just 358 yards of offense and had no touchdowns and 2 turnovers in the contests. However, the Colts' offensive line has improved steadily since then.
Saturday doesn't seem poised to make yet another move at quarterback, at least not what he was saying on Tuesday. But he should.
There is nothing that can fix the final two games for the Colts, as everything that can go wrong for a franchise has indeed happened for the 2022 Colts. But, with this in mind, what exactly is there to lose at this point for Saturday by putting in the young and mobile Ehlinger?
The answer is simply “nothing.” With a now embarrassing 1-5 record in the Saturday Era, it’s time to give the Colts the best chance for explosive plays. That comes with a quarterback that can move in and out of the pocket.
