Matt Ryan Benching Among 5 Changes Colts Must Make After Bye

With only four games remaining for the Indianapolis Colts after the bye, Jeff Saturday needs to make serious adjustments for the season’s stretch run.

The Indianapolis Colts will enjoy a much-needed weekend off as the team gets away for the bye week. Having a Week 14 bye is not ideal, especially considering the season the Colts have had up until this point.

At 4-8-1, it is safe to say the season has not gone the way the Colts expected. After getting blown out by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, the Colts may be at their lowest point all year.

Hopes of making it to the playoffs have all but diminished. With four games left, it is time to start looking at other options and making changes to benefit the future of the Colts. Head coach Jeff Saturday said before the bye that every player and coach would be evaluated.

With that being said, here are five changes the Colts must make after the bye week.

Bench Matt Ryan

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After the debacle that was the fourth quarter in Dallas, it is more evident than ever that the Colts need to move on from Matt Ryan. The quarterback had his worst game as a Colt, going 21-of-37 (57%) for 233 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions, a lost fumble, and a QB rating of 59.8. Ryan’s three fourth-quarter turnovers were a big reason the Cowboys scored 33 unanswered points to end the game.

At this point, it is hard to see Ryan coming back with the Colts in 2023. While he is under contract for next season, Ryan’s play has fallen off a cliff in 2022, and the Colts need to move on. The Colts should start Sam Ehlinger for the final four games of the season.

Starting Ehlinger would give the Colts four more games to see the young quarterback in-game action and form a more comprehensive evaluation. While some have asked for Nick Foles, Foles is another aging quarterback who does not figure to be in the Colts’ long-term plans. It is best to play the young quarterback and see what he’s got.

More Snaps for Jelani Woods

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One of the bright spots for the Colts over the last few weeks has been the ascension of Jelani Woods. Woods, the third-round rookie tight end, has displayed the kind of weapon he can be for the offense when given the chance. With fellow tight end Kylen Granson out against the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago, Wood caught eight passes for 98 yards.

Woods has shown that he can produce when he is afforded the opportunity. Slated as TE3 for most of the season, the Colts need to give Woods more snaps and feature him more in the game plan. At 6’7” and 253 pounds, Woods uses his size and speed as a matchup nightmare down the field. A bigger role for Woods could mean a spark for the offense.

Open Up the Offense

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Speaking of adding a spark to the offense, the Colts have been very conservative lately on that side of the ball. Because of the struggles of the quarterback and offensive line, the Colts have primarily called plays with quick, short throws. These plays get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly and do not put pressure on the offensive line to hold their blocks for long.

However, opposing defenses have caught on quickly to what the Colts are trying to do. Defenders are coming closer to the line of scrimmage and expecting short, shallow routes from the wide receivers. Defenses do not respect the ability of the Colts to stretch the field with the deep ball.

Parks Frazier must be more willing to call deep shots down the field. It opens up the offense and stops the Colts from becoming so predictable. With players on the outside like Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, who can jump out of the building, throwing the ball deep to those receivers is something the Colts must do more of moving forward.

Go For It

Since Saturday has taken over as head coach, the Colts have been much more reluctant to go for it on fourth down. The Colts have taken a more conservative approach and either punted the ball away or settled for a field goal attempt.

At this point in the season, the Colts will not win games by settling for field goals. The offense needs to put up touchdowns, and that only happens by playing aggressively. Using this approach, the Colts may be able to score more than 20 points, something they have only down three times this season.

Going for it on fourth down also gives a boost of confidence to the players on the offensive side of the ball. It shows the coaching staff has faith in them to get the job done and move the chains. For a group that seems to be at rock bottom, they need every vote of confidence they can get.

Chances for a Young Secondary

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The defensive side of the ball has tried to hold things together for the Colts this season. Many times, the defense has kept the Colts in games, only for the offense to not hold up their end of the deal.

Looking towards the future, the young players in the secondary should be given a chance to show what they are made of. This is not an indictment on the players currently playing large roles in the secondary for the Colts, but rather looking at what the younger players can bring to the team down the line.

Players like Isaiah Rodgers Sr. and Rodney Thomas II have already been afforded this opportunity. Both players have started numerous games and played well. Specifically, for Rodgers, the days of rotating him with Brandon Facyson at cornerback need to be over. He should be the full-time player at that position.

Another player that needs more playing time is Nick Cross. The highly talented rookie was thought to take over the starting strong safety role when the season began, but early struggles led to Rodney McLeod taking over the job. Cross has had almost a full season to learn behind McLeod, and it may be time for him to show where he has improved.

Want more Colts content? Check out the latest episode of the Horseshoe Huddle Podcast!

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