For the time being, it appears the Tennessee Titans have put the final nail in the coffin of the possibly short-lived Matt Ryan era in Indianapolis.
On Monday, Colts head coach Frank Reich announced that 2021 sixth-round pick Sam Ehlinger would be taking over the starting duties under center for Indianapolis for the rest of the season.
Reich did reveal that Ryan is dealing with a shoulder injury, but also noted that the move would have come even if the veteran signal-caller was healthy enough to play.
What makes this move more shocking is the fact that Ryan just had his best game of the season in Week 6 before getting ransacked by the Titans in Week 7 en route to a two-turnover performance.
To clarify: the Colts are making the switch at QB regardless of Matt Ryan’s injury. The plan, as of now, is for Sam Ehlinger to be the starting quarterback the rest of the season.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) October 24, 2022
Adding to that, it’s not like he’s had much help around him, as his offensive line and rushing attack have been putrid, offering zero support.
Should the Colts part ways with Ryan by cutting him next offseason, they would be on the hook for a whopping $18 million in dead cap money, per Over the Cap.
Ryan is just the latest signal-caller to fail for the Colts in the wake of the shocking Andrew Luck retirement in 2019, following the failed stints of Jacoby Brissett (2019), Philip Rivers (2020) and Carson Wentz (2021).
Brissett, Rivers, Wentz and Ryan were a combined 2-6 against the Titans, who have now reeled off four consecutive wins and a pair of season sweeps the last two years against their division rival.
And, with the win, the Titans grabbed a stranglehold of the AFC South lead thanks to their owning the head-to-head tie-breaker over Indy, putting them on track for a third consecutive division title.
For years the Colts were the superior franchise and owned the Titans in every way possible. It’s nice to see a role reversal for a change as the Colts continue to look for answers at the quarterback position.