Carson Wentz and the Indianapolis Colts got off a brutal start in the 2021 season, going 1-4 out of the gate. But, the team was confident they could turn things around, and they did. The Colts went 6-2 ahead of their bye, pushing above the .500 mark and putting themselves in the mix for a playoff spot.
Indianapolis won the first two games out of the bye, putting them in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot. All they had to do was defeat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17 or the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18. Unfortunately for them, neither happened.
The Colts would lose both games, as they ended the season as disappointingly as they began it. The loss to the Jaguars was especially poor as Jacksonville had nothing to play for and already had an eye toward the offseason.
That loss left a sour taste in the mouths of everyone in the organization and rightfully so. It was an embarrassing effort, as Jacksonville blew them out 26-11. Ownership made it clear that some changes would be made in 2022 as the loss was an unacceptable one. One person that will assuredly be under the microscope is quarterback Carson Wentz.
Wentz had a brutal game against the Jaguars, registering his worst QBR in a single game all season. It could not have come at a worse time, as Wentz failed to step his game up to the next level whenever the team needed him most.
There is a good chance that the Colts look to make a change at the quarterback position this offseason. If they had more consistent production from Wentz, there is a good chance that they would have qualified for the postseason, where their strengths would have really shown through.
One NFL executive thinks that the Colts will explore making a change, but ultimately, will stick with Wentz for 2022. The prediction comes courtesy of ESPN.
“I just think [Ballard] is trying to send the message that everything is about competition after that bad loss, so there’s no reason to publicly endorse Wentz now,” an AFC exec said. “But I’m guessing they will eventually.”
This approach makes sense for Indianapolis. They are very likely going to have Wentz for at least one more season, but they are going to do their due diligence when it comes to finding a possible replacement.
This roster is certainly good enough to make the postseason, but they need more from Wentz. He will likely have 2022 to show he is capable of rising to the occasion, but if he falls short, they will almost assuredly be looking to make a chance come 2023.
