The Indianapolis Colts were expected to battle the Tennessee Titans for the AFC South title in 2022. They haven’t been able to handle the lower lights in the division in two weeks of the NFL season with Matt Ryan at QB.
The Jaguars hammered the Colts, 24-0, on Sunday in the Sunshine State.
Final: Jaguars 24, Colts 0.
That was an ass-kicking from start to finish.
Colts are now 0-1-1 to start the year with Kansas City coming up next Sunday for the home opener.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) September 18, 2022
That followed an opening week 20-20 tie against the Houston Texans that saw Indy have to rally from a 20-3 deficit.
So, Ryan appears to be the next in a string of veteran QBs who have not been able to solve the team’s search for an offensive leader.
He was 16-of-30 for 195 yards with 3 picks in the loss to the Jaguars. Indianapolis was without an injured Michael Pittman Jr. in the shutout.
The Colts went 10-6 in 2018 with Andrew Luck, who stunned them and the NFL by retiring prior to the 2019 season.
The answer that year was Jacoby Brissett, who was put in a difficult spot with Luck stepping out right before the year.
Brissett and Indy went 7-9.
Next up in 2020 was Philip Rivers, who did lead the Colts to an 11-5 record and a spot in the Wild-Card round.
Rivers retired after his one season with Indianapolis.
Frank Reich & Co. thought a reunion with Carson Wentz would solve problems. An 0-3 start with the former Eagles was followed by a surge that left the Colts 9-6 and seemingly headed to the postseason.
Losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars doused those hopes.
Wentz went to Washington in a trade and the Colts acquired the veteran Ryan from Atlanta.
The results have been dismal. They fell behind Houston in Week 1, 20-3, before rallying to tie the game at 20, which is where it finished.
And in Week 2, the Colts were demolished by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Colts at different points in the two games had been outscored 44-3 by teams that combined for a 7-27 record in 2021.
The Colts have been shut out 24-0 against the Jaguars.
This is the third time since 1994 the Colts have been shut out in a football game, all three of which have come at the hands of the Jaguars: week 7 2017, week 13 2018, and today. pic.twitter.com/HfsH5PlRov
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 18, 2022
Have to wonder if things are getting hot in and around Frank Reich and his coaching staff.