The Colts will have a new starting quarterback for their last three games of the 2022 season.
Indianapolis coach Jeff Saturday told reporters on Wednesday that Nick Foles would replace Matt Ryan as the team signal caller as Saturday feels Foles gives the team the best chance to win.
“Think the world of Matt [Ryan], he’s a pro’s pro,” Saturday said. “It's not been the season he expected, nor the Colts as a whole. Ultimately, I feel like Nick [Foles] will give us a better chance to go win these last three games.”
The Colts (4-9-1) have not won a game since defeating the Raiders, 25–20, on Nov. 13 when Ryan completed 21-of-28 passes and threw for 222 yards and one touchdown. Since that win, the Colts have dropped four consecutive games that include Sunday’s 39–36 overtime loss to the Vikings—a game that Indianapolis led 33–0 at halftime and 36–7 with 4:53 to play in third quarter.
Minnesota’s 33-point comeback was the largest in NFL history. This season, Ryan has thrown for 3,057 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. However, in the Colts last five games, Ryan has thrown for 1,049 yards on 106-of-164 passes (64.6% completion percentage), five touchdowns and four interceptions.
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Foles, a third round 2012 NFL draft pick by the Eagles, enters the starting lineup after serving as Ryan’s backup to begin the season. However, when Ryan went down, Sam Ehlinger became the No. 2 to Ryan, leaving Foles inactive for several weeks until Week 13.
The 33-year-old spent his first three seasons with the Eagles, where he became a Pro Bowler in his second season. Following his Eagles’ stint, Foles played for the Rams in 2015, the Chiefs in ’16 and returning back to Philadelphia in ’17, taking over for an injured Carson Wentz en route to a Super Bowl victory.
Foles went on to play for the Jaguars in 2019 and the Bears in the ’20 and ’21 campaigns before landing with the Colts in May. He has thrown for 14,003 career yards, 82 touchdowns and 43 interceptions in his career.
The Colts’ final three games include an upcoming Monday Night Football matchup against the Chargers, followed by a road matchup against the Giants and their season finale in an AFC South showdown against the Texans.
