Colts to start Nick Foles over Matt Ryan at QB in Week 16 vs. Chargers: Why Indy’s making the switch

The Colts will start Nick Foles at quarterback for their Monday night home game against the Chargers, interim head coach Jeff Saturday announced Wednesday. Here’s what you need to know:

Matt Ryan leads the NFL in interceptions (13) and fumbles (15) in 12 starts.
Foles has played just two offensive snaps this season, briefly appearing in the Colts’ blowout loss at Jacksonville in Week 2. He did not attempt a pass.
Foles entered the season as the Colts’ backup but was the odd man out through the first 14 games of the season. When Ryan was injured and benched in Weeks 8 and 9, Indianapolis opted to play second-year QB Sam Ehlinger, who’d never attempted a regular-season pass, over the veteran Foles. The Colts went 0-2 with Ehlinger as the starter.

Jeff Saturday on the move at QB:

"Think the world of Matt, he’s a pro’s pro. It's not been
the season he expected, nor the Colts as a whole."

"Ultimately I feel like Nick will give us a better chance to go win these last three games."

— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) December 21, 2022

Backstory

This marks the third different starting quarterback Indianapolis has had this season and the second time Ryan has been benched.

Following the Colts’ 54-19 loss at Dallas in Week 13, Saturday was asked if Ryan would remain the starter or be replaced by Foles. Saturday made Foles the backup over Ehlinger prior to the game because of Foles’ experience.

“It’s five minutes after a beating,” Saturday said. “I’m disappointed. They’re disappointed. No decision I’m going to make right now’s going to be a good decision. We’ve got weeks to go about this.”

Saturday stuck with Ryan for one more week, but after the Colts blew the largest lead in NFL history in a 39-36 overtime loss at Minnesota last week, Saturday is pulling the plug on Ryan. The Colts are 4-9-1, and Ryan’s led the team on game-winning drives in each of the Colts’ four wins but has largely looked like a shell of himself. Indianapolis’ porous offensive line and inconsistent running game have not helped, but the 15-year QB isn’t blameless.

Indianapolis has 27 turnovers, the most in the NFL and its most as a franchise since 2015. If Ryan were his own category, the former league MVP would be tied for the seventh-most turnovers (18) among entire teams.

Why Foles and why now?

Ryan had a season-high four turnovers against Dallas (three interceptions and one lost fumble) and was a part of the Colts’ meltdown at Minnesota, which saw them blow a 33-0 halftime lead. His inability to keep possession of the ball and, as of late, throw the ball down field has hampered Indianapolis and overshadowed his moments of brilliance earlier this season.

The more mobile Ehlinger wasn’t any better in his two starts as he failed to record a touchdown. He lost a fumble in his first start against Washington and threw a pick six at New England.

Foles can’t be any worse, though he’ll have to knock off some rust. The 11-year QB and one-time Pro Bowler hasn’t played significantly since his 2020 season with the Bears. Foles started seven of the nine games he appeared in and finished with 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He’s totaled 82 TDs against 43 picks in his career.

Required reading

(Photo: Brian Fluharty / USA Today)