Forgotten Super Bowl-Winning QB And Notable Tom Brady Rival Suffers Blow To Starting Hopes At New Franchise

Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich has reportedly announced that rookie Sam Ehlinger will be the backup quarterback at Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The shakeup in the offensive end comes after a narrow 12-9 win against the Denver Broncos. Ehlinger’s move pushes veteran quarterback and Super Bowl winner and MVP Nick Foles to the inactive list for Sunday, further crushing his hopes to be a starter.

According to Fox 59’s Mike Chappell, this move is, in no way, a threat to Matt Ryan’s role in the offense. Rather, it seems that the Colts want to see whether Ehlinger could provide some relief to their offensive woes. Ryan has the highest number of turnovers in the league this season (10, 7 interceptions, and 3 fumbles). And the Colts’ offense has not been great at protecting their main man either (21 sacks, 73 pressures).

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Foles has been the unquestioned backup since the day he signed a 2-year contract with Indianapolis, from the Chicago Bears. Foles was also an actively pursued target by Frank Reich at the time. The pair previously worked together at the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017, when Reich was the offensive coordinator. The duo would go on to win the Super Bowl LII that season and Reich was probably hoping to work some of that magic here at the Colts.

Speaking about Foles in May, the HC says, “[Foles] has proven that he can do it at the biggest level and the biggest stage, in any kind of weather, in any moment. He can win a shootout, and he can win a close game, make the key plays in a close game. I just think he adds good depth, and now you’ve got two experienced guys. We’re incredibly fortunate.’’

Sam Ehlinger passed Nick Foles on the Colts’ QB depth chart

On the other hand, the rookie Ehlinger has never thrown a regular season pass. The former Texas Longhorns QB has been impressive in this year’s pre-season, going 24/29 for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns. This is a strong testament to Reich’s hopes about Ehlinger back in May. “We’re happy with Sam. Think Sam’s developing well and think Sam has a bright future,’’

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With the Colts only managing an average of 13.8 points per game this season, things look grim as they face the Jaguars for the second time this season. The last matchup ended in a humiliating 24-0 loss for the Colts. And Reich will be hoping to pull one back against Jacksonville. The Jaguars, on the other hand, are probably still reeling from their defeat to the Houston Texans. Expect them to be out for blood. Since they’ve already beaten Indianapolis this season, confidence will be at an all-time high.