By Jordan Long
The Indianapolis Colts stand at 3-4-1, 2nd place in the AFC South Division. The Colts look to improve their record when they hit the road to take on the New England Patriots. The Colts have decided to part ways with Offensive Coordinator Marcus Brady. He is the scapegoat for the slow start on offense.
The Colts thought the offense would be one of their strengths this season. They traded for veteran quarterback Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons on March 22, 2022, for a 3rd round pick. The Colts anticipated Ryan would be the answer to helping this team reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
It hasn’t worked out. Ryan started the first 7 games for the Colts with a record of 3-3-1. He passed for 2,008 yards and 9 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Ryan hasn’t been able to stay away from turnovers, tossing 9 interceptions.
It hasn’t been all Ryan’s fault. His offensive line isn’t giving him time to throw the football. He is constantly pressured which has forced him to hold onto the ball. Ryan has also been sacked 24 times.
Prior to last week’s game against Washington, Indianapolis announced they were going to bench Ryan for the rest of the year. Moving forward quarterback Sam Ehlinger would be the starter as long as he is healthy.
In his first start last week against Washington, Ehlinger passed for 201 yards. He didn’t have a touchdown nor was he picked off. He was also sacked twice.
The Colts thought the best move to help this football team win for the rest of the year is to move on from Offensive Coordinator Marcus Brady. According to ESPN, Head Coach Frank Reich said, “This was an incredibly hard decision, but one I felt needed to be made in the best interest of the team. I appreciate Marcus’s commitment to the organization, and he made a significant contribution to our offensive success over the last five seasons. I wish him the best moving forward.”
Brady was in charge of the Colts’ offense. Passing wise, the Colts gained yards through the air, averaging 251.9 yards per game, 9th in the league. When it comes to rushing yards, they have a difficult time creating holes for a running back to run the ball through. They rush for 87.8 yards per game. Once the Colts reach opponent’s territory they can’t seem to score points, averaging 16.1 points per game, ranking 30th in the NFL.
The Colts thought Brady was the main problem. His play calls aren’t working and it shows. It couldn’t hurt to let him go. The Colts expect the offense to be improved without Brady calling the plays. The worst case is the offense is still struggling to move the ball and score points. If that is the case, the Colts will know firing Brady wasn’t the right move.
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