Colts’ Keys to Victory Against Commanders in Week 8

With a new quarterback under center, the Colts need to give Sam Ehlinger the help he needs if a win is in the cards.

When the 2022 NFL schedule came out in May, many people circled a certain Week 8 matchup as being one to watch.

The Indianapolis Colts would be taking on the Washington Commanders at Lucas Oil Stadium. Commanders’ quarterback Carson Wentz would return to Indy after being kicked to the curb by his former team to take on the Colts and their new quarterback, Matt Ryan.

Fast forward to today, and neither will be playing on Sunday. Wentz is dealing with a fractured finger that will keep him out for multiple weeks. Ryan has been benched after a sloppy start to the season. Instead, the Commanders (3-4) will trot out backup Taylor Heinicke while the Colts (3-3-1) have given over the reins to Sam Ehlinger, who will be making his first NFL start.

For the Colts, the talk all week has surrounded the quarterback situation. The shocking move made by owner Jim Irsay, general manager Chris Ballard, and head coach Frank Reich to bench Ryan in favor of Ehlinger is still reverberating through the locker room. But the Colts must come together if they hope to get their season back on track Sunday.

As long-time Colts left tackle Tarik Glenn heads into the Ring of Honor, here are the keys to victory for Indy over the Commanders.

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Get Sam into a Rhythm

Starting your first NFL game is bound to bring nerves leading up to the contest. Ehlinger is no different and admitted this week that he needs to deal with those nerves accordingly.

“With every new opportunity there’s new nerves,” Ehlinger said. “So, navigating through those, trying to stay in the moment is going to be the challenge.”

But Ehlinger is mature beyond his years. He may only be a second-year player making his first start, but he has been preparing as if he has been the starter all along.

“I’m always preparing to be the starter,” he admitted. “Regardless of when that opportunity was going to come, I was going to be ready and do what I could to be prepared. That’s alleviated a lot of the stress. I can’t imagine if I weren’t preparing the way that I was and it was like, ‘Hey, you’re up.’”

While Ehlinger will prepare to the best of his abilities, he cannot do this alone. The Colts must help him out in any way they can and put Ehlinger in the best position to succeed.

A big part of this is getting Ehlinger into a rhythm early. Easy completions will help the young quarterback build up his confidence and get him into the feel of the game early. Look for the Colts to get Ehlinger outside the pocket as well, where he can make throws on the run and with his legs.

“It’s going to be different,” offensive coordinator Marcus Brady said about how the offense will be moving forward. “It’s not the same. You know, Matt and Sam are two different types of quarterbacks but for the most part, it’s not going to change too much for the skill guys and our o-line up front. We’ll have some nuances that put Sam in good positions to succeed, make plays. Maybe a little bit more naked game and get him outside the pocket in that aspect.”

Reich and Brady must put Ehlinger in the best position possible. They have already failed one quarterback this season, and their jobs will be in jeopardy if they fail another one.

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O-Line, Running Game Must Produce

Besides the coaches, Ehlinger’s teammates must give him the support needed for the young quarterback to have a chance. It all starts up front with the offensive line.

The offensive line should receive the bulk of the blame for the change at quarterback. Ryan was promised one of the best offensive lines in the game, and he did not receive that when under center. In just seven games, Ryan was sacked 24 times and hit another 80 times, good enough for second-most and most in the NFL, respectively.

A group with Pro Bowlers Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly, along with Braden Smith, should not be performing at such a poor level. The Colts are paying their offensive line $42.2 million this season, the most in the league. It is time they start to play like it.

Another area that needs to step up is the running game. While Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines have been banged up, the league’s top rushing attack a year ago now ranks 30th in the league in rushing at only 81 yards per game. Much of this is on the offensive line for failing to create holes, but the running backs are not helping much either.

“This is another point that needs to be made crystal clear,” Reich said on Monday. “And I told this to Matt, ‘Hey Matt, we did not hold up to our end of the bargain. You came here and we promised you a top-NFL rushing game and we promised you great protection and we haven’t really, as an offense, delivered on that,’ and that really starts with me.”

The Colts must be better in these areas if they want Ehlinger to succeed. The Colts are hoping Ehlinger can alleviate some of the pressure on the offensive line with his mobility, but it cannot all come from him. The best way to take pressure off a young quarterback is to give him time to make his reads and take the pressure off by running the football. We will see if the Colts can give that to him on Sunday.

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The Need for Turnovers

On the other side of the ball, the Colts’ defense has been pretty solid in 2022. They are eighth in yards allowed (313.7 ypg), sixth in passing yards allowed (190.3 ypg), and 13th in points allowed (20.0 ppg). Where the defense has struggled is in generating turnovers.

The Colts’ defense ranked second in the league last year in forced turnovers with 34. Through seven games this season, the Colts have only forced seven turnovers, tied for 23rd in the NFL. Combine that with the Colts’ struggles to take care of the ball on offense, and you are looking at a -7-turnover differential, second-worst in the NFL.

One reason the Colts have struggled to amass turnovers this season is that #53 has not been on the field. Shaquille Leonard has only played 16 snaps all season after dealing with back, nose, and concussion injuries. It has been a trying year for Leonard, who admits that he is not good when it comes to being patient.

“My patience has been challenged a lot,” Leonard explained. “Still to this day, I’ve been down since last OTAs and just nerve issues that have going down my left side. With nerves, you just have to be patient and wait for them to wake back up. That’s been the most frustrating thing, is waiting for that nerve to fire up once again and have that same power, have that same feel. Take that backseat role, I’m not used to being in the backseat or looking outside in to a defense or team.”

But Leonard may not have to wait much longer. The All-Pro linebacker has practiced in full for five consecutive days, with Friday’s practice being the sixth. If all goes according to plan, Leonard should be back on the field against the Commanders.

“I feel like a linebacker,” he admitted. “I feel like I’ve got the quick twitch, feeling more power in the left leg, being more confident in the left side. I think that’s what it really comes down to.”

While Zaire Franklin and Bobby Okereke have played well in Leonard’s stead, The Maniac is the heart and soul of the Colts’ defense. Leonard generated eight forced fumbles, snagged four interceptions, and recovered three fumbles last season. His ability to create turnovers was one of the reasons the Colts’ defense thrived in the category just a season ago.

If Leonard returns Sunday, he will have a chance to get back to his turnover-generating ways. Heinicke has played in 25 career games and has 24 touchdowns to go with 19 interceptions. He also has eight career fumbles, with seven coming last year alone. The Commanders quarterback will give opposing defenses chances to take the ball away, and it is up to Leonard and the rest of the Colts’ defense to capitalize.

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