Patriots Headed For Colts-Style QB Problem?

Sunday's opponent could provide a distressing look at the New England Patriots' passing future if they're not careful.

The New England Patriots' matchup with the Indianapolis Colts is a bit like The Simpsons: What was once a Sunday staple in primetime has become a shell of its former self, still occupying a slot to end the weekend with little, if any, of the fanfare it carried in its heyday.

Analyzing the downfall of the animated classic is better left to the TV experts, but even the most amateur football sleuths could quickly determine the reason why the Patriots-Colts rivalry lost its luster. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning's respective departures from the series, one that literally became an annual affair thanks to their dominance, more or less brought things to a standstill. Brady lasted longer and the Colts made an attempt to keep things rolling with Andrew Luck under center, but Manning's successor had other plans.

The Patriots' attempt to fully forge a path in the post-Brady era, however, keeps them linked to their equestrian rivals ... and not in a favorable fashion. 

Since Manning's last appearance in the rivalry in 2010, the Colts have started three different quarterbacks (Luck, Dan Orlovsky, Carson Wentz) against the Patriots. That list grows by one when the teams meet on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) as Sam Ehlinger will make his second NFL start after making his horseshoe-helmeted debut against the Washington Commanders last weekend. 

"Obviously, you want to get your first win and I’m really looking forward to playing against Coach Belichick and the Patriots,” Ehlinger said this week. “There’s nobody that’s done it better and they always present a challenge defensively. I know it’s going to be a challenge and it’s going to be a hostile environment. I’m looking forward to it.”

Both sides enter in various states of postseason flux: the Patriots (4-4) kept their hopes of creating a new playoff streak alive with a 22-17 victory over the New York Jets last weekend while the hopes of the Colts (3-4-1) are mostly kept alive by divisional caveats (two games behind the AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans entering Week 9 play). 

The two teams, however, have major questions about their passing futures, one where Brady and Manning won't be able to help. Playoff appearances are one thing, but each group is accustomed to bigger and better things in the new century. After all, this former AFC East matchup would often decide the conference's Super Bowl representative. 

The Patriots are in a particularly curious conundrum: a lot is invested into incumbent starter Mac Jones, an opening draft night arrival chosen five rounds before Ehlinger. Jones isn't winning anyone their fantasy football contests ... a silent yet increasingly important part of NFL brotherhood ... but he has provided victories that have offered New England post-Brady clarity. 

Behind Jones, of course, waits Bailey Zappe, himself a fourth-round choice that briefly captured the hearts of New Englanders with both victories and flair. Most calls - but not all - for Zappe have died down after the Chicago Bears provided him a rude, nationally televised welcome to the NFL but that likely won't stop Patriots fans from pondering what he could bring after every Jones incompletion. 

In either case, the Patriots need clarity at quarterback as soon as possible. Several names (i.e. Rhamondre Stevenson, Jonathan Jones) are making lasting cases in New England but it'll mean next to nothing if they can't solve the uncertainty at arguably the most important position in professional sports. 

If they don't solve things out, the Patriots can look no further than the visitors' sidelines on Sunday to see just how their future looks. 

All things considered, Indianapolis could've fared much worse after Luck's sudden retirement: Jacoby Brissett guided the team to a respectable seven wins in the immediate aftermath while Phillips Rivers' last hurrah produced 11. In the meantime, the Colts have developed Jonathan Taylor (who won't play Sunday) into one of the most potent offensive threats in the league. 

But the Colts are quickly finding out that this system is far from sustainable. After Brissett's solid season at the helm, they've adopted a new system of inserting an MVP candidate from the past into the franchise face's role temporarily. Last year it was current Commander Wentz after Rivers' retirement and they started the process anew with Matt Ryan this season before turning the reigns over to Ehlinger. Sure, it has kept the Colts relevant, but that's far from satisfactory, especially in a winnable division that features the beatable Titans and the eternally meandering antics of Houston and Jacksonville. 

A major opportunity thus awaits Jones and the New England offense. The future, of course, won't be determined by a single game, but the second half of this season must answer as many questions as possible before the Patriots move onto the future. Only adding to the New England quarterbacks' value is the team's activity ... or lack thereof ... at this week's trade deadline, with the team opting to stand pat (pun very much intended) with its current group. 

After years of being spoiled at the quarterback spot with the antics of Brady, the Patriots are learning the virtue of patience as they inch toward their future. Unless they want to end up like the mediocre Colts, however, they may be no longer able to hold their horses. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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