The NFL officially revealed its schedule for the 2021 season last week, and Indianapolis Colts fans would be hard-pressed to deny that the team got an unfair draw.
Though the Colts technically have the 23rd-easiest strength of schedule based on their opponents’ combined winning percentage from last year, their unforgiving opening five-game stretch suggests they could get off to a rough start.
That isn’t an ideal scenario for Carson Wentz, who will be looking to reclaim his lost confidence and prove he’s still an elite quarterback. To put it simply, the former No. 2 overall pick really would’ve benefited from an easy-breezy start to his Colts tenure.
With that said, there will be plenty of opportunities for Wentz to make the Eagles regret giving up on him after one poor season under center. In fact, there might even be a game within that opening five-game gauntlet for him to do just that.
So, without further ado…
These 3 games will give Colts quarterback Carson Wentz the perfect opportunity to silence his doubters.
Full disclosure: the Week 1 matchup against the Seahawks was tempting, but it would be unfair for us to set high expectations for Wentz in his first game with the Colts.
3. Week 11 at Buffalo
What better time for Wentz to re-announce his status as a top-tier QB than a rematch of the Divsional Round loss vs Buffalo in Week 11? The Colts will also be on the road, so it’s almost an exact replica of that game, which Indy lost by just three points and had countless chances to take control in the first half.
Nevertheless, this matchup would fall higher on the list if not for the sheer difficulty of it, as the Bills enjoyed a fantastic offseason (including free agency and the draft) and numerous analysts have pegged them as a legitimate threat to supplant Kansas City as the kings of the AFC.
On the flip side, Wentz should have worked through any potential growing pains by Week 11. In other words, the Pro Bowl talent should be in midseason form, which entails being nearly fully acclimated to the playbook and boasting a strong chemistry with his pass-catchers.
Carson Wentz could win over Colts fans with a win over Buffalo in Week 11.
There will be no excuses for Wentz if he underperforms in this game. That could obviously change if the entire squad lays an egg and Buffalo mops the floor with Indy, but that shouldn’t happen give how tightly contested that playoff matchup was in January.
Though the Colts will probably be underdogs in this matchup, a road win against one of the consensus championship contenders in what will likely be frigid weather conditions will do wonders for Wentz in terms of silencing his naysayers. He will literally have a chance to prove that inserting himself in Philip Rivers’ place could make all the difference.