The Indianapolis Colts might be just 1-3 through four games, but that’s through no fault of their quarterback play. We’d even go as far as to say that Carson Wentz has played well enough to be on a team with a winning record.
The only thing holding Wentz back thus far has been Indy’s offensive line, which looked overmatched at times on Sunday (looking at you, Eric Fisher), poor situational coaching, and a slow start from the defense.
Wentz obviously hasn’t set the world on fire this season, but that was never the Colts’ plan when they traded for him in the offseason.
Yes, Wentz has had to play hero far too many times this season. The Week 2 matchup against the Rams was particularly troubling to watch, and it honestly wasn’t surprising he left injured in the fourth quarter.
Despite not getting much help from his OL and coaching staff, however, Wentz is showing that he’s already turned a corner.
Check out this mind-blowing stat.
In 2020, Carson Wentz led the NFL with 24 turnover-worthy throws (per @PFF).
— JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) October 4, 2021
In 2021, through four games, Wentz has ZERO turnover-worthy plays.
Carson Wentz has already transformed his game with the Colts.
Make no mistake, Colts fans, you are already witnessing an entirely new version of Carson Wentz. One that loves extending plays, but knows when to take risks and live to fight another down by throwing the ball away or taking a sack.
At this point last season, Wentz tossed seven interceptions. He only has one this year, and it came on a clear miscommunication on a shovel pass in the red zone vs the Rams. Again, his play-calling did him zero favors in that situation.
Quick note: Wentz is one of five QBs who’ve started all four games this season to throw one or fewer interceptions.
Despite playing on two bum ankles, Wentz turned in arguably his best performance in a Colts uniform this past Sunday. Did he miss some throws? Sure, but we’ll save the criticism for when he’s 100% healthy.
For the game, Wentz finished 24-of-32 (75%) for 228 yards and two touchdowns to zero turnovers, equating to a 115.1 passer rating. He did exactly what the Colts needed him to do to walk out of Miami with a win.
If this was last year, Wentz’s stat line would’ve looked A LOT different.
An important point: Wentz had SEVEN interceptions at this point last season. He has one fluke INT so far this year. He’s playing smarter. Period. That is undeniable. He’ll perhaps make fewer big plays in this scenario, but he’ll have fewer *bad* plays, too. I think he’s viable. https://t.co/BOoWbnN1SA
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) October 4, 2021
These might seem like moral victories, but do we remember that Wentz was one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL last season? His numbers were on par with the likes of Drew Lock, Sam Darnold, Dwayne Haskins and Alex Smith.
The bottom line is that Wentz is a more responsible quarterback. His confidence is growing with each passing week. He might hold onto the ball for too long on some snaps, but that’s really the only critique fans can have at this stage.
Just remember Wentz is playing this smart with a depleted/underperforming offensive line, a middling receiving corps, and the running game being virtually non-existent before it racked up 139 yards in Week 4.
Give him his respect. He’s earned it.
Indianapolis Colts: 3 stars who saved Indy from 0-4 start vs Miami
These three Indianapolis Colts stars saved the team against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon in Week 4. Let's. Go. Boys.