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NFL expert believes Matt Ryan and Michael Pittman Jr. can be special

By Jaleel Grandberry

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) pulls in a pass in front of New York Jets cornerback Bryce Hall (37) to score a touchdown Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, during a game against the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) pulls in a pass in front of New York Jets cornerback Bryce Hall (37) to score a touchdown Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, during a game against the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. /
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The Indianapolis Colts paired their young receiver Michael Pittman Jr. with veteran quarterback Matt Ryan and they have good potential as a duo.

Michael Pittman Jr. will be entering his third season with the Indianapolis Colts and he will be doing so with his third quarterback. Pittman started his career with Philip Rivers and then had a breakout second season with Carson Wentz. Now, Pittman will be catching passes from veteran quarterback Matt Ryan.

Matt Ryan’s move from the Atlanta Falcons to the Colts was a part of an offseason that saw a lot of quarterback and wide receiver movement. As a result, there are several new quarterback-receiver duos across the NFL.

Kevin Patra from NFL.com took time to rank the ten best new veteran quarterback and wide receivers combos heading into next season. Patra ranked the duo of Ryan and Pittman as No. 3 on the list.

Matt Ryan and Michael Pittman Jr. ranked as a top duo

The Colts’ duo were behind the pairing of Derek Carr and Davante Adams and Russell Wilson and Jerry Jeudy. However, Ryan and Pittman were ahead of other potentially impressive duos like Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill.

Patra details that Matt Ryan is still playing quarterback at a quality level and highlights how Michael Pittman Jr. seems to be ascending. He summarizes his point with the statement, “If he (Pittman) can produce with Wentz, imagine what he can do with Ryan.”

Following Indy’s offseason program, Ryan does seem to be a better fit at quarterback for this offense than Wentz. Everyone has been raving about Ryan’s command of the locker room and his passing ability.

Pittman complimented Ryan’s accuracy saying that he can put the ball wherever he wants. If these two can build a rapport, they have the ability to power Indy’s passing game. Obviously, last season showed that the Colts will need more out of receivers not named Pittman, but an elite connection between a QB and the top receiver can go a long way.

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