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Here’s why the Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz stat comparison has been misleading

By Jaleel Grandberry

Mar 22, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Matt Ryan (2) holds a press conference to announce his joining of the team at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Matt Ryan (2) holds a press conference to announce his joining of the team at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports /
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Considering the circumstances for the Indianapolis Colts, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan have been compared, but fans must see the full picture.

Since the Indianapolis Colts traded away Carson Wentz and traded for Matt Ryan, there has been an interesting reaction. A lot of people are excited to see Ryan join Indianapolis and think he can help Indy reach the next level, but there are also people who question this excitement and argue that Ryan isn’t much better than Wentz.

When the latter argument is usually made, fans use last year’s stats to get their point across. The traditional quarterback stats, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. Initially, it looks like this collective has a point, Ryan and Wentz’s stats last year were pretty similar.

Both quarterbacks played all 17 games, but Ryan threw for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with 67% completion. That’s in comparison to 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions for Wentz on 62.4%. However, those numbers only tell part of the story.

In addition to the obvious, both players being on different teams and in different systems, the advanced quarterback stats also paint a different picture that shows why Ryan can be considered an upgrade over Wentz.

Advanced stats show Matt Ryan will be better for Colts than Carson Wentz

As shown in the photo, Ryan was drastically better than Wentz in delivering on-target throws. Matt Ryan was generally in the top 10 while Carson Wentz was usually in the bottom 10. That accuracy should make a difference for the Colts this season.

This isn’t highlighted to pile on Wentz, both he and Indianapolis have moved on from each other, but it shows the difference between the two quarterbacks and how Ryan is better. After OTAs, it seemed that Ryan was the perfect fit for Frank Reich’s offense and hopefully that continues into the season. With an extremely accurate quarterback, the Colts’ offense has the potential to be scary.

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