Colts Go All-In with Ryan for 2022 Super Bowl Run

If wishes were fishes, we’d all have a fry.  And if Andrew Luck never retired, the Indianapolis Colts would probably have been in at least one Super Bowl.  But Luck shockingly retired just before the 2019 season.  Subsequently, the Colts are still trying to sort things out.   Luck’s retirement was a moment that changed the franchise’s history.  The Super Bowl best trajectory was clearly pointing up at the time.  Indianapolis has a capable roster but has been cycling through quarterbacks.  Matt Ryan will be their fourth starting quarterback in four seasons since Luck retired.

2022 Indianapolis Colts CashBet NFL Odds Analysis

Last March, the Colts traded Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders for a nice haul.  Indianapolis got a 2022 second-round pick, 2022 third-round pick, and a conditional 2023 third-round pick.  In turn, they sent a 2022 second-round pick and a 2022 seventh-round pick back to Washington along with Wentz.  Subsequently, two weeks later, the Colts traded a third-round pick for Matt Ryan.  That’s an impressive top online sportsbook upgrade at quarterback.  Additionally, the Colts stocked up on some extra choices.

Jacoby Brissett originally took over for Luck.  And then Philip Rivers got the Colts to the playoffs, Carson Wentz almost got the Colts to the playoffs before they fell short.  So Indy booted him out.  Now Ryan is the latest QB savior.  But Ryan brings the most betting on Super Bowl credibility.

Of course, there is desperation in finding quarterbacks in their late 30s.  And then planning that they have one more good year left in them.  The Colts keep hoping to put off the long-term answer for another day.  Cause by the roster being too good to start over.  Luck’s retirement has set the Colts back for three seasons, going on four, with no end to the carousel in sight.

The Colts have done as well as possible with their stopgap quarterbacks.  Indeed, Ryan isn’t a terrible Super Bowl betting odds option.  Ryan is coming off a bad 2021 season with the Atlanta Falcons.   However, he had a terrible offensive line and no running game to help.  Further, his top receiver Calvin Ridley played just five games.

Ryan, age 37, has a much better team around him this time.  Overall, he was an asset as a quarterback for most of his 14 seasons with the Falcons.  The Colts are banking that Ryan will deliver for a year or two.

To be exact, The Colts blamed Wentz’s mistakes for not making the Super Bowl betting playoffs.  Indy suffered a catastrophic season-ending loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.  The Colts were 15.5-point favorites that needed to win to secure a wild-card spot.  Instead, they were never in the game, losing 26-11.

As a result, Wentz was the scapegoat.  The Colts traded him to the Washington Commanders without a backup plan.  Late on, Ryan became available, and the Colts made a good gamble to end up with him as QB.

Of course, Ryan probably isn’t returning to his 2016 MVP level.  But the Colts don’t need him to get to that level.  Indianapolis has Jonathan Taylor as the reigning NFL rushing champion.  Consider that Taylor became the youngest player ever to have 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns.  And he tied an NFL record with eight straight games with 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.  Taylor set Colts records for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a season.  Additionally, the Colts have a strong offensive line.  The Indy defense is underrated.

Certainly, Indianapolis is a competent franchise under general manager GM Chris Ballard and coach Frank Reich.  And it’s possible that Ryan can lead the Colts to Super Sunday.  But it’s more probable that the Colts will come up short.