Carson Wentz’s tenure as the Indianapolis Colts’ starting quarterback hasn’t gotten off to a great start. On this week’s More Than Football podcast, PFN’s Chief NFL Analyst Trey Wingo and host Brett Yarris talk about why Wentz and the Colts have struggled so far this season.
To watch this episode of More Than Football, tune in to the video player above. You can also listen to the podcast in the player at the end of the article or on your favorite podcast platform, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Carson Wentz isn’t the only problem for the Indianapolis Colts, but he isn’t helping either
Wingo starts out by pointing out that, while Indianapolis has more problems than just Carson Wentz, his most recent injury is part of what is now a trend:
“Carson Wentz is not the reason they are 0-2, but Carson Wentz is also not available again.”
It might not be fair, but it’s the truth. Wentz had significant injuries in Philadelphia, and those appeared to have followed him to Indianapolis. Ultimately, if you can’t stay healthy, you can’t contribute.
Wentz is not the only QB facing questions this week. PFN’s NFL Insider Adam Beasley reported that Tua Tagovailoa, Andy Dalton, and Derek Carr are also nursing injuries. You can find out what their status is for Week 3 in Beasley’s QB injury report.
Colts could still win the AFC South
Even with Wentz out, Wingo believes the AFC South is still winnable for the Colts. The division simply isn’t particularly good. The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars are unlikely to challenge for the division title, making it a race between the Colts and the Tennessee Titans. And right now, there is only one game between them.
Indianapolis needs Jacob Eason to perform
According to Wingo, the real problem for Indianapolis is that they don’t have a backup that they are confident can play at a high level. Of course, as Wingo points out, you often underestimate how valuable a good backup can be until it is too late:
“The backup quarterback is the position you never think about until you need it.”
And unfortunately, thanks to Wentz’s injury, the Colts now need to rely on Jacob Eason. Eason did play during the preseason, so he has some experience with the offense. How well he performs in the next few weeks could determine whether Indianapolis finds a way to win the AFC South, or make certain the Titans take it instead.