Indianapolis Colts: Can Frank Reich fix what ails Carson Wentz?

A year ago, the Colts finished 11-5 and earned a playoff berth behind Philip Rivers. Now Frank Reich again looks to revive the career of a former pupil.

This past season, the Indianapolis Colts rebounded from a 7-9 showing in 2019 to win 11 games and claim the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs. The team fell short in the Wild Card playoffs, falling to the Bills at Orchard Park, 27-24. Now the team looks to make back-to-back postseason appearances since the first three years of the Andrew Luck Era from 2012-14.

But for the fourth consecutive year, all under head coach Frank Reich, the team will have a different Week 1 starter behind center. Former Eagles’ first-round pick Carson Wentz is expected to take the field when the Colts host the Seattle Seahawks in early September.

The second overall selection in the 2016 NFL Draft spent five seasons in Philadelphia. He put up impressive numbers in his second season before suffering a knee injury. In 11 games in 2018, he threw three times as many touchdown passes (21) as interceptions. But his overall game has taken a turn for the worse in recent years.

In 28 regular-season contests since 2019, Wentz has thrown a total of 43 touchdown passes, been picked off 22 times and lost 11 of his 26 fumbles. He was sat down after 12 games in 2020 and now via trade, takes his talents to Indianapolis.

A year ago, general manager Chris Ballard signed veteran signal-caller Philip Rivers to a one-year deal. He was coming off a year with the Chargers in which he finished with just as many touchdown tosses (23) as turnovers. But he and Reich also had some history with the Bolts. In 2020, he rebounded well in terms of ball security and was guilty of just 12 miscues. Playoff-bound Indianapolis finished with the third-fewest turnovers in the league (15).

Of course, Reich also has some history with Wentz in Philadelphia. He was the Eagles’ offensive coordinator when the talented passer had his big year in ’17.

There was talk that during his days with the Birds, the young quarterback had other issues. As for those rumors regarding Wentz’s supposed absence of leadership, Colts’ second-year wide receiver Michael Pittman has his thoughts.

“I have no idea what everybody else is talking about,” said the young performer recently (via Grant Gordon of NFL.com). “I see a team guy. He’s always there, just like ready to help and just do whatever it takes. He’s been a great guy, been a great teammate. So, that’s pretty much all I have to say about that. He’s been great so far.”

So can Frank Reich do for Carson Wentz what he did for Philip Rivers? One thing is for certain. Behind the Colts’ talented offensive line, the latter certainly won’t take the beating that he did in 2020 when he was sacked 50 times in a dozen contests.