The Colts made a big move in the offseason by trading for veteran <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nfl/nfl-news-russell-wilson-reacts-to-broncos-failed-field-goal-attempt-vs-seahawks-2746-20220914-SPD-2746.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quarterback</a> Matt Ryan, who left Atlanta after 14 years. Carson Wentz failed to impress and, after only one year, Indianapolis decided to change the direction.



But so far, the former Falcons <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nfl/there-was-no-respect-there-ryan-fitzpatrick-reveals-why-tom-brady-annoys-him-2769-20220916-SPD-2769.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">signal-caller</a> got off to a slow start with his new team. The Colts’ season opener against the Houston Texans finished in a stalemate, but things got much worse the following week.



On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars destroyed the Colts 24-0, limiting Ryan to just 16 of 30 passes completed, 195 yards and three interceptions. Even so, Frank Reich said the 37-year-old quarterback is not to blame.



<h2>Colts HC Frank Reich has Matt Ryan’s back after ugly Jaguars loss</h2>



“I mean the protection yesterday wasn’t our best effort. He was under duress a number of times,” Reich said, via ProFootballTalk. “There’s still mistakes that he made, that we all make, but I think overall — listen, I understand how the quarterback position is. You’re really dependent on everybody else on there, but you’re at the center of it so you have to make it work.



“What I love about Matt is that he takes responsibility. He’s the leader. I could not be happier that he’s our quarterback. He’s an elite leader and I really believe he can be an elite player in this offense. We’ve all got to pull it together. We all have got to carry our own weight, each one of us, including him and everybody on that offense.”

NFL News: Frank Reich doesn’t blame Matt Ryan for Colts’ early struggles

NFL News: Frank Reich doesn’t blame Matt Ryan for Colts’ early struggles - thesportsdrops NEWS

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After more than a decade in Atlanta, <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nfl/nfl-rumors-falcons-interest-in-deshaun-watson-drove-matt-ryan-away-from-atlanta-360-20220504-SPD-360.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matt Ryan</a> is preparing for his first season without the Falcons. The <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nfl/super-bowl-champions-list-of-all-time-winners-215-20220503-SPD-215.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colts</a> didn’t like what they saw of <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nfl/carson-wentzs-honest-take-on-returning-to-philadelphia-to-face-eagles-for-the-first-time-755-20220513-SPD-755.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Carson Wentz</a> last year and went after the veteran quarterback this offseason. 



Ryan has a challenging job ahead of him. Not only he’s facing the task of leading Indianapolis back to the postseason, but also to prove that he can still be a starting quarterback in the NFL.



However, it seems that he already got off to a good start to life with the Colts. As a matter of fact, head coach Frank Reich has already drawn parallels between Ryan and legendary QB Peyton Manning.



<h2>Frank Reich says Matt Ryan has similar approach to football than Peyton Manning</h2>



“Matt’s an incredibly smart guy,” Reich told Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. “But one of the things I’ve continued to be impressed by—he doesn’t want to expand things, he wants to consolidate things. It’s a little bit Peyton-esque like that. ‘Don’t try to overcoach, don’t get too cute, don’t try to overscheme, let’s just run the same things over and over again.’ That’s how I’ve been brought up in this league. 



“In an age where everyone wants to talk about how smart the coaches are, or the quarterback is, and all the ways that you can scheme, and do this and that … and those are all important things, (but) Matt is old school, and I’m a little bit old school like this, too.“

Matt Ryan

NFL News: Frank Reich doesn’t blame Matt Ryan for Colts’ early struggles

Colts head coach Frank Reich sees similarities between Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning

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