In a surprise twist, Matt Ryan is starting at quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts' game versus the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon.
This marks Ryan's first start in three weeks, after he was benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger ahead of Indy's Week 8 game. Then-head coach Frank Reich said at the time that Ryan was dealing with a Grade 2 shoulder separation, but even without the injury they would have made the change at quarterback. Ehlinger went 0-2 in his two starts with a 61.5 passing percentage, 304 yards, and two touchdowns.
Since Ryan's benching, Reich has been fired and owner Jim Irsay has hired former Colts center Jeff Saturday at interim head coach, a controversial choice who has now made his first big decision in bringing Ryan back.
Ryan was acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason in an effort to bring a consistent presence to the Colts' QB carousel of the past few years, though the veteran was 3-3-1 before Ehlinger took over. But now with a new head coach and a healthy shoulder, Ryan is getting another chance to take the reins and lead his team, starting with today's matchup with the Raiders.
