Carson Wentz and the Colts crashed out of a chance to make the NFL playoffs after losing to the Jaguars. And Colts GM Chris Ballard was blunt, to say the least.
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All the Colts had to do was beat a horrid 2-14 Jacksonville Jaguars team that had scored over 20 points just once since Halloween and was eyeing the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
Indianapolis had two chances to clinch a playoff spot. In Week 17, the Colts lost at home against the Raiders, and on Week 18, the Jaguars dominated Indianapolis to win the game 11-26.
Indianapolis Colts had their worst game all season when it mattered the most. The Jags defence blew through the Colts offence, sacking QB Carson Wentz 6 times and picking him off once. They also limited MVP Candidate RB Jonathan Taylor to only 77 yards and no scores.
Chris Ballard is not committing to Carson Wentz for 2022.
The Colts entered Week 17 on a tear, having won eight of their last 10, including victories over the playoff-bound Bills, Patriots and Cardinals. But still couldn’t make the playoffs.
“When we made the decision, after Philip [Rivers] retired and we made the decision to make a move on Carson, at the time of the decision we felt good about it and I still don’t regret the decision at the time,” Ballard said Thursday. “Sitting here today, just so y’all know, I won’t make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not going to be here next year. That’s not fair to any player.”
“I’d like to quit Band-Aiding it,” Ballard said. “I’d like for Carson to be the long-term answer or find somebody who will be here for the next 10-12 years. Sometimes it doesn’t work out that way. I can dream about it, wish about it, do everything I can to figure out the solution, but you do the best with what you can do at the time.”
Make the layups. Make the layups. The layups,” Ballard said. “Carson wants to win. He has a will to win. Sometimes when you carry the burden where you think you have to make a big play all the time. Sometimes let the team help you, make the layups, make the layups.”
Wentz had an average 2021 season. He threw for an impressive 27 touchdowns to only 7 interceptions. But threw for at least 200 yards in only two of the final eight games of the season. In the upset loss to the Jaguars in the season finale, Wentz posted a career-low 4.4 Total QBR.
