The 36-year-old former league MVP is still at the top of his game, and his consistency and reliability sets him apart from his Indy predecessors. While Ryan missed the 4,000 yard mark last season, finishing with 3,968 yards, he accomplished the feat in the previous 10 straight years. And it happened while he was leading an offense that had playmakers and playcallers revolving all the time. Despite the constant change, the veteran led Atlanta’s offense every year with consistent out-of-pocket play, propelling the Falcons into the top 10 hitters for six straight seasons from 2014-19. While infractions have declined over the past two years, Ryan has finished in the top 15 passers on the NFL.com QB index in every campaign.
“I have long admired Matt for his steady and methodical approach to the game,” Reich said shortly after the deal was announced. “He is one of the highest-scoring quarterbacks in the league and has led many game-winning games in the fourth quarter. Matt will be a fantastic spokesperson for our organization.”
“Matty Ice” originally got his moniker at Boston College by regularly showing composure in the clutch, propelling the Eagles to double-digit winning seasons—something the program hasn’t achieved since Doug. Flute. Ryan continued to thrive in key moments at the NFL level, racking up 33 fourth-quarter comebacks and 42 game-winning drives. Most importantly, he joins the Colts with the intention of winning a championship with the new roster.
“You’re talking about Tom Brady or Peyton (Manning) or any of those guys, they’ve had times where they had to transition – and they’ve both been hugely successful at it,” Ryan said during his opening press conference. on Tuesday. “Deep down I’m thinking about it right now. This opportunity, which I have for the rest of my career, is to catch that spark and walk away.
“I go into a building that was very well set up and a lineup that was set up to win and they did a great job of putting it together. I’m so excited to get to work and be able to get on the field with these guys and try to do my part to help this team win as many games as possible.”
At this point, the Colts are ready to compete for the Lombardi Trophy, with Ryan joining a roster that has a solid offensive line and defending champion Jonathan Taylor. While the left tackle remains in question, generally speaking, the Colts have an offense that allows them to play football that works in the postseason. Similar to Atlanta with Ryan as a rookie starter in 2008, when the Falcons made the playoffs behind a powerful offensive line that saw Michael Turner finish second in the league in rushing with 1,699 yards. Ryan’s effective pass with ball control landed the Dirty Birds in the tournament for the first time in four seasons.
Fast forward to 2022, and a wiser and more experienced Ryan could take Indianapolis back to the playoffs after a crushing end to the 2021 campaign, with the Colts smashingly defeated by the lowly Jaguars in Week 18 and pulled out of the playoffs. There’s no disrespect to Carson Wentz, but Ryan represents a massive improvement on Indy’s position. The four-time professional bowler is a devastatingly accurate passer with a chess mind that allows him to strain his defense with disciplined counter tactics. Ryan will accumulate bottom shot completion to keep the attack on schedule against a defense using umbrella cover tactics, but he is perfectly capable of pushing the ball down the field when the opportunity arises.