‘Experience mattered’: Why Colts coach Jeff Saturday elevated Nick Foles over Sam Ehlinger

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 04: Nick Foles #9 of the Indianapolis Colts warms up prior to a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on December 04, 2022 in Arlington, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday made the second quarterback decision of his short tenure before Sunday’s game, promoting veteran Nick Foles to the No. 2 quarterback spot behind Matt Ryan.

The decision sent second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who made two starts earlier this season, to the inactive list, and the No. 3 spot where he opened the season.

Foles, who was signed to be the kind of experienced veteran backup who could step into the lineup for a team in the playoff hunt, has played just two offensive snaps this season at the end of the Colts’ blowout loss in Jacksonville.

Saturday said the decision came down to the game plan.

“We were going to go more two-minute (drill), and those kinds of things,” Saturday said. “From just an operations perspective, with what Dallas did, it just felt like experience mattered.”

Ryan played the entire game, rendering the backup decision moot.

But Saturday had indicated earlier in the week that he wasn’t planning to make any changes to a quarterback depth chart that has been in flux all season long.

“Nick has been playing good, and Sam has as well,” Saturday said. “Nothing more than that.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts vs. Cowboys: Why Jeff Saturday made Nick Foles backup QB