The Vikings May Have Re-Written Matt Ryan’s Legacy
Ted Schwerzler
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After completing the largest comeback in NFL history on Saturday afternoon, there’s no denying that the Minnesota Vikings were flying high. Capturing the NFC North division title for the first time since 2017, head coach Kevin O’Connell was also watching something else he may not have considered. Matt Ryan’s legacy may have been re-written by O’Connell’s Vikings.
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Before there was Peyton Manning there was Jim Harbaugh. The head coach for the Michigan Wolverines was under center the last time Minnesota beat the Indianapolis Colts. Way back in 1997, Randall Cunningham threw for four touchdowns in a 39-28 victory over the 3-13 opponents. Randy Moss was not yet in the NFL, and Robert Smith was about to become a Pro Bowler. It was a long time ago.
Fast forward to Saturday, and we saw a team that opted for a veteran in Matt Ryan to take over in place of Carson Wentz. Having turned the page on yet another quarterback in the wake of Andrew Luck’s surprising retirement, it was the former MVP that was supposed to line up with Jonathan Taylor and get this team over the hump.
Thus far this season, the Colts have moved on from their head coach Frank Reich and turned to former ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday. This came after Reich had already benched an underwhelming Ryan in favor of late round pick Sam Ehlinger. Saturday, who had no experience to speak of prior to joining the sideline, went back to the veteran signal caller. On Saturday, even with the Vikings handing out opportunities like candy, Ryan wilted.
When the dust settled, Ryan threw for a measly 182 yards on 33 attempts. He averaged just 5.5 yards per pass and his only touchdown came on a one yard dump off to running back Deon Jackson. Ryan wasn’t picked off in this one, but the longest pass came on a ten-yard crossing route that saw Jelani Woods extend the play during the 1st quarter. To suggest that Ryan was mediocre would be putting it lightly.
To be fair, we are talking about a 37-year-old veteran in Ryan. His career is hardly a one-game sample size, but it’s also fair to wonder if it might be defined by just two.
Individually Ryan has done well over the course of his 15 NFL seasons. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2008 and won the MVP award in 2016. As the leader of a group though, there’s two games that may forever trump everything else he’s ever done on a professional football field.
After being up 28-3 over the New England Patriots in the 2016 Super Bowl, Ryan watched as legend Tom Brady orchestrated a comeback that he never thought possible. That game went down as the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, and then the nightmare came back at U.S. Bank Stadium. With his Colts up 33-0 at halftime, Ryan wound up positioning Indianapolis for just three points the rest of the way. Minnesota pulled off the largest comeback in NFL history, and again it was Ryan on the losing side of things.
Looking back over history, it’s hard to remember who won individual awards during any given season. As years mesh together, the team awards or champions even get foggy. We are now closing in on the 7th year since the Super Bowl meltdown, and 28-3 is still used in popular culture.
For a Colts team that wasn’t any good, and it being a Week 15 regular season contest, the Vikings victory doesn’t hold the same ramifications. Still, it will be Ryan who lost a game where he led 33-donut, and that only extends the conversation brought on by the playoff defeat.
Maybe Ryan finds himself looking for a new team next offseason and wants to continue his career for a few more years. The production has certainly tailed off though, and regardless of if someone else wants to give him run or not, it may be hard to ever think of him through a lens that doesn’t immediately invite the thought of a guy that couldn’t close on a colossal level.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.