The New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick have a reputation for being a very difficult matchup for young quarterbacks. The numbers certainly back that up.
Rookie and second-year quarterbacks have an abysmal record of 4-42 at Gillette Stadium since 2003. These quarterbacks have thrown 44 touchdowns to 58 interceptions while being sacked 116 times. Safe to say, it has been a rough experience for those trying to get a win in Foxborough.
The Indianapolis Colts will be the next team to take a young quarterback against the Patriots. Sam Ehlinger will make his second career start this weekend when the Colts take the field in New England. And while it is only his second start, Ehlinger knows the challenge he’s up against.
“Obviously, you want to get your first win and I’m really looking forward to playing against Coach Belichick and the Patriots,” Ehlinger said this week. “There’s nobody that’s done it better and they always present a challenge defensively. I know it’s going to be a challenge and it’s going to be a hostile environment. I’m looking forward to it.”
The former sixth-round pick out of Texas is utilizing his resources as he prepares for the matchup. Ehlinger met with Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who played in New England for four seasons, earlier this week to discuss some of the tendencies and disguises the Patriots use on defense. He also spent much of Monday going over his film from last week’s game, looking for areas where he can improve.
Ehlinger played well in his first start against the Washington Commanders last Sunday. Ehlinger finished 17-of-23 (74%) for 201 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and a QB rating of 100.1. Ehlinger and the offense were able to move the ball down the field, but turnovers and poor execution in the red zone only led to 16 points. You will not win many games in today’s NFL by only scoring 16 points.
“I think the biggest thing was we were doing what we wanted with the ball,” Ehlinger explained. “We were moving the ball. We got the ball inside the 50 multiple times and didn’t come away with points. Just shooting ourselves in the foot like I told you all after the game and not capitalizing when we have to take advantage of getting seven points or even getting a field goal. We know we got to score more points to win.”
The Colts have had trouble scoring points for some time now, even dating back to last season. Indy has only scored more than 20 points once in the previous ten games. For a team that has ranked in the top ten in scoring three out of the last four seasons, it has been an uncharacteristic trend that is turning into the norm.
The scoring woes the Colts have faced are one of the reasons why the Colts parted ways with offensive coordinator Marcus Brady this week. Brady had served as the offensive coordinator for the Colts since the beginning of the 2021 season and was the quarterbacks coach before that. Ehlinger developed a close relationship with Brady and admitted that while it is hard losing a coach, his job is still the same.
“Marcus was involved with game-planning stuff,” Ehlinger said. “Then, we’d meet as quarterbacks with Frank (Reich) and Scott (Milanovich), Marcus, Parks (Frazier). So, he was very involved with installing plays with the offense and also going over pass-game reads with us…Love Marcus, wish him the best. He’s an excellent coach, excellent person. We had a great relationship, so it’s obviously hard. But for me personally, my routine and preparation will stay the same.”
On top of losing Brady, Ehlinger will be without the guy who has been the third-most targeted player for the Colts this season. On Tuesday, the Colts traded running back Nyheim Hines to the Buffalo Bills. The Colts had hoped to make Hines a more vital part of the offense this season, but the offensive woes hampered those attempts.
“I think Nyheim was an excellent person and an excellent player,” Ehlinger remarked about his former teammate. “It’s unfortunate. That’s just the way that this league is. Obviously, he made some good plays on Sunday and he makes plays every Sunday. You’re always going to miss a guy like that and I wish him the best.”
The business side of the NFL is something that is rarely talked about. The NFL is a performance-based business, and nobody’s job is safe if they are not producing results. At the same time, professional sports are unique in that you can be playing for a team in the same city you have known your entire career and be on a flight to play for a new team in a new city the very next day.
It can be a lot to process when multiple moves happen to people close to you. For Ehlinger, losing his OC and a talented offensive weapon as he prepares for the Patriots is another challenge the quarterback must face.
“I think it just comes down to controlling what you can control,” Ehlinger admitted. “There’s so much in this league that’s out of your control and you will exhaust yourself mentally and physically if you try to worry about all the pieces that you can’t move. So, for me, obviously learning a lot. Haven’t been exposed to this level of the business aspect of sport but controlling what I can control and making sure that my performance and preparation is what I’m focused on.”
The challenges of playing the quarterback position in the NFL are immense. Both on the field and off the field, Ehlinger is finding that out first-hand, and he has taken everything in stride. But Sunday will present a challenge that not many young quarterbacks have been able to overcome.
We’ll see if Ehlinger can change that 4-42 record to 5-42.
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