Colts bench QB Matt Ryan again, Nick Foles will start on Monday Night Football

According to head coach Jeff Saturday, the Indianapolis Colts will start veteran backup Nick Foles on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers for the Week 15 matchup.

The 33-year-old Foles has not started a game since Week 16 of last year, where as a member of the Chicago Bears, he threw for a touchdown and no interceptions.

The Colts are hoping the former Super Bowl MVP with the Philadelphia Eagles can provide a late-season spark. He should assuredly present an upgrade over this late-career version of Matt Ryan at least in arm strength. (Ryan’s is benched for the second time this season.)

During his first (and likely only) season in Indianapolis, 37-year-old Ryan has been a major disappointment on the field. While he’s brought veteran leadership, he’s thrown for 14 touchdowns to 13 interceptions and featured a diminished arm, ball security, and overall decision-making — especially in the face of opposing pass pressure.

That being said, it’s fair to wonder what is even the point of starting Foles at this late stage in the season. The playoffs are already a lost cause for the Colts, and the team would be better served simply continuing to lose games to secure a better draft pick, where they currently are picking at 6th overall.

We already know that remaining with Ryan would likely continue that losing course, as well as even starting Sam Ehlinger (who struggled in his brief stint starting earlier this year).

What good does Foles doing well and potentially galvanizing the team late actually serve?