Quarterback Matt Ryan has been drawing rave reviews from players all the way up to team owner Jim Irsay since becoming the Colts quarterback earlier this offseason.
That trend has continued with Nyheim Hines.
The running back signed a three-year contract extension with the Colts at the start of the 2021 season. But his production went down significantly from 2020, in part because of quarterback Carson Wentz’s play. Where Hines had 63 receptions for 482 yards with four TDs in 2020, he had just 40 catches for 310 yards with one touchdown last season.
As General Manager Chris Ballard put it, the Colts didn’t hit enough of the short plays that were there to be made in 2021 — the layups. With Philip Rivers at quarterback in 2020, many of those kinds of plays went to Hines.
According to the running back, those plays have a chance to be back in 2022.
“When we get a certain defense, we know Matt is going out there to try to kill,” Hines said, via Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star. “He makes the tight throws when he needs to. He’s not missing the layups.”
Hines generally appears to have high confidence in Ryan and his ability as a QB.
“It’s all on the quarterback,” Hines said. “Quarterback play is everything. We’re going to have great quarterback play this year. When the box is stacked, he’s going to see it and make the reads to get out of it. When it’s not stacked, he’s not going to be scared to hand the ball off.
“Matt has the keys, and we’re going to go as far as he goes.”