Sam Ehlinger on his performance in NFL, Colts preseason debut

Former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger got his first true taste of NFL action in the Indianapolis Colts’ preseason victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Ehlinger had a solid performance in his NFL debut.

Ehlinger bounced back from a shaky start

In his first drive at quarterback, Ehlinger threw and interception. He did not allow this to set him back, and he bounced back to have a pretty good day, leading the Colts to a comeback victory. Ehlinger said after the game that as he got more comfortable, he stopped trying to force things.

“Well, whatever it takes to win,” Ehlinger said. “Individually, things started off a little shaky. I was trying to aim it. But I got a little bit more comfortable there at the end. I’m glad I was able to get my feet wet and get some experience.”

On his early throw that was intercepted, Ehlinger thought that he was just getting a little too fancy with the ball. Ehlinger’s ability to bounce back proved to be a big reason the Colts came back to win.

“I just tried to aim it instead of letting it rip,” he said. “I tried to be too cute with it. Got to just let it rip down the field. I think after that, I was just like, ‘I have to just play my game.’ When you try to control it too much, that’s what happens. Luckily, the same route from the interception was the one to Tyler Vaughns in the red zone so I got to make up for it on that route. I let that one go a little bit better.”

Ehlinger said that the most important thing for him was not dwelling on his early mistake. He noted that the longer you focus on past mistakes, the more likely you are to replicate them moving forward.

“Just staying in the moment, staying in the present,” Ehlinger said. “Understanding that the past doesn’t affect the present or the future. It’s something you definitely have to learn. You obviously don’t want your first drive in a game to be an interception. But if you go into that hole and fall into that hole, you’re probably going to throw another one instead of responding how you should.”

Ehlinger’s mindset won’t change ahead of his first NFL start next week

After his interception, Ehlinger bounced back and led the Colts on two late scoring drives to help the Colts to victory. Down 18-10 in the fourth quarter, he led the Colts on a touchdown drive and ran in the two-point conversion himself to tie the game. On the following possession, Ehlinger led the Colts downfield again to set up a game-winning field goal.

Ehlinger completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts in the game for 155 yards. He also ran eight times for 30 yards.

“We talked as an offense and said that we have to find whatever it takes to win,” Ehlinger said. “I got a little bit more comfortable there at the end. Everybody did a great job from the offensive line to the receivers. We ran the ball well when we needed to. Everybody just kind of turned it on.”

When the Colts travel to Minnesota on Saturday, Ehlinger will be getting the first start of his career. He said that his mindset does not change, and the game poses as another opportunity to learn the offense.

“I don’t think so,” Ehlinger said when asked if his mentality changes. “It’ll be good. First road game, but no different mentality. Just a new gameplan. Go out and play and continue to get more and more comfortable in the system.”