Insider: How Colts quarterback Sam Ehlinger responded to being replaced by Matt Ryan

LAS VEGAS -- Sam Ehlinger arrived at the Colts facility Friday to learn about the latest twist in an unrelenting season.

He was headed back to the bench. Matt Ryan was the starting quarterback again.

Jeff Saturday made his biggest decision yet as a head coach, just four days after accepting the job in the middle of a season. This was a situation he'd just stepped into, and as an outsider that owner Jim Irsay trusts, he had the power to make a call the previous coach could not.

The decision created one of the bigger storylines of the NFL this week, resulting in Ryan leading the Colts on an NFL-best fifth fourth-quarter comeback in a 25-20 win over the Raiders that moved Indianapolis to 4-5-1. It sparked some life in a locker room that initially bought into Ryan as the leader of the team and the bridge to the future.

But it turned Ehlinger into the latest yo-yo in a franchise that's seeking out a new direction every week. In four weeks, the Colts have benched Ryan for Ehlinger, fired offensive coordinator Marcus Brady, fired coach and play-caller Frank Reich and then benched Ehlinger for Ryan.

"It's a crazy season," Ehlinger said. "Nothing that's happened has been expected."

Ehlinger stepped in when Ryan was nursing a Grade 2 shoulder separation following a loss to the Titans. But the move wasn't about the injury, as Irsay told ESPN he wanted to do it weeks before, but he had to wait on the team to lose a game first. That loss at Tennessee edged Irsay to want to experiment with Ehlinger, a second-year, sixth-round pick who had made some splashy plays in the preseason but who had yet to take an NFL snap.

Ehlinger's first start was mostly a success, as he stepped in against the Commanders and completed 17 of 23 passes for 201 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 100.1. The Colts lost 17-16, but Ehlinger threw a late pass into the arms of Michael Pittman Jr. that could have continued a potential game-winning drive, but it slipped through Pittman Jr.'s fingers.

The encore was not so kind. On the road against a top-notch Patriots defense, Ehlinger fell victim to Bill Belichick's coverage disguises and stunt pressures. He was sacked nine times and finished 15 of 29 for 103 yards, no touchdowns and one interceptions. The Colts lost 26-3 after finishing 0-14 on third downs.

The two starts came before anyone expected Ehlinger to be ready, including himself. He spoke in the preseason about a two-year process he's undergoing with passing guru Tom House to rebuild his shoulder and throwing motion.

"You can't ever replace live snaps," Ehlinger said. "Even watching today, watching Matt play, seeing defenses, I'm seeing it a lot better because of the database starting to build."

As a Colts season spiraled more into chaos, players looked to team leaders to right the ship.

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Ehlinger has the leadership traits coaches and teammates rave about, but what he didn't have was Ryan's experience with this kind of mid-season firing or the reputation he'd built over 15 years of handling the ups and downs of the high-pressure NFL. So when Ryan returned to practice Thursday and Jeff Saturday saw the way his passes zipped, an interim coach who had never coached in the NFL before decided to make the switch back to the veteran.

"I have so much respect for that young man and the way he's conducted himself and the type of teammate he is," Saturday said.

Ryan was exceptional against the Raiders, finishing 21 of 28 for 222 yards, one touchdown, zero turnovers and a 39-yard scramble that set up his NFL-high fifth fourth-quarter comeback of the season. Watching him handle this week, as unfortunate as it was personally, gave Ehlinger an important lesson, too.

"Everyone talks about how incredible his leadership ability is," Ehlinger said. "I think true leaders are revealed in uncertain and hard times. It would have been very easy for him to sit there and say nothing, especially given the circumstances."

He's back to sharing a room with Ryan and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, which was the plan all along.

"I got a taste," Ehlinger said. "I know what it looks like, and I'll continue to grow from here."

Contact Colts insider Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts: How QB Sam Ehlinger responded to being replaced by Matt Ryan