Indianapolis Colts quarterback Carson Wentz came off the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday, and Colts head coach Frank Reich confirmed Sunday that Wentz will indeed start against the Las Vegas Raiders, per NFL Network's Stacey Dales.

Wentz went on the COVID list earlier in the week, putting his Week 17 status in jeopardy for a huge game. There was even some talk of trying to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement to play again for Indianapolis. Rookie Sam Ehlinger was set to start if Wentz couldn't go.

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Luckily for the Colts, the new COVID protocols helped them and Wentz in this situation. The quarterback is unvaccinated, but players can now return after five days if they're asymptomatic and test negative.

Indy is 9-6 on the season and looking to secure a playoff berth. The Colts are currently the No. 5 seed in the AFC, but there are a number of teams bunched up in the standings, so a lot of things can change. The Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots are all 9-6 as well, and there are four 8-7 teams, including the Raiders.

Given the standings, there's a lot on the line in this game. Going into it with Ehlinger would have been tough for the Colts, so they're thrilled to have Wentz available under center. The quarterback has thrown for 3,230 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions this season.