The Indianapolis Colts can’t concern themselves with the quarterback needs of other teams, and they’ve got good injury news of late. But there are two reasons why Joe Flacco must not start over Anthony Richardson after the Colts’ win over the Dolphins.
If you look at it from one perspective, the Colts are 4-3 and just one game behind the Houston Texans for first place in the AFC South — thanks to the 16-10 win over the injury-depleted Dolphins. A head coach often asks himself, “Which quarterback gives me the best opportunity to win this week?” And looking at the surface, that answer might be Joe Flacco.
But this is the NFL and the big picture always has to be in focus. It can run in the background, but it has to be visible. If not, this is where head coaches tend to lose their footing and wind up out the door. The No. 1 reason Anthony Richardson must remain in the driver’s seat is potential. Let’s look deeper.
Colts QB Anthony Richardson needs to be given more leash
First, we know the main problem. It’s obvious, and it’s his accuracy. Richardson completed 59.5% of his passes as a Colts’ rookie in 2023. This year, he’s crazy bad at 49%.
However, Sunday’s start against the Texans will be game No. 10 of his NFL career. He still has seven games left in his rookie season. So, before throwing dirt on Richardson’s career look at Buffalo’s Josh Allen. He completed 53% of his passes as a rookie in 2018. The next year he hit 59%. Both of those totals are abysmal for NFL standards. But in year No. 3, Allen soared to 69 percent and he never looked back. He’s clearly one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
Richardson’s rookie percentage stands at 53.5 if we combine this year and last year. That’s ahead of Allen’s pace. The point is not to extrapolate and say Richardson will do what Allen did. The point is to give Richardson at least two full seasons before dumping his career into the QB waste bin.
Richardson has a big game ahead against the Texans./ It’s a rematch of Week 1 when Richardson completed 9 of 19 passes for 212 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also carried six times for 56 yards with a touchdown. Accounting for three touchdowns and 268 yards is the kind of production the Colts would love to see from Richardson.
Will the Texans be better prepared for Richardson this time around? It’s likely. But Richardson said it could be a wash because he will know more about the Texans’ defense, according to colts.com.
“It doesn’t really change much,” Richardson said. “Of course, we’ve got some information on it because we played them before, but you’ve still got to prepare the same way because we don’t know what they’re doing in their meeting rooms. We don’t know what they’re trying to scheme up or switch up. So, it’s just preparing the same way each and every week and just getting ready for the game.”
Colts head coach Shane Steichen said this is a good test for Richardson.
“Early in the season, we’re just trying to look for growth week in and week out,” Steichen said. “I think he’s played nine games in the NFL now and by going into another one with an opponent that he’s went against, so it’s good. He’s seeing some familiar faces. So, excited for Sunday for him.”
Plus, Steichen said Richardson didn’t look as bad against the Dolphins as his 10-of-24 passing performance might suggest, according to apnews.com.
“They were coming off a bye week and so we saw one un-scouted look that they brought, that they got us on,” Steichen said. “But I think Anthony did a hell of a job, not taking the sacks. I think that kind of goes unnoticed a lot of times. He’s spinning out of it and making a play, a throwaway.”
Joe Flacco’s meaningful NFL days are behind him
There was a time when Flacco could lead a team into the playoffs with the expectation of a win. He got there seven times, and has a record of 10-6. Plus, he was the Super Bowl MVP in the 2012 season.
But last year we saw what a 38-year-old Flacco looks like in the playoffs. After a tremendous regular season run, Flacco played his part in a 45-14 meltdown for the Cleveland Browns against the Texans. Seriously, no Colts fan wants to experience that nightmare.
What’s the point of making the playoffs with an aging-out quarterback with no real hope of winning once you get there? The point is to make the playoffs with a young quarterback, especially one with the tools of Richardson, and have a chance to hit the jackpot.
It’s up to the Colts to find a way to make things work for Richardson. Steichen admitted he needs to do better as a coach in that area.
“I didn’t do a good enough job offensively,” Steichen said of the play calling against the Dolphins. “I’ve got to put him in better positions. You go back, and we’ll watch the tape, but I mean, there wasn’t a lot of stuff open when I was out there watching it. So that’s on me. I’ve got to be better.”
