The hot takes are flying in hot from Colin Cowherd’s studio in Los Angeles, as he picked the Indianapolis Colts to upset the Detroit Lions in Week 12. The pick is shocking, considering both of their records but Cowherd justified his bold prediction.
“Anthony Richardson has won 4 of his last 5 starts and played his best game as a pro against the Jets,” Cowherd said on The Herd.
While Cowherd is optimistic about Richardson, the Lions are no joke. The 9-1 Lions have both a top 5 offense and defense, with their offense being the best in the league. They average 33.6 points per game and have had four games of scoring 40+ points. Most recently, they torched the Jacksonville Jaguars and won 52-6.
On the flip side, the Colts won 28-27 against the New York Jets in Richardson’s first start back. He looked poised, confident, and full of the same swagger he had when he was with Florida football. Even one of Richardson’s teammates credited his benching that helped propel his game.
However, Indianapolis hasn’t played a well-balanced team like Detroit yet this season. Still, Richardson’s big-play ability could make things interesting.
Why does Colin Cowherd believe the Colts will beat the Lions?
There’s more than just Richardson but he’s the vital component of their offensive scheme. His numbers took a hit compared to his rookie season but there have been many big plays. Richardson completed the longest pass of his career during Week 1 against the Houston Texans. He threw a 69-yard bomb to Josh Downs for a touchdown that gave fans hope. However, the turnovers and the inconsistencies forced them to turn to Joe Flacco.
While the veteran performed well, the Colts felt Richardson was ready to be the starter again. When he faced the New York Jets, he completed his first fourth-quarter comeback of his career. In a hostile environment and against a top-tier defense, Richardson made all the right plays. However, he hasn’t faced a defense as stout and aggressive as the Lions’. Despite this, he has support from all angles, even from the Colts previous starting quarterback.
Flacco was vocal about Richardson’s QB1 return and credited him for his resiliency. Now, he’ll need even more of that heading into Week 12. The two teams will square off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. For Richardson, he’ll look to aim high and find that big-game magic if they want to pull off an upset. Not to mention, a win could legitimately put them back in the AFC Wild Card contention.
This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.
