The Indianapolis Colts offense has shown signs of life
of late after putting Anthony Richardson back in the lineup at quarterback. In last week’s win over the New York Jets, Richardson led the Colts down the field to win the game 28-27 in one of the best performances of the young quarterbacks career.
Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions hasn’t gone as smoothly. The Lions have a very good defense and the Colts have struggled with injuries to some of their offensive weapons all day. One of those weapons, wide receiver Josh Downs, went down with a shoulder injury and was questionable to return, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Downs did not end up coming back into the game, which the Colts lost 24-6.
Downs is a serious weapon for the Colts out of the slot. Despite his slight stature, he is able to get open against all coverages and is very reliable for Richardson in all areas of the field.
Downs didn’t have a big day against the Lions, who shut down the Colts offense for most of the day. Richardson targeted him seven times, but he only caught three balls for 27 yards. The Colts were also dealing with an injury to top wideout Michael Pittman Jr. earlier in the game, but he was able to return.
The Colts drop to 5-7 with this loss and could potentially be two games out of the final AFC Wild Card spot when the day comes to an end. They will have a close eye on the afternoon game between the Denver Broncos, who they are currently chasing, and the Las Vegas Raiders. If Downs is forced to miss significant time, it will be a serious impediment to their chances of turning this season around and making the playoffs.
The Lions continue to cruise this season as they move to 10-1 with another blowout of a clearly inferior team. They are the clear favorites in the NFC until further notice.
This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.
