Will the Colts Start Anthony Richardson on Sunday?
It appears as if the Indianapolis Colts may be making a quarterback change.
When asked if the team would potentially make a quarterback change following another poor performance by Anthony Richardson, Colts head coach Shane Steichen replied, “We’re evaluating everything.”
Steichen’s response isn’t surprising after Richardson’s performance so far in 2024. Through five-and-a-half games this season, he has completed only 44% of his passes, thrown seven interceptions, and fumbled a league-high six times. Even though the Colts are 4-4, Richardson has started and finished in only one victory. He exited a win over the Steelers after a hip injury sidelined him in the first quarter.
During Richardson’s absence, longtime veteran quarterback Joe Flacco led an efficient Colts offense. Under Flacco’s guidance, the team has surpassed 200 passing yards twice this season. One of these came in a 37-34 loss where Flacco helped erase a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, only for the Jaguars to win on a last-second field goal.
In three games, Flacco threw seven touchdown passes and only one interception. He has done so while completing 65.7% of his passes, an efficient number that demonstrates his consistency. And despite being an older, less mobile quarterback, his sack rate (5.26%) is lower than Richardson’s (6.34%).
This is partially due to Flacco getting rid of the ball quicker. According to NextGenStats, Flacco’s time to throw (TTT) is 2.61 seconds. Meanwhile, Richardson’s TTT is 2.98 seconds. In turn, this leads to more pressure. Richardson is getting pressured on 44% of his dropbacks, while Flacco is facing pressure on only 29.1%.
The stats don’t help Richardson’s cause; Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Texans involved specific plays and decision-making that caused concern moving forward. Tied at ten with 34 seconds left in the first half, the Colts had the ball deep in their own territory with 3rd and 3. Richardson threw a bad interception that set up a Texans touchdown.
Later in the game, Richardson sat out one play following two scrambles. He took heat for the move because QBs normally don’t leave games voluntarily. And when on-field performance is coupled with questionable behavior, people begin to sour on you quickly.
Finally, down 23-20 late in the fourth quarter, Richardson ran for a 25-yard gain. It was a nice pickup, but with under a minute left and no timeouts, Richardson not only didn’t get out of bounds, he didn’t even appear to be trying to get out of bounds. Precious time ticked off the clock, and the drive ended when Richardson was sacked on a Hail Mary attempt.
After two consecutive losses, the Vikings would likely benefit from facing Richardson on Sunday instead of Flacco. After fellow veteran Matthew Stafford carved the Vikings up last Thursday night, the Vikings might appreciate facing an inexperienced quarterback like Richardson. Flacco has seen every coverage during his NFL career, so Brian Flores’ exotic schemes would likely throw Richardson off more.
The only thing stopping the Colts from returning to Flacco would be their investment with Richardson in the 2023 draft. He was the fourth overall pick, and some teams hang onto hope for too long, trying to prove themselves right.
At 4-4, the Colts aren’t out of the playoff picture. Are they willing to risk that in hopes that Richardson can turn it around against one of the league’s best defenses? After all, Flacco was signed mid-season in 2023 and helped lead the Browns to the playoffs after a slew of injuries appeared to derail their season.
We will likely get word on Wednesday whether a quarterback change is coming. Vikings fans will eagerly wait, hoping to see the inexperienced Richardson trot out on Sunday night.
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