INDIANAPOLIS — Anthony Richardson offered a mixed bag of performances for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, showcasing both his potential and the challenges that have plagued him in recent weeks. Known for a powerful arm that impressed NFL scouts during his time at Florida, Richardson also displayed his inconsistency, leading to his previous benching just a few weeks prior.
Many of his struggles, however, weren’t solely on him. The Colts committed a season-high 10 penalties and had several dropped passes, while their running game faltered, except for Richardson’s own impressive scrambles. This combination of issues culminated in a disheartening 24-6 defeat at the hands of the Detroit Lions, who currently sit atop the NFC North. This outcome wasn’t what Richardson had envisioned after leading the Colts to a victory in Week 11 upon retaking the starting quarterback role.
In reflecting on his play, Richardson was clear about his disappointment, stating, “We lost, so it wasn’t good enough. We’ve just got to get back to the drawing board and we’ve got to get into the details and just be better as a whole.” The team’s next steps include improving their efficiency in the red zone, a crucial area where they previously found success in a close win against the New York Jets.
Against a team as formidable as the Lions, however, sustaining drives and finding the end zone presented significant challenges yet again. This has contributed to the Colts’ current streak of two consecutive home losses and four defeats in their last five games, leading to dwindling playoff aspirations.
A critical moment occurred in the second quarter when tight end Drew Ogletree failed to secure a pass that hit his hands near the goal line just prior to the Colts settling for a second field goal. Had Ogletree made the catch, the Colts would have gone ahead 10-7, but instead, they found themselves trailing 7-6 and failed to score again.
Further compounding their issues, Richardson nearly suffered a safety and fumbled the ball shortly after receiver Ashton Dulin was unable to keep both feet inbounds on a potential long catch. Fortunately for the Colts, officials ruled Richardson’s arm was in motion as he was sacked, preventing what could have been a disastrous turnover. Additionally, a possible momentum-shifting long pass to Josh Downs was negated by an offensive pass interference call against Alec Pierce.
Coach Shane Steichen acknowledged the difficulties the team faced, noting, “We were there in some tough situations with him. You know, first-and-20, second-and-long. Those are hard to overcome sometimes, but I thought he battled crazy throughout the game as hard as it was.” Despite achieving 11 completions on 28 attempts for 172 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, and rushing for 61 yards on 10 carries, Richardson’s statistics are not fully reflective of the game’s realities. He received limited support from the rest of the team, which only added 35 rushing yards on the day.
As the Colts look ahead, Richardson now faces a pivotal stretch with five games remaining in the season, one of which — against Denver — represents the only matchup against a current winning team. This slate of games presents an opportunity for Richardson to demonstrate his growth and whether he can steer the team back in the right direction.
“Playing quarterback you’ve got to be able to maneuver in the pocket and make the pocket work, regardless of what’s going on up front, just finding lanes to get the ball to the receivers,” Richardson commented. He recognized the challenge posed by the Lions’ strong defense, acknowledging, “I feel like I could have made some better plays right there.”