The Indianapolis Colts are still fighting for a playoff spot heading into week 17. Throughout the week, there were questions about whether quarterback Anthony Richardson would suit up due to many injuries. He has been dealing with a back and foot injury, and his absence from practice has made many question whether the team would have to turn to Joe Flacco. On Saturday, the Colts made it official. Richardson will miss Sunday’s game, and Flacco will start.
Indianapolis Colts Anthony Richardson Out
It has been an up-and-down season for Anthony Richardson. Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen benched the former top-five pick for two weeks in the middle of the season. It seemed to have helped because when he returned in week 11, he was able to get the team back in the playoff hunt. Benching hasn’t been the only reason Richardson has missed games. He dealt with an oblique injury early in the season, which caused him to miss two weeks. Now, he will miss another game late in the year.
This was the concern heading into the season. Richardson missed most of last year because of injuries. One of the things that makes him a dangerous quarterback is his size. Similar to Cam Newton, his size makes it difficult for him to be brought down in the open field. In their win against the New England Patriots, Richardson bullied his way into the end zone for the game-winning two-point conversion. However, this does open him up to additional injury risk. It is something the Indianapolis Colts will have to manage for as long as he is the quarterback.
Playoff Hopes
The Indianapolis Colts still have a chance at making the playoffs. NFL.com says it is a slim chance, but one thing is certain: they have to win to stay in the race. If there is good news for the Colts, it is that they have Flacco as a backup. He showed last year he could still lead a team to the playoffs when he went on a run with the Cleveland Browns. He hasn’t had the same success with the Colts. In the four games he has started, he only went 1-3 and has thrown nine touchdowns against five interceptions.
The other issue for the Colts is they need teams to lose ahead of them. The Los Angeles Chargers and/or the Denver Broncos have to lose over the next two weeks. With those two teams playing games for which their opponent has nothing to play, losses may be unlikely. However, it is the NFL. We see crazy things happen all the time. All the team can do is go on the field and try to win.
Final Thoughts
The jury is still out on Anthony Richardson. When the Indianapolis Colts drafted him, he was a raw prospect. Dealing with this many injuries in two years is not what fans want to see. Furthermore, his play on the field has been inconsistent. Fans have to hope he can spend the offseason getting healthy and improving his game. If the team is a fringe playoff team this year, they could surprise people next year if Richardson can improve his game.
