The season is nearing the end, but there is at least one reason to still tune in on Sundays.
The Indianapolis Colts season will play itself out over the next three weeks in undramatic fashion. After losing in Denver, the Colts have almost no hope of making the playoffs. It was disappointing, but not overly unexpected. This team didn’t have incredibly high expectations coming into the season and digging themselves into 0-2 and 5-7 holes didn’t do much to instill confidence that this team was going anywhere. With that said, it doesn’t mean there is nothing to play for or no reason to watch over the next few weeks. There is still one major reason I will be tuning in for the conclusion of the season.
Anthony Richardson.
That is the reason. That is the main and maybe only reason. I still believe he can be something special. I know his completion percentage is abysmal. Just because it is historically bad, it doesn’t mean he is as bad as that stat looks. If Richardson was solely a pocket passer, yeah, that stat would be troubling, but Richardson’s game is a lot more than that. Additionally, coming out of the draft, we knew his accuracy was going to be problematic and take time to iron out.
It was pointed out on the broadcast last week that Richardson has just as much NFL game experience as Bo Nix. He is still completing his rookie season worth of games. He is the type of player who takes time to truly understand what you have. Let’s also not kid ourselves. Who out there is doing him any favors? There have been plenty of opportunities for receivers to make a play, and they have failed. Not every ball from Richardson is perfect or pretty, but sometimes you need to make a good catch. I witnessed plenty of drops in that Denver game along with immediate pressure in Richardson’s face. If the offensive line can’t give him adequate time and the receivers can’t make tough catches, that percentage is going to drop.
Yes, Richardson still sailed some balls and threw behind his receiver a couple of times. That is to be expected even by the best QBs in the game. He still has plenty of work to do, but I want to continue to see some of the development we have witnessed over the last three weeks. I saw huge steps forward against the Jets and Patriots. I saw a step back against the Lions. I saw everything against the Broncos. That is to be expected. He is still learning. I want to continue to watch him learn and experience the game. While three wins won’t help the Colts in next year’s draft, it will go a long way towards placating the fans and helping them feel this team has a future.
Yes, the playoffs are essentially out of reach, but that doesn’t mean you can’t check in on the game. Anthony Richardson is the “now”,...