Anthony Richardson’s unfathomable potential was on display for 33 snaps Thursday night, whether it was with his powerful right arm or quick feet.
Although the anticipated outcomes weren’t always the case, the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts finished the preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles with a performance that boded well for his debut season.
In his second preseason game, Richardson played the whole first half, inspiring the Colts to three touchdown drives in five series, giving them a 17-13 lead at the break. He added 38 yards on five carries and completed 6 of 17 throws for 78 yards total. Despite the fact that his throwing statistics were far from impressive, they did not adequately convey the offense’s improved precision and control.
“Well, shoot, I believe he did a good job. According to team transcripts from the game, head coach Shane Steichen noted, “We scored on three of the first four drives, which is good. We didn’t like the two-minute drive, but we’ll go back and watch the tape. I thought he did some really nice things, but there are also certain things we need to clean up.
After the Colts’ first touchdown drive, Richardson flailed his arms in the air while yelling, “Fly, Eagles, fly,” much to the dismay of the Lincoln Financial Field supporters
It was a noteworthy event that went viral on social media, but his performance over the course of the first two quarters was just a glimpse of his enormous potential.
“When you enter the end zone, you can suddenly freeze and be unsure of what to do. I was thus thinking about what I would do if I or someone else scored. After the game, Richardson stated, “I ran down there and was just flapping my arms and having fun. I hope no one misinterpreted what I said. I was simply enjoying myself, having fun, and balling outside.
Richardson, who was named the team’s QB1 on Aug. 15, and the Colts struggled woefully on their first drive, but when the 2023 NFL Draft’s No. 4 pick started working in a hurry-up offense in the second series, he looked at home. He was 2 for 2 for 36 yards on his second drive, which culminated with a Deon Jackson 3-yard touchdown run. On the third series, Richardson was 2 for 3 for 19 yards after kickstarting the march with a 16-yard run. An Evan Hull 1-yard TD concluded a 10-play, 75-yard march.
Unsurprisingly, Richardson occasionally misfired despite flexing his arm’s strength. However, his scurrying was extraordinary in nature
The 250-pounder has demonstrated his ability to run through potential tacklers like a bull, but his evasiveness and nimbleness stood out on Thursday.
That’s one of his skills, yeah. Outside the pocket, to make those big plays,” Steichen said. “We clearly need to look at the scramble plays when players are coming in three-on-blitzes and improve those. However, his capacity for originality will undoubtedly be helpful to us.
Richardson is poised to be a one-man roller coaster with plenty of thrills, much as Josh Allen was during his first two seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
Richardson has all the makings of a one-man roller coaster, with a variety of thrills and horrors certain to lie ahead, much as Josh Allen was in his first couple of seasons with the Buffalo Bills. Richardson at the very least seems to ensure a more exciting type of football, a year after the Colts played in a string of games that were difficult to watch.
The high points will eventually appear, but consistency is still being worked on. Of course, that isn’t a particularly original analysis of Richardson.
He appeared at ease and confident in his final dress rehearsal, demonstrating how his poise and presence in the pocket had evolved from his first preseason game to the last.
The real deal will follow when Richardson makes his first NFL start against the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars on September 10.
About The Author
