Colts Rookie QB Anthony Richardson Shows Confidence & Control In Preseason Finale Against Eagles

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.

Richardson played the whole first half of his second preseason game, sparking the Colts to three touchdown drives in five series, giving them a 17-13 lead at the intermission. He gained 38 yards on five carries and completed 6 of 17 passes for a total of 78 yards. His throwing numbers were not spectacular, but they did not sufficiently express the offense’s improved precision and control.

“Well, shoot, I believe he did a good job. According to team transcripts, head coach Shane Steichen said following Indy’s 27-13 victory, “We scored three out of the first four possessions, 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.

Following the Colts’ first touchdown drive, Richardson flailed his arms in the air and yelled, “Fly, Eagles, fly,” much to the chagrin of Lincoln Financial Field fans. It was a notable occurrence that went viral on social media, but his performance in the first two quarters was only a taste of his great 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 Colts’ starting quarterback on August 15, struggled on his team’s first drive, but when No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft began utilizing a hurry-up system in the following series, he appeared at ease. On his second drive, which resulted in a Deon Jackson 3-yard touchdown run, he was 2 for 2 for 36 yards. Following a 16-yard run to start the third series, Richardson was 2 for 3 for 19 yards. Evan Hull scored on a 1-yard run to cap 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, just his capacity for originality will undoubtedly be helpful to us.

After Deon Jackson’s touchdown, Anthony Richardson flaps his wings for the Philadelphia fans. Richardson has all the makings of a one-man roller coaster, with a range of thrills and horrors to come, much as Josh Allen did in his first two seasons with the Buffalo Bills.

A year after the Colts played in a stretch of games that were difficult to watch, Richardson seemed to promise a more thrilling brand of football. The high points will surface eventually, but consistency is still a work in progress. Of course, that isn’t a particularly novel interpretation of Richardson.

In his final dress rehearsal, he appeared at comfortable and confident, displaying how his poise and presence in the pocket had improved from his first preseason game to the last. Despite stretching his arm’s strength, Richardson occasionally misfired.