Anthony Richardson looked like a completely different quarterback when he returned to the Indianapolis Colts’ starting lineup last week.
He was hitting open receivers regularly, seemed to be in control of the game, and ran with confidence.
Now, the No. 4 overall pick from last year’s draft is determined to prove that his strong performance wasn’t just a one-time thing. He wants to show his best game wasn’t a fluke and hopes to change how people view him in the long run.
“The main thing is just being consistent, just trusting my guys each and every play, trusting the play call each and every play, and then just trusting the preparation,” Richardson said. “It’s just putting in the work throughout the week and letting it show out on the field on Sundays.”
This approach worked well against the struggling New York Jets, where Richardson completed 20 of 30 passes, threw for one touchdown, and ran for two more, including the game-winning score on the Colts’ final possession.
It was a big improvement from his earlier performances, where he completed only 44.4% of his passes and had four touchdown passes compared to seven interceptions.
This week, the challenge gets tougher as the Colts face the Detroit Lions.
The Lions (9-1) are having their best season since 1934. They have the best record in the NFC, an eight-game winning streak, and they are the highest-scoring team in the league, with half of those wins featuring over 40 points scored.
This puts more pressure on the Colts (5-6) to score a lot of points. However, Richardson isn’t feeling that pressure.
“If you see it like that, there’s definitely an edge of you trying to push and do a little bit more,” Richardson said. “But I think that’s a negative, honestly. You’re trying to play up to their standards.”
Richardson’s improvement also creates new problems for the Lions’ defense, especially if Colts head coach Shane Steichen decides to use Richardson’s powerful running ability more often, taking advantage of his 6-foot-4, 244-pound frame.
Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. believes the game plan and play calling against the Jets helped Richardson settle into the game and boosted his confidence.
Lions coach Dan Campbell saw Richardson’s performance in a different way.
“I think what you saw was, last week (was Richardson) really, at his best,” Campbell said. “I’m not even sure you can go back to earlier in the year because I feel like they’ve taken the handcuffs off of him and allowed him to just go.”
Could this change in strategy help Richardson improve on his 6-5 record as a starter and become more consistent as a passer? That’s what the Colts are hoping for when he faces one of the NFL’s Super Bowl favorites this week.
“I’m still putting the work in every day,” Richardson said. “Trying not to focus on everything good I did last week, just trying to keep it going and just keep stacking up the days.”
