Colts' Anthony Richardson Reflects on Struggles vs. Dolphins

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson produced a rocky performance in his return against the Miami Dolphins.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) rushes with the ball during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images-Imagn Images

With Anthony Richardson returning to the field after missing two weeks with an oblique injury, many wondered which version of Richardson we would see against the Miami Dolphins.

Would we see the Richardson who took his time with his throws and led the Indianapolis Colts to two touchdowns on their first two drives against the Pittsburgh Steelers? Or would we see the quarterback rushing his throws and playing too fast, leading to a stagnant offense?

The answer was the latter. Despite the Colts capturing a 16-10 victory over the Dolphins in a sloppy performance by both teams, Richardson did not have his best game. The quarterback was 10-for-24 (42%) for 129 yards and a fumble lost in the victory. The Dolphins' defense brought the heat on Richardson all day, and he could never get comfortable.

“Whatever they did, they did a great job," Richardson said about the Dolphins defense. "They were dialing it up. We were trying to adjust to it, but they just kept bringing it. We tried to execute some of our plays that we had thought of earlier in the week, but they just did a great job, and we just couldn’t really adjust.”

The Dolphins came into this game as the third-best pass defense in the NFL after only allowing 159.6 yards per game through their first six contests. They further strengthened that number against Richardson by mixing up their coverages, disguising their looks, and bringing pressure to speed up Richardson's processing. It threw the Colts' offense for a loop, as Indy produced only 284 yards of total offense and was an abysmal 4-for-13 on third down.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is sacked by Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

"They were pretty much throwing every coverage at us, bringing a lot of pressure," Richardson explained. "Some of the times we did get the looks we were wanting, but they were bringing the pressure. And then some of the time we would call a certain play, and they would go into something else, but just got to make it work at that point.”

The pressure got to Richardson for the majority of the game. While he was not sacked, the Colts quarterback was pressured on 41% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Richardson completed just 2-of-8 for 19 yards while pressured.

But even when he was not pressured, Richardson struggled to get anything going. He was only 8-of-16 for 110 yards when kept clean. While some of the credit should go to the Dolphins for making solid defensive plays on those reps, Richardson needs to execute at a higher level when he is kept clean.

Part of the blame for the lackluster passing performance also falls on head coach Shane Steichen. The Colts did not have many easy completions on the day to get Richardson into a rhythm. Receivers were covered most of the day as a lack of creative passing concepts failed to help get guys open. Steichen was candid about his role in the offense's struggles.

"I’ve got to do better. I’ve got to put (Richardson) in better positions," Steichen admitted. "And you go back, and we'll watch the tape, but I mean, there wasn't a lot of stuff open, to be honest, when I was out there watching it. So that's on me. I’ve got to be better.”

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Despite a passing game that failed to produce, Richardson proved why he can still help the team even when he is not making plays with his arm. Richardson's legs created multiple first-downs for the Colts on the day. He led the Colts in carries (14) and yards (56) on the ground, manufacturing positive plays out of nothing.

Richardson's legs make him dangerous on every play and raise the floor of the offense. The threat of Richardson running the football causes the defense to pause and move in certain ways that would not happen with a non-mobile quarterback.

It happened on the Colts' lone touchdown of the afternoon, as the Dolphins' linebackers crashed down on Richardson as he handed the ball to Tyler Goodson. With the defense focused on the quarterback run game, Goodson scampered in untouched for the score.

Tyler Goodson's first career TD! @Colts even the score.

📺: #MIAvsIND on FOX
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— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

"My arm and my legs are a great part of this offense," Richardson declared. "Shane dialed up the plays where I could get going. The o-line blocked certain plays where I could hit certain holes. So, I feel like just me being in the offense and just providing what I can provide, that also helped.”

Richardson's performance was nothing to write home about. The Colts likely would not have won the game if it had not been for the defense forcing two crucial turnovers in the second half. But this is what the Colts have signed up for, living through the good and bad moments of Richardson's development to see if he has what it takes to be their franchise quarterback.

While some still call for Joe Flacco to take over as the starting quarterback, that will not happen unless Richardson suffers another injury. The team believes in Richardson and is sticking by him through the good times and bad. Richardson needs live reps and a team that stays behind him, keeping his confidence high. He is getting exactly that from the Colts' organization.

"They told me on the sideline, just keep being me, just keep doing what I'm doing, despite us struggling a little bit in the first half and a little bit in the second," Richardson remarked. "They still trust in me. Shane trusting me with the play calls and just to make some plays. So, it feels good just having the trust and support from the guys, and it just allows me to go out there and play free."

When the Colts drafted Richardson with the No.4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, a rollercoaster was expected over the next few seasons. This will not be the last game we see where Richardson struggles, and he and the Colts will be tested over the next five weeks with a daunting schedule.

But for the Colts to get to the good and potentially great they think Richardson can become, they will have to endure the bad along the way. It is part of the growth of most young, inexperienced quarterbacks in the NFL, and Indy will give Richardson every opportunity to prove he can be successful.

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