Colts' Anthony Richardson Must Learn to Protect Himself, and Fast

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson's fast start against the Houston Texans was brought to a halt after suffering a concussion.

The second start of Anthony Richardson's NFL career got off to a lightning-fast start.

The Houston Texans kicked off to the Indianapolis Colts to begin the game, and Richardson took the field with the rest of the Colts offense. In just over four minutes, Richardson led the Colts on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that ended with the rookie quarterback taking it himself for an 18-yard touchdown. A perfect start to the game for the Colts.

Richardson did not have to sit long before coming back onto the field. After a Samson Ebukam sack, a Dayo Odeyingbo forced fumble, and a Kwity Paye fumble recovery, the Colts' offense was back on the field three plays later. That is when Colts head coach Shane Steichen dipped into his playbook.

Richardson faked the end-around to Josh Downs and took it himself for his second rushing touchdown. The blocks by Michael Pittman Jr. and Kylen Granson gave Richardson an open lane to run it in. Richardson did take a shot from Texans safety M.J. Stewart but bounced up immediately and celebrated with his teammates.

Drive opening. Drive closing.

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/2OFNzctfy6

— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 17, 2023

While the touchdown gave the Colts a 14-0 lead, that play would end up costing Richardson the rest of the game, and maybe more. After leading the Colts on two more drives, Richardson self-reported concussion-like symptoms. Trainers evaluated Richardson in the blue medical tent before taking him back to the locker room, where the quarterback was officially ruled out for the game with a concussion.

“(Richardson) went out in concussion protocol," Steichen confirmed after the game. "I think it happened on the second touchdown and then he self-reported it.”

With Richardson out, the Colts turned to Gardner Minshew at quarterback. Minshew held things steady for the Colts offense as Indy put up 17 more points after Richardson left the game. The result was a 31-20 win over the Texans to give the Colts their first win of the year and Steichen's first victory as head coach.

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“No question he is just a great player and great veteran guy," Steichen said about Minshew. "He works and prepares like he's being a starter, but also does a heck of a job helping Anthony throughout the week. For him to go in there and do what he did was pretty good to see.”

“I feel super comfortable in Shane's offense," Minshew admitted. "I felt like I've been preparing all week. Felt really ready to go there. Got a ton of reps this off-season with our ones, the starting offensive line, those receivers. They all made it really easy for me to come in today and for us to get a win.”

The Colts came out on top despite Richardson only playing a little over a quarter. Richardson finished 6-of-10 (60%) for 56 yards through the air to go along with 35 yards on three carries with two touchdowns. The Texans had hardly any answers for the rookie quarterback, who was on his way to a monster performance.

But now, all of the attention shifts to Richardson's health. The concussion marks the third injury in two games for Richardson, who has failed to finish the first two games of his NFL career. Knee and ankle pain plagued Richardson throughout the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week as the hits added up.

As Richardson continues to develop throughout his rookie season, staying healthy and learning to protect himself is an area he will need to be very conscious of. He cannot help his team if he is not available.

“Obviously you think about those things," Steichen admitted when asked about Richardson missing action in both games. "Those things are like, I don't know, flip thing on that one. Hopefully it doesn’t continue to happen.”

On the play that Richardson likely suffered the concussion, it seemed like he slowed up a little as he walked into the end zone. That allowed Stewart to get into position to lay a hard hit on the rookie quarterback. Pittman said after the game that Richardson did not see Stewart was so close and coming at him, which resulted in the quarterback slowing down.

This experience, along with every experience Richardson will have throughout his rookie season, is a teaching moment. Richardson must always be aware of his surroundings as he will have a target on his back. The 6'4", 244-pound quarterback is very hard to tackle, and defenders will be throwing their all at him as they try to bring him down.

© Jenna Watson-USA TODAY Sports

Richardson will also need to realize when to give himself up. Sometimes, it is okay to run out of bounds or slide down short of the line of gain. There is always the next play, and if it means not taking an unnecessary hit and risking an injury, getting down safely is imperative. It is all a part of the development and learning that Richardson will undergo this season.

"You try not to get hit as the quarterback," Minshew explained. "Ideally you don't want that to happen too much. But you run when you have to. You try to go through your reads, play each play. I mean, there's a balance there. I think Anthony is learning how much to go, how much to not.”

Richardson must pass the five-step concussion protocol before he is cleared to play. Teammates mentioned that Richardson was in good spirits after the game and felt much better, a good sign for his early progress. But until he passes the protocol and gets approval from an independent neurologist, his status for next Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens is up in the air.

The NFL is a different beast than college, with the hits coming harder and faster. Richardson is learning that the hard way, and he will need to learn how to protect himself much better in the future if he wishes to have a long career with the Colts.

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