Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) is tackled during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Richardson displayed a bit of everything for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
He showed flashes of potential, leveraging the strong arm that impressed scouts during his Florida days. Yet, the game also highlighted his errant throws, risky decisions, and inconsistencies—issues that previously led to his benching three weeks earlier.
However, not all of the struggles fell on Richardson.
The Colts committed a season-high 10 penalties, dropped key passes, and relied on Richardson’s rushing for their ground game. These miscues contributed to an expected outcome — a 24-6 loss to the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions, marking a disappointing follow-up to Richardson’s Week 11 comeback win as starting quarterback.
“We lost, so it wasn’t good enough,” Richardson said when reflecting on his performance. “We need to get back to the drawing board, focus on details, and improve as a team.”
The first fix lies in improving red zone efficiency, as they managed in last week’s 28-27 victory over the New York Jets.
Against a Super Bowl-caliber team like the Lions, however, sustaining drives and finishing in the end zone remained a challenge. This recurring issue has resulted in two straight home losses and four losses in the last five games, leaving Indy (5-7) with fading playoff hopes.
Sunday’s performance offered little optimism for change.
A crucial mistake occurred in the second quarter when tight end Drew Ogletree let a goal-line pass slip through his hands, leading to a short field goal instead of a potential 10-7 lead. The Colts trailed 7-6 after the miss and never scored again.
It was one of several setbacks.
After wide receiver Ashton Dulin failed to get both feet inbounds on a sideline catch, Richardson nearly gave up a safety and lost the ball on the next play. Officials ruled his arm was moving forward, avoiding a Lions defensive touchdown. Additionally, a long third-quarter pass to Josh Downs was negated by Alec Pierce’s offensive pass interference penalty.
For Richardson and the Colts, it was that kind of day.
“We faced some tough situations with him,” said coach Shane Steichen. “First-and-20, second-and-long—it’s tough to overcome those. But I thought he battled hard throughout the game.”
Richardson’s stats were modest—11 of 28 for 172 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions, no sacks, and 10 carries for 61 yards. But he received little support, as the rest of the team combined for just 35 rushing yards.
That level of production isn’t enough to help any quarterback, especially one with only 12 career NFL starts.
Now, Richardson faces a new test. With five games left, only one opponent—Denver—entered Week 12 with a winning record. This stretch offers Richardson an opportunity to demonstrate progress and prove he’s on the right path.
“Playing quarterback means maneuvering in the pocket and creating passing lanes, regardless of pressure,” Richardson said. “Detroit has a great defense and brought a lot of pressure, but I feel I could have made better plays.”
