Last Updated on September 21, 2023 by Ed Nason
Ed Nason shares this update on Indianapolis’ second game of the 2023 football season. Stay tuned for weekly recaps!
The Colts are now 1-1 on the season after pulling off a hard-fought victory over the Texans Sunday 31 to 20 holding off a 10 run by the Texans in the 4th quarter.
The Colts may have won the game but at what expense? Richardson came out in the second quarter due to self-reporting concussion-like symptoms & is now in concussion protocol. With this Anthony Richardson came out of every NFL game he has played (2). This week’s hit came in the 1st quarter as Richardson ran in for a 15-yard touchdown on a Quarterback keeper & took a heavy hit by Houston’s Safety M.J. Stewart.
This comes after last week not being able to finish the game due to coming out after taking a big at the goal line from Jacksonville defense. Ironically, Jags Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, after the game last week urged Anthony to protect himself. It sounds like a movie we have already seen; it is called The Story of Andrew Luck. Ironically, the Colts did not allow a sack in the game and the offensive line is finally starting to come together unlike the Luck era.
Richardson being a 1st round pick (4th overall) is worth more to the Colts if he is playing on Sundays than he is if he was on the bench, that is a given. However, something will have to change if this is going to stay true as Richardson’s stats show he will not last long in the NFL.
Richardson is last in the NFL (32) in passing yards at 279 yards, Last in active quarterbacks with passing touchdowns with only 1, Last in the NFL in pass attempts with only 47. Granted it is only the 2nd game in a 17-game season but being last in every category as a quarterback is not going to win you many games as your quarterback is your nucleus of the team; everything goes through your quarterback. Let us hope Richardson learns fast on the job.
Richardson is 1st in rushing touchdowns in the NFL. This is rushing touchdowns in the entire NFL & includes running backs. This is not a stat you want your franchise quarterback to lead in.
Colts’ backup Gardner Minshew finished the game as he came in the 2nd quarter and played solid quarterback being 19 of 23 for 171 yards and 1 touchdown.
The running game finally got off the ground as the Colts had 126 yards on the ground. Zach Moss made his 2023 NFL debut as he led with 88 rushing yards with 18 attempts and 1 touchdown. This was missing in the 1st game as the Colts were not able to establish a running game with Johnathan Taylor out until week 5.
Zaire Franklin, the Colts Linebacker who was drafted in the 7th round of the 2018 draft continues to impress as he now leads the NFL in total tackles with 30. Franklin really started coming into his own when he jumped into the spotlight due to Shaquille Leonard’s injury in 2022. Franklin continues to shine and look for him to be in about every tackle that comes his way.
Next on the list the Colts travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens for a 1pm kickoff. This game is being televised on CBS & will be my 1st time listening to Beth Mowins call the play by play. Jay Feeley & James Lofton will be doing the color analysts for CBS Sports. If you are more of a radio fan, you can always tune into 93.5 or 107.5 The Fan out of Indy.
The Ravens game will be a hard game for a couple reasons. One is Richardson is more than likely going to sit this out. This is due to being under concussion protocol as well as he has yet to finish an NFL game. I personally feel he will be a cautionary sideline if he is cleared, but do not see it happening.
As always, Go Colts!!
SOURCE: Guest column from Ed Nason