Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson made his return after a two-week absence to face the Miami Dolphins in NFL Week 7. This second-year quarterback missed a significant portion of last season and left early in Week 4 due to an oblique injury. Despite the setback, he was back at full strength for Sunday’s game.
In his comeback, Richardson had a challenging performance, completing 10 of 24 passes for 129 yards. He led the Colts in rushing with 56 yards on 14 carries. The team faced difficulties, with six drives resulting in three-and-outs through the third quarter, while both of their fourth-quarter drives culminated in field goals.
On third-down situations, Richardson struggled, going 1 for 7 for 10 yards and a first down, but he contributed 33 yards on four carries during those plays. Although he did not throw any passes in the red zone, an unsuccessful handoff contributed to the Colts’ only turnover of the game.
Highlights from Richardson’s performance included a successful double-reverse flea-flicker that gained 13 yards, and a notable run for 12 yards right after the Colts forced a turnover, helping them tie the game at 10-10. He also connected with Michael Pittman Jr. for a 33-yard gain against soft coverage, setting up a field goal as time expired in the first half. Overall, in the first quarter, he had 14 passing yards and 30 rushing yards, alongside the red zone turnover.
As of Week 7, Richardson’s season stats stand at 49 completions out of 101 attempts, yielding 783 yards, three touchdowns, six interceptions, and four sacks, along with 35 carries for 197 rushing yards.
Richardson is currently in the second year of a four-year rookie contract, with a cap hit of $7.725 million for the Colts this season. His total contract value is close to $34 million.
In contrast, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who participated in four games this season, boasts a completion rate of 65.7%, with 716 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception, while being sacked six times. Flacco joined the Colts on a one-year contract that carries a cap hit of $5 million.