We are three games into the Colts season, and many are already panicking about this season. Some light panicking is warranted but the complete and total panic for the season so far seems a bit premature. There is a small (but growing) block of the fanbase calling for a benching of Anthony Richardson and letting Joe Flacco take over. Flacco was not brought in for competition, he was brought in for insurance and guidance. That is exactly what he should continue to be, just insurance and not a starter.
Extension Of Anthony Richardson’s Rookie Season
Sunday’s win over Chicago marked Anthony Richardson’s first win of his NFL career where he started and finished the game. Dealing with a concussion and season-ending shoulder injury last season, Richardson only saw action in four games. After an exhaustive rehab last season, he did participate in the off-season workout programs to prepare him for this season.
I’m not sure the exact number of snaps he missed last season he was absent from the field, but well into the hundreds, potentially close to a thousand. It’s an immense number of snaps and not to mention, he only played one full season of college at the University of Florida. So, a 22-year-old professional football player with a technical 9-11 record of meaningful football. With only 19 games played between those two teams, this is without question an extended rookie season. Patience needs to be the key for this coming season.
Accuracy Issues And Tempering Expectations
Anthony Richardson is far from a perfect quarterback, especially in the accuracy department. He finished close to 60 percent accuracy last season and this season we have seen a bit of regression. He is hovering around 50 percent now and that percentage is not sustainable in this league. Whether you believe that accuracy can be coached or not is irrelevant, it needs to be fixed.
Could expectations for the Colts this season be placed too high based on the experience of their quarterback? After digging into the numbers, it appears we may have. The accuracy issues are real but more importantly, he must fix the turnovers as well. Richardson has 6 turnovers this season that will need to be cleaned up. The majority were bad decisions on his end or some miscommunication with his receivers and should be able to be coached up for them.
Flacco Should Stay On The Bench
The belief that Anthony Richardson should be benched in favor of Joe Flacco is an absolute asinine statement. What Richardson needs is to continue to take his lumps and learn with real NFL reps and not the mental reps he had to take last season. He will make mistakes and sometimes some terrible ones. He even repeatedly took accountability for his troubles and has vowed to correct them. His upside is undeniable, but it will take time, coaching, and patience. This fanbase wants instant gratification and it’s understandable as this team has not won a division title under the Chris Ballard regime. This franchise selected Richardson with the future in mind, and not the present.
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