There is plenty to be excited about after Anthony Richardson’s first start with the Indianapolis Colts.
August 12, 2023, is a date Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson will never forget. He made his first NFL start, and while overall it was nothing outstanding, I believe there are things to be excited about.
Richardson made his debut against a secondary that includes Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer, and Micah Hyde, three Pro Bowl talents in the secondary who were out there for two of the three drives Richardson played. Richardson also went against a very good Buffalo Bills defensive line.
And make no mistake about it, Sean McDermott, who is the new defensive play caller for the Bills, didn’t hold any punches. He repeatedly sent pressure in a variety of ways at Richardson, one of which led to an interception. On that play, the pressure came off the edge.
What I do like was Richardson recognizing where the pressure was coming from and was attempting to throw the ball to the vacated space left by the blitzer. But Richardson sailed the ball, and it was intercepted by Dane Jackson who was in the process of passing Alec Pierce off to the deep safety.
After that play, Richardson settled in nicely. Shane Steichen did a great job of calling a run-heavy game plan to help Richardson get comfortable. He finished the game 7-of-12 for 67 yards, but could have easily been 9-of-12 for over 100 yards if it weren’t for a couple of drops.
One in particular was a Pierce corner route that was beautifully thrown where only Pierce could get it. As Pierce was falling, he wasn’t able to fully hold on to it. You have to hope Pierce will catch those, and that’s some of the big plays the Colts will hit on this season.
Richardson immediately showed the ability to mitigate pressure, and his poise in the pocket was something that really stood out. There were hardly any negative plays in the passing game aside from the interception. Richardson seemed really comfortable throwing the ball to Isaiah McKenzie.
One of Richardson’s better throws came on the third drive where he hit Kylen Granson on an over route off a play-action. The linebacker came up just a hair, and Richardson was able to make a beautiful throw across the middle.
All in all, there was a lot to like from a guy making his first career NFL start. Richardson has a ton of things to work on (like making sure he trusts his technique when he’s on the move/under pressure), but the beautiful thing about it is he has a ton of time to get it right. What he can’t do is get too high or too low in any singular moment because his play will vary a lot.
I’m very encouraged to see Richardson this week in joint practices with the Chicago Bears because I know this experience will only make him better. This kid is on a path to greatness, and this was the first step.
Originally posted on si.com