The Indianapolis Colts are struggling out of the gate, and a big part of those struggles have been connected to the play of second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Richardson’s inconsistent play might be seen as necessary growing pains if the Colts were winning, but at 0-2, patience is beginning to wear thin. Through two games, Richardson is sitting at a less-than-stellar 49% completion percentage and has thrown four interceptions.
It’s hard to win in the NFL when you’re constantly giving the ball away, but not everyone in the Colts’ locker room is heaping all the blame on Richardson.
According to the Colts’ team website, running back Jonathon Taylor knows that there’s a lot more that goes into a game’s final score than just quarterback play.
“Just let him know like ‘Hey, it takes all of us, you know, it’s not all on you,'” Taylor told the media on Thursday. “And of course, being at the helm, the quarterback position, a lot of the spotlight is on you, but it’s the greatest team sport.”
“It takes all of us, offense, defense and special teams in order to get the win. So you definitely don’t want him to carry that on his shoulders, and you let him know he doesn’t have to. And he won’t.”
It’s a good thing Richardson has someone to keep his head clear while he figures out the league. The quarterback is going to need some time to adjust after missing most of his rookie season due to injury.
Richardson’s next chance to prove that he can protect the ball is Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
