Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson’s injured hip was too sore for him to do a lot throughout apply Wednesday.
So 39-year-old backup Joe Flacco has been taking snaps with the beginning offense and might be in line to interchange Richardson on Sunday in Jacksonville.
Flacco changed Richardson in final weekend’s 27-24 win over beforehand undefeated Pittsburgh, finishing 16 of 26 throws for 168 yards and two touchdowns — and guarantees he’ll be able to play if wanted in opposition to the winless Jaguars.
“Being a backup quarterback, it is most likely totally different than you’d suppose,” he stated earlier than apply. “One of the issues is simply calling performs each day, like we simply did in a walkthrough and I obtained to name performs. When you get to calling performs, you are rather more accustomed to the sport plan.”
Flacco has honed his aid abilities since buying and selling the Baltimore Ravens job to Lamar Jackson following a hip harm in 2018 and suffered a season-ending neck harm after making eight appearances for the Denver Broncos in 2019.
Since then, the Super Bowl 47 MVP has bounced across the league, going from the New York Jets to the Philadelphia Eagles and again to the Jets earlier than touchdown in Cleveland throughout his 2023 AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award season .
This 12 months, Indy (2-2) signed him to assist Richardsonthe twenty-two 12 months outdated quarterback of the Indy franchise, and supply a gentle hand if Richardson obtained damage, which occurred a number of instances in 2023.
Richardson’s 4 begins this season match his rookie 12 months complete, however he completed every of his first three video games in comparison with only one in 2023. But he left twice in opposition to Pittsburgh (3-1), the primary after getting hit onerous in the appropriate facet on a designed run and once more three performs later when he appeared to land one other huge hit, this time to the top. He did not return after the second shot.
“We’re taking it day-to-day, seeing how I really feel and seeing if I’ll be able to go on Sunday,” Richardson stated. “Whenever my physique lets me know that I’m okay, that is actually the primary factor proper now, I’m going to get again on the market.”
How lengthy it will take is unclear.
Flacco famous that Richardson appeared to stroll across the locker room nicely, and it is attainable Richardson returns to the sphere Thursday after doing restricted work Wednesday. Coach Shane Steichen additionally stated Wednesday that Richardson might play even when he did not apply.
Complicating issues this week are accidents to prime rusher Jonathan Taylor and two beginning offensive linemen: heart Ryan Kelly and proper deal with Braden Smith. None of the three practiced on Wednesday.
Taylor failed to complete the Pittsburgh sport because of a sprained ankle, a problem that has plagued him in every of the final two seasons. Kelly was inactive final week with a neck harm and Smith performed regardless of being on Indy’s harm report final week.
“He feels actually good, so we’ll see how he goes at this time, we’ll see how the week goes,” Steichen stated, referring to Richardson. “If he feels good and is able to go, he will certainly be on the market. I’ve lots of confidence in him irrespective of how a lot he trains.”
If Flacco will get the decision Sunday, he’ll look to snap a nine-game shedding streak in opposition to winless Jacksonville (0-4). It’s a slip-up that Flacco is conscious of despite the fact that that is his first season in Indy. He hasn’t gained in Jacksonville since 2016.
The excellent news for the Colts is that Flacco discovered success in an identical function final season with the Browns and was suited to take action once more when he made his Colts debut final weekend in opposition to a group he knew nicely from his days of Baltimore.
This time, nevertheless, Flacco will spend a minimum of a while in apply working with Indy’s starters, one thing he hasn’t had a lot probability to do in coaching camp or the preseason. And if Richardson cannot play, he’ll simply assist Flacco name performs.
“My function proper now could be simply to go on the market, take it day-to-day and ensure we will go on the market and have a superb apply,” Flacco stated. “It’s a bonus for me to a minimum of go on the market and get some apply reps.”
