Colts QB Anthony Richardson is doubtful to play, making Joe Flacco the likely starter against the Jaguars.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson has been downgraded to doubtful for Sunday’s game, making it unlikely that he will play against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Richardson sustained an oblique injury after a collision with a defender during last week’s 27-24 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although he mentioned on Wednesday that his injury, essentially a deep bruise, was feeling much better, the Colts have taken a cautious approach in practice. He only participated in light throwing during media-accessible portions of the drills.
Richardson was listed as a limited participant in practice throughout the week.
With Richardson’s status in question, veteran backup Joe Flacco is expected to step in, having played a crucial role in preserving the win against Pittsburgh. This would mark Flacco’s first start since late last season with Cleveland, and he stated that starting is easier than coming off the bench. He has felt better prepared after receiving more intensive practice time while Richardson has been sidelined.
“You really can’t grasp the difference until you’ve done it both ways,” Flacco noted. “Just calling the play daily during walkthroughs and practices makes you more familiar with the game plan.”
In last week’s game, Flacco completed 16 of 26 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns without any interceptions. However, he will face challenges on Sunday as the Colts deal with multiple injuries beyond Richardson.
Center Ryan Kelly (neck) is also doubtful and may miss his second consecutive game, while star running back Jonathan Taylor has been ruled out due to an ankle sprain. Defensive end Tyquan Lewis has been placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury, and cornerback Kenny Moore II (hip) will miss his second straight game.
On a positive note for the Jaguars, defensive end Josh Hines-Allen has cleared concussion protocol and will play on Sunday. Tight end Evan Engram remains questionable with a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Week 1, and sources indicate he is not expected to play.
Richardson’s latest injury has rekindled discussions about his durability. He defended himself earlier this week, stating that his injury shouldn’t be surprising given the nature of the game.
“It’s football,” he said. “If fans got hit by someone running 20-plus miles per hour every week, they’d be sore too. People will talk, but I’m just focused on getting better.”
Since being drafted fourth overall in 2023, Richardson has missed 13 of 21 games, including one last season due to a concussion and another due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. This season, he has thrown six interceptions but ranks third in the NFL in yards per attempt (8.5) and leads in air yards per attempt (12.6).
