A Colts starter should be benched following his most recent poor performance in the team's Week 12 loss to the Lions
The Indianapolis Colts had the tough task of slowing down the red-hot Detroit Lions in Week 12. A task they fell short of completing with them, dropping to 5-7 on the year due to a 24 to 6 loss. There will be a lot of talk about Richardson's completion percentage this week, but the blame truly falls […]
The Indianapolis Colts had the tough task of slowing down the red-hot Detroit Lions in Week 12.
A task they fell short of completing with them, dropping to 5-7 on the year due to a 24 to 6 loss.
There will be a lot of talk about Richardson's completion percentage this week, but the blame truly falls on the offensive line and his supporting cast. Below are my biggest takeaways on what occurred today and what it means for the team going forward.
The Colts' offense let Anthony Richardson down, and he will likely pay the price in the national headlines
Anthony Richardson ended this game only completing 11 of 28 pass attempts for 172 yards and no touchdowns. At first glance, the stat line doesn't look great, but the context here is key. The Colts offensive line once struggled with multiple injuries throughout the line (more on that in the next section), along with penalties by the team, negating multiple big plays by the QB. He still had his fair share of missed throws. But anyone who blames the offensive issues in this game on him didn't watch it. Sadly, it will most likely include multiple popular national sports talk shows this week that will crucify the 11/28 stat line without any of the context.
It is time for the Colts to bench RG Dalton Tucker
It's been a rough few weeks for the Colt's offensive line, but no one has struggled more than current starting right guard Dalton Tucker. Tucker is an incredible story after using a strong preseason and training camp to earn a spot on the team's opening 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie. He was thrust into the starting lineup after star RG Will Fries suffered a brutal leg injury that landed him on the season-ending IR.
Tucker's struggles continued in Week 12, and in my opinion, the Colts have to make a change. Once Bernhard Raimann and Ryan Kelly are healthy, the Colts will have two very suitable options: Matt Goncavles and Tanor Bortolini, who could fill the role. But if they have to miss another week, I'd like the Colts to give a player like Mark Glowinski a chance in practice this week ahead of their Week 13 matchup with the New England Patriots.
Pressure for the Colts to be perfect down the stretch
This loss for the Colts drops them to 5-7 on the year with four games remaining. This means the best they can finish is 10-7, and with them on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff race, they are probably going to need every single game to end as a win. Here is the Colts remaining schedule.
Week 13: @ New England Patriots
Week 14: Bye Week
Week 15: @ Denver Broncos
Week 16: Vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 17: @ New York Giants
Week 18: Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
The most important game down the stretch for them will be Week 15 in Denver against the Broncos. The Broncos sit one spot above the Colts in the AFC playoff race, but with a tough schedule down the stretch, that head-to-head tiebreaker could be very important for both sides. And while it's unlikely the Colts only sit two games behind the Texans, so if they lose at least three games down the stretch with a tough schedule ahead, winning out would clinch the Colts the AFC South crown.
Texans remaining schedule:
Week 13: @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 14: Bye Week
Week 15: Vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 16: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 17: Vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 18: @ Tennessee Titans
The Colts sign a familiar face from their past ahead of Week 12 with a young starter struggling in recent games
The Indianapolis Colts 2024 season seemed to be falling off the rails, with the team losing three in a row. But the decision to reinsert Anthony Richardson back as their starting quarterback and picking up a big win in Week 11 over the New York Jets seems to have given the team new life. Now […]
