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The Indianapolis Colts are making a change under center for a Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Veteran signal caller Joe Flacco will replace former first-round pick Anthony Richardson.
The news comes days after Richardson benched himself in a loss to the Texans. That brief removal from the lineup has become a bit more permanent!
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Richardson has struggled thus far in Year 2 with the Colts, completing just 44% of his passes while tossing four touchdowns to seven interceptions.
His most recent outing was maybe his worst.
Anthony Richardson was just 10-for-32 on the day, plagued by an abysmal first half that saw him misfire on 13 of his 15 attempts. He threw a brutal interception near his own goal line with just 34 seconds remaining before halftime of a tie ballgame, allowing the Texans to take a 17-10 advantage into the break.
He later took himself out of the action in the second half.
“[I was] tired, ain’t gonna lie. That was a lot of running right there that I did, and I didn’t think I was gonna be able to go that next play. So, I just told [head coach Shane Steichen] I needed a break right there.”
-Anthony Richardson
The removal sparked an immediate reaction throughout the NFL world.
I had never seen an NFL QB tap out while still being healthy until watching Anthony Richardson.. The QB is your franchise. The message it sends is loud and influential.
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 27, 2024
Now, the offense will turn to 17-year vet Joe Flacco, who’s 1-1 in two starts this season. After winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2023, he’s thrown for seven scores and just one pick in the ’24 campaign.
The Colts’ latest quarterback decision may not be directly related to Anthony Richardson’s self-benching. He’s been a liability throughout the year on a team that’s now lost four one-score games.
AR’s breather probably didn’t help though.
Still, Indianapolis heads into its Week 9 meeting with Minnesota at 4-4 on the year. Joe Flacco will look to further position the team for a playoff push.