The Indianapolis Colts are a team that hopes to crash the NFL playoff party this year, as they came close to reaching the postseason last year with Gardner Minshew finishing the year under center for them.
A lot of the optimism in Indianapolis revolves around Anthony Richardson’s return from a shoulder injury that ended his season prematurely as a rookie, after he showed flashes of brilliance in his four starts before a hit on a scramble ended his year. The first round pick out of Florida has all the tools to be a terrific quarterback, but has very little in terms of game reps, even going back to college, so the Colts just want to see what he can be for a full season.
The early returns in Week 1 are very good for Richardson’s sophomore campaign, as he authored one of the best throws you will ever see in the first quarter of their opener against divisional rival Houston, connecting with Alec Pierce on a 60-yard touchdown bomb that traveled that entire distance in the air.
ANTHONY RICHARDSON 60-YARD DIME TO ALEC PIERCE.
📺: #HOUvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/p0xddm5Kl1— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
It’d be an outrageous throw under any circumstance, but Richardson slips in the pocket and does this just after resetting his feet with the pocket collapsing into him, putting it on an absolute dime to Pierce, who catches it in stride on the goal line. There will be ups and downs, as happens with any young quarterback, but throws like this are why the Colts believe Richardson can be their franchise centerpiece.