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The Indianapolis Colts are holding onto their very frail playoff hopes with just two games to go, and they need a lot of things to go right in order for them to sneak into the postseason. That mountain looks even steeper now that quarterback Anthony Richardson is dealing with multiple injuries.
Richardson missed practice once again on Thursday while he deals with injuries to both his back and his foot. This will be a troubling update for Colts fans for a quarterback in Richardson who has been banged up a lot over the course of his career.
There is good news for the Colts in this situation. The team still expects Richardson to be ready to go for Sunday's crucial clash with the New York Giants, according to ESPN's Stephen Holder.
“A team source told ESPN the Colts were optimistic about Richardson playing on Sunday, adding that he has made consistent progress and is responding to treatment,” Holder reported. “But the source said Richardson's performance in Friday's practice would be critical.”
The Colts will need Richardson out there as they look to win the final two games on their schedule in order to give themselves a shot to make the playoffs. In order for that to happen, the Colts must win their remaining two games and the Denver Broncos must lose both of their remaining games. The Colts also need either the Miami Dolphins or the Cincinnati Bengals to win out to create a three- or four-way tie for the final playoff spot.
What Colts need to see from Anthony Richardson in final two games
The Anthony Richardson experience has been a frustrating one so far this season, but he has still shown some flashes that he has a chance to be the franchise quarterback that the Colts and their fans think he can be.
Over the final two games, it's prove-it time for Richardson. The Colts play against the Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars, two of the worst defenses in the league. These matchups should allow Richardson to find some success and consistency as a passer and end the season on a high note.
Richardson's biggest problem this season has been his accuracy, particularly on some of the easier throws that he is asked to make. Too often, Richardson will sail an easy ball outside the numbers or skip one in to an open receiver running over the middle. Against two pass defenses that have not been very good this season, the opportunity will be there for Richardson to improve in that area.
Richardson has sped up his process over the course of the season, and he is able to get the ball to the right spot a lot of the time. He is also still an excellent runner, especially in short yardage situations, and is one of the best sack-avoiders in the league. However, the accuracy issues have been hard to look past this season, so Richardson needs to clean that up over the last two weeks.
