Just last week, the Indianapolis Colts made the decision to bench starting quarterback Anthony Richardson after a dismal performance against the Houston Texans in Week 8. The former No. 4 overall pick completed just over 31% of his passes—no, that’s not a typo. The former Florida Gators star managed to complete less than a third of his attempts in the team’s defeat, prompting head coach Shane Steichen to make a change. However, just a week later, new questions arose regarding the quarterback position.
During Sunday’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco faced significant challenges. The former Super Bowl champion completed only 16 of 27 passes for 179 yards, throwing one interception. His difficulties affected the entire offense, which recorded season lows in points, yards, and first downs, ultimately leading to a 21-13 loss for the team. After the game, when asked if Flacco would continue as the starting quarterback despite his lackluster performance, Steichen’s response was affirmative, albeit lacking conviction. “Right now, yes,” he stated.
The head coach later took responsibility for the team’s struggles. “Obviously, he’s played in environments like this before,” he said, emphasizing the need to assess the team’s offensive approach. “But again, it starts with myself … I’ve got to keep looking at what we’re doing offensively. We have eight [games] left, and I’ve got to look at scheme stuff, see what we’re doing, and go from there.”
Flacco recognized that facing a Brian Flores-led Vikings defense would be tough, but he did not expect to struggle as much as he did. “You know coming in here against a team like that, it’s going to be difficult,” Flacco commented. “But I don’t think you ever anticipate something like that.” For the time being, it appears Flacco will remain the starter for the Colts’ upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills next weekend.
