The Colts are still in the race for a postseason place.
After all the talk, all the headlines. After sitting on the bench and watching his team go 0-2, it was time to respond.
Restored to the starting line-up for the game against the New York Jets, all eyes were on him. And boy did Anthony Richardson respond.
He completed 20 of his 30 pass attempts for 272 yards, one passing touchdown and two more on the ground.
His second touchdown came in the fourth quarter to give the Colts a lead they would not relinquish, as they closed out a huge win to stay alive in the AFC playoff race.
It was a great response from the young quarterback.
Having been benched for a mixture of reasons, he provided the best possible reaction.
The game-winning touchdown utilised a mixture of his strength and speed as he barrelled his way through the Jets defense to score. It is that physical running style that Richardson can add to an offense which makes him so valuable and versatile.
From a team perspective this weekend was huge. The 28-27 win is massive, as most importantly, it snaps a three-game losing streak for the Colts.
Positive signs throughout team
It was not just about Richardson though, there were big performances across the team.
A huge game from an offensive line with three rookies starting in it. They stood up strong with just the two sacks conceded.
Talking of sacks, Kwity Paye also came up big, making a huge sack on Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers to close the game out for the Colts. It was also good to see rookie Laitu Latu with a sack on Rodgers in the first half.
Josh Downs is cementing himself as a genuine wide receiver one, going for an impressive 84 yards and a touchdown.
Richardson was able to spread the ball around the offense, targeting nine different receivers throughout the game.
Alec Pierce also went for an imposing 74 yards from just three targets at an average of 24.7 yards – including a 39-yard chunk play to help set up the game winning touchdown.
The only concern is that the Colts defense allowed the Jets to score a season-high 27 points.
However, overall, it was a good day for Indianapolis. Richardson restored to the team and a win to back it up.
It moves the team to 5-6 on the season, and still in the hunt for that wildcard playoff spot.
