The Indianapolis Colts have bigger problems than the temptation to chase a spark at quarterback.
Daniel Jones has not been good in his second season with the team, and that much is clear. But the idea that the answer is to turn the offense over to Anthony Richardson doesn’t hold up, even if ESPN’s Ben Solak recently argued for that kind of move because Richardson can create more with his legs.
Solak wrote, "(The Colts) won't trade Richardson, and Daniel Jones looks like his arm is weaker almost every single week. This offense could really use an infusion of playmaking from a talented runner at the quarterback position."
The issue with that logic is simple: the Colts’ problem with Jones has not been his running ability. It’s been what he’s doing - or not doing - through the air.
Swapping him out for Richardson doesn’t suddenly solve that, because Richardson brings a different kind of limitation. He can run, sure, but he has not developed into the kind of accurate passer an NFL offense needs to win consistently.
That’s the key difference, and it matters. Lamar Jackson is dangerous because he can run past defenses and has become an accurate, punishing thrower as well. Richardson has not made that leap.
Jones still gives Indianapolis the best chance to win, even if the results haven’t been clean. And it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that he’s doing it without two of last season’s top weapons. Alec Pierce is injured, and Michael Pittman Jr. was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That leaves Jones working with one of the least talented receiver groups in the league. Josh Downs has been solid, but he’s being asked to carry more than he should as a true WR1 replacement. Tyler Warren had a good game in Week 5, but the Colts have been limited by the lack of a wideout who can consistently stretch the field.
Jones has to be better, no question. But the supporting cast around him is thin, and that has forced everything to stay tight to the line, especially with Pierce dealing with a reinjured heel. That has even slowed Jonathan Taylor, despite how elite he is.
So while benching Jones for Richardson might sound like a fix, it really isn’t. It would likely shrink the offense even more and invite defenses to adjust to a quarterback who poses more of a running threat than a passing one. For now, Jones is the Colts’ best option, and that doesn’t appear likely to change until at least next season.
In Other News...
Colts Offense Suddenly Has A Josh Downs Problem Teams Can Exploit
Josh Downs has been one of Daniel Jones most reliable third-down answers, but the attention around him has changed the way defenses are playing Indianapolis. With Alec Pierce out, the Colts have seen more bodies tilted toward Downs, and Shane Steichen has acknowledged that the coverage has forced the offense to adjust on the fly. What had been a quick, dependable outlet has become a spot where defenses are determined to make Jones hold the ball and look elsewhere.
For the Colts, the challenge now is finding ways to free Downs without asking him to win every contested snap by himself. Indianapolis has been working through ways to create more room for him and keep the offense from getting predictable when the money downs arrive. Until that happens, opponents have a clear blueprint for squeezing one of the Colts most trusted targets and making the passing game work harder than it should. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Have Every Right To Question This Lou Anarumo Pattern
The Colts recent roster moves have brought a familiar theme into view around defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo: players who already know his system keep showing up in Indianapolis. Germaine Pratt is among the latest examples, and head coach Shane Steichen has acknowledged that familiarity with Anarumos players matters when the team is looking at additions.
Still, it is fair to wonder whether comfort is becoming a crutch. Anarumos track record as a coordinator has not produced many elite defenses, with only one season in nine finishing in the top half of the league in either points or yards allowed. For a Colts team trying to build something sturdier on that side of the ball, the repeated return to old faces invites questions about whether familiarity alone is enough. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Suddenly Face A Lineup Problem Before Titans Showdown
The Colts injury situation tightened again as they worked through the week leading into their AFC South meeting with the Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis already had reason to keep a close eye on its depth chart, and the practice report added more concerns with starters and rotation pieces missing or limited as the team tried to keep the right mix on the field.
Matt Goncalves and Jaylahn Tuimoloau were both limited while being evaluated for concussions, a development that can quickly complicate a game plan up front and on the edge. Jalen Travis and Jaylon Carlies also did not practice because of injuries, and Carlies status looms especially large after already dealing with availability issues, leaving the Colts to juggle their lineup and practice squad options with the Titans game approaching. [Read more 🡒]