The Colts are back at home for their second preseason game, and Saturday’s matchup with the Falcons comes with a very different feel from Week 1. Shane Steichen has already said Indianapolis’ starters won’t play after two days of joint practices, so the spotlight shifts to the next wave of players trying to carve out roles.
Riley Leonard gets the start, with Anthony Richardson set to take over in the second half. That quarterback setup is the headliner, but it’s hardly the only thing worth watching. The Colts also have competition brewing at backup running back, the third wide receiver spot, the starting defensive end job opposite Laiatu Latu, linebacker, and strong safety.
Kickoff is set for Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1:00 PM ET.
The Colts’ preseason slate continues to move quickly from here. They opened with a road trip to the New England Patriots on Aug. 13, face Atlanta on Aug. 22, and close the preseason against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 29.
Indianapolis then turns to the regular season, beginning with a Week 1 home game against Baltimore at 1:00 PM on CBS. The schedule after that includes a road game at Kansas City on NBC in Week 2, a home date with Houston in Week 3, and a London trip to face Washington in Week 4. The rest of the slate features matchups with Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Minnesota, Jacksonville, Dallas, Miami, Houston on Amazon in Week 11, the New York Giants, a bye in Week 13, Philadelphia, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Jacksonville to finish the year.
In Other News...
Simone Biles Turned Falcons-Colts Into A Sideline Talking Point
Simone Biles was back on an NFL sideline Friday night, taking in the Colts preseason game against the Falcons to support her husband, safety Jonathan Owens. Owens, who signed a one-year deal with Indianapolis in March, got into the action and finished with a tackle, while Biles' presence gave the game an added spotlight beyond the usual preseason crowd.
For the Colts, it was another reminder that Owens arrives with some attention attached, not just because of his own role in the secondary but because of who is often watching from the stands. Biles has become a familiar face around NFL venues since recovering from a serious health emergency, and her appearances have turned into a small but notable sideline subplot wherever Owens is playing. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Left Preseason Week 2 With 3 Big Roster Questions
The Colts left their second preseason game with more questions than answers in a few spots that matter most when the games start counting. Linebacker remains a point of attention, with Akeem Davis-Gaither expected to start, but the identity of the player beside him still unsettled. Up front, the pass rush did not do much to clear up the picture either, with the defense finishing with only one sack and one quarterback hit.
There is also a real conversation developing behind the starter at quarterback, where Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson have both had their issues throwing the ball. The contrast between them is in how they play, not in how clean the passing game has looked so far, and that leaves the Colts weighing style against production as they sort through the backup job. By the end of preseason Week 2, the most important battles on the roster still felt very much open. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Richardson Puts Colts Protection Debate Right Back In Focus
Anthony Richardsons preseason tape has already pushed the Colts protection discussion back to the front of the room. A controversial snap in Baltimore and a later interception in New England offered a quick look at how Indianapolis is trying to sort out its pass protection, and how much of that burden Richardson may be asked to carry as he grows into the job. The lines setup, the way the schemes were adjusted, and Richardsons own choices all showed up in those moments.
The bigger question is how much freedom Richardson will have to direct things at the line, because the Colts appeared to change their protection approach between the two plays. One snap pointed to the growing importance of his ability to identify pressure and set the slide, while the other showed how quickly a small breakdown can snowball into a turnover. For a young quarterback still learning the edges of NFL defenses, it is the kind of detail the Colts have to get right before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]