Riley Leonard got his turn with the 2s against the Falcons, and the night was a mixed bag. There were a few flashes, a few clean decisions, and at least one throw he’d like back in a hurry. The overall picture wasn’t spectacular, but it also wasn’t empty.
The best early sign came when Leonard used his legs. On one scramble, his receivers were covered the whole way, so he tucked it, picked up the first down, and smartly stepped out of bounds. That was the kind of play that keeps a drive alive without forcing anything.
He also showed some poise on a longer-developing throw with a post/corner pick downfield. The protection held up well enough for him to stay patient, work through the play, and find Owen, who was wide open thanks to the design.
Not every snap gave him that kind of comfort. On another play, the protection was only part of the issue.
A dig route looked like it might open up over the middle, but Leonard had to hurry and settle for an underneath throw to Burks, who was stopped short of the sticks. It wasn’t a bad choice or a bad throw given the circumstances, just one that didn’t quite finish the job.
Then came a more aggressive decision that paid off. The safer throw underneath was probably there, but Leonard wanted to take the 1on1 shot.
That drew a pass interference and delivered the yardage anyway. If you ran that exact situation 10 times, the out route probably wins more often, but on that snap, the shot downfield was the better play.
The roughest moment of the night was a miss that simply can’t happen. Leonard didn’t step into the throw properly, whether because the timing threw him off or not, and the result was a bad miss that ended with a punt deep in their own territory.
He bounced back on the next notable completion. The ball was a little bit of a floater, but it was placed and timed well, dropped into a spot where only Burks could make the catch.
Another throw ended up being the right read but just didn’t quite work out. Burks got caught before reaching the sideline, and there wasn’t much Leonard could do about it.
Waiting longer would have made the throw tougher, especially with the receiver moving away from him. Letting it go earlier would have given the defense more time to close.
It was one of those plays that lives in the gray area.
The full breakdown is incomplete because there weren’t a ton of available clips, but the takeaway still leans positive. Leonard had more good moments than bad ones, and there was enough there to stay interested in where this QB2 battle goes next.
That matters because Anthony Richardson had two excellent drives last week against the Patriots with the 2s, and Leonard answered with several positive throws and third-down plays against the Falcons without turning the ball over. Richardson’s strong showing will tempt people to declare the race over, but that’s not how it looks right now.
The battle is still very much alive. Leonard made enough plays to keep it that way, and next week’s game will be the last chance for both quarterbacks before the team has to make a call.
The bigger issue, though, is that neither quarterback looked ready for regular-season NFL action. If the Colts had to play either backup right now, they’d be in trouble.
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
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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 🡒]