Indianapolis Colts Make Huge QB Move Prior to Game vs Minnesota Vikings

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Joe Flacco
Credit: Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings game vs the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday was flexed to primetime last week. It’s a big week, as the purple look to end their current two game losing streak. There are a lot of storylines to keep an eye, as we inch closer to the weekend, between Vikings injuries and WR social media drama… but one big question on the Indianapolis side has already been solved.

Indianapolis Colts bench Anthony Richardson vs Minnesota Vikings

Colts head coach Shane Steichen could have kept the Minnesota Vikings in the dark this week. Instead, news broke on Tuesday that he is benching former 1st round pick Anthony Richardson, in favor of 39-year-old grizzled veteran Joe Flacco.

There’s a lot to unpack here. Richardson played in just four games as a rookie after suffering a season-ending injury. His stock rose considerably through the draft process thanks to his athleticism.

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There were some questions surrounding Richardson’s lack of experience, even prior to last week. Then, he started 2-for-13 against Houston, and finished a horrible 10-for-32. His 44% completion percentage, this season, is one of the worst in the NFL, among starters.

That said, Anthony Richardson’s ugly start this season has not been entirely his fault. Indianapolis is right around league-average, in drops, but Colts wide receivers have done Richardson pretty dirty at times. Others have failed to execute, as well.

At the most basic level, the NFL is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league. There is no time for teams to wait around and develop young players. Richardson has performed poorly, and Steichen isn’t interested in leveraging his career and 4-4 record on a youngster, when his backup will produce better results.

Joe Flacco swoops in to try and save the Colts

Last season it was the Cleveland Browns that came calling for Joe Flacco. He hopped off the couch, went 4-1, and took Kevin Stefanski’s team to the playoffs. Flacco signed with the Colts this offseason and has played in four games with a pair of starts.

He is 1-1 as the starter this season, and he’s completed 65% of his passes (much better than Richardson’s 44.4% on the season. The 7-to-1 TD/INT ratio is impressive, too, and by all statistical measures, Joe Flacco will provide a tougher test for Minnesota that Richardson ever would have, even given his ability to run.

Flacco hasn’t been a regular starter in the league since he was with the Baltimore Ravens, in 2017. That said, he has nearly 200 total games played during his NFL career, and he’s proven to be made for this exact type of situation.

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He can’t win Comeback Player of the Year again, with the rule changes put in motion after last season. He can step in and win football games, though. But, hopefully not this week. The Minnesota Vikings now have a few extra days to game plan for Flacco.

It’s important to note that the Vikings’ defense has been lit up by veteran QBs in both of their last two losses. Brian Flores needs a much better showing than his defense has put on the field, the past two weeks. Richardson was a soft landing spot, and Flacco provides a much different challenge.

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