Colts’ Anthony Richardson sees stock rise after win; Jonathan Taylor can’t say same

The Baltimore Ravens smelled blood, and the Indianapolis Colts had no answer.

Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton came around the edge untouched and sacked Colts backup quarterback Gardner Minshew for a 10-yard loss barely more than a minute into their Week 3 matchup. He’d do it again later in the first quarter and once more just before halftime, causing Minshew, who never saw him coming, to fumble.

Indianapolis was saved on a heads-up play by Quenton Nelson, who knocked the ball out of Baltimore linebacker Jeremiah Moon’s hands as he tried to scoop it up, and Michael Pittman’s relentless hustle as he sprinted across the field to jump on the loose ball.

“It was a huge play in the game,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. “Obviously, (we’ve) got to be better in that situation taking care of it to give ourselves a chance to score three points there, but it was huge to get the recovery there so we didn’t give them three points.”

That sequence was one of several that helped the Colts hang on for a 22-19 overtime victory, capped by Matt Gay’s historic 53-yard game-winning field goal. It was also a reminder of what the team was missing.

When Indianapolis left the field at M&T Bank Stadium, it didn’t look like a team that was lucky to survive without its star running back, Jonathan Taylor, who’s on the reserve/physically unable to perform list due to a right ankle injury. Zack Moss was more than a serviceable replacement, delivering his second career 100-yard rushing game.

No, what the Colts looked like was a team that lacked a playmaker at quarterback, namely the explosive Anthony Richardson. The rookie, who was out with a concussion, made the trip to Baltimore and watched from the sideline as the Ravens capitalized on his absence. According to TruMedia, Baltimore blitzed on a staggering 53.1 percent of Minshew’s dropbacks, highlighted by Hamilton’s three first-half sacks. That was by far the Ravens’ highest blitz rate through three games this season and, unlike Richardson, Minshew couldn’t make them pay for their aggressiveness by beating them with his legs on scrambles, designed runs and/or read options.

“Yeah, I think sometimes in the run game — a lot of our runs, maybe the quarterback is not reading somebody to potentially pull it, but some of them they are,” Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “Some of them, Anthony is maybe reading a defensive end, and if he gets the right look, he takes off around the edge. If you’re a defense and you’re aware of that, you have to sort of back that defensive end up with somebody or have a plan for what happens if that gets pulled.”

Richardson’s 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine was the fourth fastest by a quarterback since 2000, and his speed is a significant counterpunch for defenses to account for. The last time Richardson was in action at Houston in Week 2, he scored on an 18-yard designed run while reaching a top speed of 19.15 mph. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, the average QB would’ve had a 1.8 percent chance of scoring on that play.

Without Richardson’s dual-threat prowess, the Ravens were able to disrupt Minshew’s command of Indianapolis’ offense.

The Colts adjusted in the second half by reinforcing their five-man offensive line with one or two more pass protectors, according to Moss, so Baltimore could no longer send a free pass rusher. Indianapolis had already tried and failed to beat the Ravens’ blitz with quick passes, so this pivot was vital.

“Bringing a tight end in and just kind of matching it up,” said Moss, who also received more protection assignments. “Letting our receivers get open and giving Gardner a little bit more time to see down the field.”

Indianapolis’ new protection plan still wasn’t flawless, as Minshew faced heavy pressure when the Colts were backed up at their own 1-yard line and stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety late in the fourth quarter. However, the change was enough for Minshew to finish 27-of-44 passing for 227 yards and one touchdown in an upset win that’s propelled Indianapolis to first place in the AFC South.

Richardson greeted Minshew with a chest bump, hug and congratulatory “Hell yeah!” afterward in the visiting locker room. Steichen was coy about Richardson’s status since he can’t clear the concussion protocol until he practices. But even after Minshew’s gutsy performance, Steichen left no doubt who his team’s leader is.

“Anthony is our guy,” Steichen said. “He’s our starting quarterback. … A ton of respect for Gardner and what he does on a week-in and week-out basis. When he goes in, he operates at a high level. I couldn’t be more thankful that he’s here and what he’s done for this football team, but if Anthony is ready to go, he’ll go.”

Despite Minshew’s success Sunday, the Colts need Richardson back.

The rookie has produced six explosive plays this season (three passes of 20-plus yards and three runs of 10-plus yards) on 87 offensive snaps, according to TruMedia, compared to three explosive plays (three passes of 20-plus yards and zero runs of 10-plus yards) on 126 snaps for Minshew. In other words, Richardson lifts Indianapolis’ offensive ceiling while Minshew, when called upon, can keep the floor from falling out.

The more pressing development is the potential reintegration of Taylor into the offense. Steichen said he won’t discuss the 2021 first-team All-Pro until he is officially cleared. Taylor can be removed from the PUP list and rejoin the active 53-man roster Monday for a season debut in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans. However, he has not participated in an on-field team activity since the Colts lost at Minnesota in December.  He requested a trade in July after not being offered a contract extension.

Taylor’s stock appeared to rise when Indianapolis’ running backs logged a combined 16 carries for 25 yards in the season opener, but since Moss returned from a broken right forearm in Week 2, he’s averaged 24 carries and 105 yards over the past two games.

Entering the season, many believed the Colts’ ground game would be largely helpless without Taylor, though with Moss stepping up in Steichen’s system, it’s proved that while very few can fully replace Taylor, his absence can be mitigated. If Taylor doesn’t return soon due to injury or continues to seek a trade, Indianapolis would need to prioritize adding another serviceable running back so that Moss, who registered a career-high 30 carries against the Ravens and played all but one offensive snap against the Texans, could receive a more sustainable workload and remain healthy throughout the season.

A best-case scenario would be for Taylor to add his home run-hitting ability to the Colts’ backfield alongside Moss’ bruising style. Together, they could be one of the better running back duos in the NFL. But if Sunday’s game made anything clear, it’s that Richardson — not Taylor — is who Indianapolis needs the most. The rookie QB has scored four touchdowns in five quarters of action and appears to be ahead of schedule. As long as he’s able to return and stay healthy, the Colts, who’ve overachieved so far in a wide-open AFC South, will go as far as Richardson can take them.

Taylor must decide if he’s willing to get on board.

(Photo: Mykal McEldowney / USA Today)

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