After a walkthrough on Wednesday, the Indianapolis Colts were back on the practice field on Thursday; however, not participating was quarterback Anthony Richardson, as he working through two separate injuries.
With the Colts not holding an official practice on Wednesday, the practice statuses for the players listed on the first injury were estimations, and Richardson was labeled a non-participant with back and foot injuries.
Unfortunately, his practice status did not improve on Thursday, with him again being a non-participant.
So leading the first team offense was Joe Flacco. This season, Flacco has appeared in five games, completing 67% of his throws at 6.9 yards per attempt with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. When Flacco was under center in Weeks 9 and 10 while Richardson was the backup, the offense really struggled to get going.
Following Thursday’s practice, ESPN’s Stephen Holder did provide an update:
“The Colts were optimistic about Richardson playing on Sunday, adding that he has made consistent progress and is responding to treatment. But the source said Richardson’s performance in Friday’s practice would be critical.”
This past Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, Richardson would play all 62 of the offensive snaps, which included completing a crucial third down pass and carrying the ball himself on the final possession.
The injuries that he’s currently navigating could be lingering effects from the additional hits he’s taken as Richardson’s role in the run game has increased, helping to open up a new element for the offense to lean on, especially when paired with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield.
”From the start of the season, you’re going to feel those hits the next day,” said Richardson on Tuesday. “It’s kind of weird because I was telling my family, like in college I didn’t really get sore. But NFL, it’s a different breed, different game. You have some grown men out there playing football, so it’s always a little different getting tackled by those guys. But it’s all part of it. You just have to keep adjusting and keep your body right so you can keep performing.”
As Holder reported, not only will Richardson’s availability on Friday be important when it comes to his status on Sunday, but how he looks on the practice field as well.