23 things to watch when Anthony Richardson returns against the Jets

On November 18, 2024By Littum

INDIANAPOLIS — A moment before Shane Steichen shifted the emphasis of the 2024 season back to the development of Anthony Richardsonthe Colts seemed like they were on the brink of collapse, losers of three straight games, desperately clinging to the edge of the AFC playoff picture.

This week’s opponent has already gone over the edge.

Indianapolis travels to the Meadowlands this week to take on the New York Jets at 1 p.m. Sunday (WTTV-4) in a game that features Richardson’s return after two lackluster games from the 39-year-old veteran. Joe Flacco.

Despite the three-game losing streak, is Colts (4-6) is just one game behind Denver for the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC, and is battling with Cincinnati for a chance to catch the Broncos.

New York (3-7) is only one run back of the Colts and Bengals, but the Jets have already fired their head coach, made a desperate move for a big-name wide receiver and haven’t been able to fix anything despite these moves.

The Jets defense hasn’t been the same without Robert Saleh

1. Richardson returns against a New York defense that looks impressive at first glance. The Jets are seventh in the NFL in yards allowed, 10th in points, second in passing yards allowed per. game and second in sack percentage. The big problem? New York’s defense has gotten much worse since the Jets decided to fire Robert Saleh and promote defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich to head coach. The Jets have given up 26 points per game. game and 349 yards per game since Ulbrich took over, numbers that are much higher than the 17 points and 256 yards they allowed with Saleh at the helm.

2. New York’s run defense has been vulnerable all season. The Jets are giving up 134 rushing yards per game. game, a number that ranks 25th in the NFL and 12th in the league at 4.3 yards per carry. carry. Take away outlier games against the Vikings and Patriots, and those numbers would be even worse. Høl runs back Jonathan Taylor is still deadly, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. carry and 88 yards per game when healthy, and he gets back the dynamic threat of Richardson, who has averaged 5.9 yards per carry. carry this season, racking up 242 yards on the ground and drawing defensive attention away from the running back on nearly every play.

3. An eight-sack outlier against a terrible Texans offensive line skews New York’s pass-rushing stats. Outside of that game, the Jets haven’t sacked any quarterback more than twice in a game since Ulbrich took over, but the Colts will run an offensive line with three rookies against New York. The good news? Richardson has been excellent at avoiding sacks for most of the season, much better than the stationary Joe Flacco.

4. Rookie Matt Goncalves has given up three sacks in the first two games of his career, but he wouldn’t be matched up against New York’s breakout pass rusher this season on most snaps. Goncalves will play his third game in a row on the left side. Will McDonald, who has eight sacks, typically rushes out from the left side and sets him up against Braden Smithwho has given up four sacks this season, but has also played 606 snaps that edge out Quenton Nelson for most any offensive player.

5. Micheal Clemons (4.5 sacks) and Haason Reddick (0.5 sacks after sitting out the first seven games) line up on the right side, pitting them against Goncalves and the help the Colts send his way.

6. Nelson, rookie center Tenor Bortolini and right guard Dalton Tucker have their hands full with New York defensive tackle Quinnen Williams on the interior. Williams is one of the NFL’s top defensive tackles, racking up five sacks and 13 quarterback hits this season, and he can quickly close the pocket on Richardson.

Anthony Richardson vs Jets secondary

7. The switch back to Richardson at quarterback significantly changes the Colts’ profile in the passing game. Flacco mostly focused on the short, high-percentage throws, but struggled to consistently produce explosive plays. Richardson, on the other hand, pushes the ball downfield more than any quarterback in the NFL, averaging 13.6 air yards per carry. goals, by far the most in the league, though he struggles to string completions together.

8. Richardson has thrown seven interceptions this season and thrown a pick on an ugly 5.3% of passes, but New York’s secondary has been one of the NFL’s worst at taking the ball away. The Jets have just two interceptions so far this season, both by Brandin Echols, who suffered a concussion last week against Arizona and may not play against the Colts. Now that he’s back in the lineup, Richardson has to do a much better job of limiting mistakes.

9. Josh Downs averaged 7.4 catches and 69.8 yards per carry. game in the five games Flacco played this season; he hasn’t been nearly as productive when Richardson is in the lineup, though he has his only 100-yard game. Jets nickel Michael Carter is well-regarded, allowing completions on just 50% of throws in his direction, according to Sports Info Solutions.

10. Rookie wide receiver Adonai Mitchell took up the challenge instead Michael Pittman Jr. last week, catching six passes for 71 yards in the best performance of his young career.

11. Indianapolis switched Alec Pierce to Pittman’s typical position last week, and it paid off with four catches for 81 yards, finally getting Pierce open downfield for a 32-yard grab after a four-week drought without an explosive play. Pierce remains the team’s best deep threat, and the return of Richardson gives Pierce an arm that can throw the ball over the top of almost any shell coverage.

12. Colts tight ends, as an entire position group, average just 2.2 catches per snap. match this season.

Anthony Richardson gives the Colts short-range options

13. Richardson’s return to the lineup could give Indianapolis a shot in the arm. The Colts are just 4 of 9 on third- or fourth-down plays of two yards or less to gain the last two weeks; opponents are 8 out of 10 in those situations. When Steichen has Richardson in the lineup, these short plays are often an opportunity to test teams with the quarterback’s legs, a test they often fail.

14. Aaron Rodgers, who is 40 years old and coming off an Achilles tear, looks like age has finally caught up with him. Rodgers is averaging just 6.4 yards per carry. attempts – the lowest number of his career – while completing 62.4% of his passes and throwing seven interceptions. For reference, Rodgers has eight full seasons in his career where he didn’t throw as many as seven interceptions.

15. Rodgers, who took a lot of sacks in his youth trying to produce big plays, has been sacked 23 times this season, even though the Jets are eighth in the NFL in sacks allowed per game. pass attempt. The Indianapolis front has been much better as a pass rush unit since the return of DeForest Bucknerand veteran Jets left tackle Tyron Smith suffered a neck injury last week, potentially giving rookie Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu a favorable matchup against New York rookie Olu Fashanu. Even if Smith plays, Latu should have chances; the 33-year-old Smith has given up six sacks this season.

16. New York’s wide receivers are talented. Garrett Wilson is second in the NFL with 65 receptions this season, but he’s averaging just 10.8 yards per carry. Davante Adams has 20 catches for 206 yards, 10.3 yards per carry. catch. The Jets have actually done a decent job of producing passing plays of 20 yards or more — New York has 31, tied for 10th in the NFL. What the Jets don’t have is the hyper-explosive game. New York has just two passing plays of 40 yards or more; Only three NFL teams have fewer.

17. Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones still having an up-and-down season, the kind to be expected from a second-year cornerback. According to Sports Info Solutions, Jones is allowing 8.3 yards per carry. attempted 40 throws in his direction, and the Bills seemed to catch him a bit at times last week. Earlier in his career, Rodgers liked to attack individual matchups; it’s unclear if he can still do the same with the Jets.

18. Indianapolis has become a big-play defense. The Colts are tied for sixth in the NFL in takeaways with 17 (eight interceptions, nine fumbles), but the Jets have been OK protecting the ball despite Rodgers’ struggles. New York has turned the ball over 11 times this season, tied for ninth-fewest in the NFL.

19. Colts linebackers Zaire Franklin and NO Speed have picked up their game in the last few weeks, and the team’s linebacker tandem produced a key interception in each of the last two games. However, New York running back Breece Hall will test their reach in coverage; Hall is averaging 9.2 yards on 39 catches this season and has a catch-and-run of 57 yards.

20. Jets tight end Tyler Conklin has been pretty pedestrian this season, averaging 8.8 yards per carry. 28 catches this season, but he will be going up against an Indianapolis defense that has been one of the league’s worst against tight ends in 2024.

21. Hall’s talent hasn’t translated into an impressive running game for the Jets. New York ranks 30th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. game (86.8) and 23rd in yards per carry. carry (4.04), and the Jets have rushed for more than 120 yards in a game just twice in 10 games this season. Indianapolis has given up eight games of 120 rushing yards or more this season.

22. New York has not scored more than 24 points in any game this season.

23. Indianapolis veteran Matt Gay has made 84.2 percent of his field goals this season, but he remains suspect on 50-plus kicks, where he has made two of five attempts.