Trent Richardson Will Play on Sunday vs. 49ers

Sep 15, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson (33) tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee (90) at M

San Francisco, CA – The Indianapolis Colts are preparing to take on the San Francisco 49ers at Candlestick Park this Sunday, and they made a huge move to acquire star running back Trent Richardson from the Cleveland Browns. There were lots of Colts writers and reporters who weren’t expecting him to suit up for the team on Sunday afternoon, but that does not appear to be the case.

Trent Richardson was quoted as saying that he “expects to receive a lot of carries on Sunday.” Coach Chuck Pagano seemed to back those thoughts up as well when he stated that the team didn’t bring Richardson in to be their waterboy, and that he would play as much as the two sides felt that he could against San Francisco. There’s no doubt that he will force the 49ers to change their gameplan up a bit, but we’ll have to wait and see just how much playing time he will receive.

The Colts have been searching for a legitimate feature back ever since Edgerrin James left town, and they believe that they have done just that by acquiring Richardson. Obviously there are concerns around the league with the rough first two games that Richardson has played thus far this year, and also his career 3.5 yards per carry statistic. Many analysts feel that Richardson will never blossom into the superstar running back that he has been hyped up as ever since before the 2012 NFL Draft.

One thing to keep in mind is that opposing defenses were stacking the box during Richardson’s tenure in Cleveland. Without a real threat in the passing game, the defense didn’t have to respect Weeden, and were able to focus on locking down Richardson and the rushing game. In Indianapolis, he’ll be playing alongside one of the brightest young quarterbacks in the NFL. Defenses will no longer be capable of locking down Richardson and the ground game with the threat of Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton, and the rest of the Colts aerial weapons.

It will certainly be an intriguing game one to watch for the Colts and Trent Richardson. San Francisco is one of the premier defenses in the NFL, and the Colts have had issues with their offensive line through the first two weeks of the season. If you’re a Colts fan, you can go ahead and begin getting excited about Trent Richardson’s debut, because he will be in uniform and on the field come Sunday afternoon.

Evan Massey is an Editor at Naptown’s Finest. Follow Evan and Naptown’s Finest on Twitter.