3 key preseason takeaways for the Colts ahead of finale against Eagles

After a week of joint practices filled with fights and injuries, the Indianapolis Colts improved to 1-1 in the preseason by defeating the Chicago Bears in comeback fashion. Shane Steichen snagged his first win as an NFL head coach after his team put up 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.

Steichen opted to sit Anthony Richardson just days after Richardson was announced as the starter for the 2023 season. Instead, the Colts were led by second and third string quarterbacks Gardner Minshew II and Sam Ehlinger.

After finding themselves down 17-7 with under nine minutes on the clock, Ehlinger marched the offense down the field for two touchdowns and a field goal to secure the first Colts victory since last November.

With most of the first-teamers being rested, lesser known players had an opportunity to shine in primetime Saturday night. Indianapolis had standouts on both sides of the ball that demonstrated how deep this Colts team is. Indy has one preseason game left, but based on the first two games, we’ve already learned some key things about the team.

3. Colts quarterback depth is not a problem

After a battle for the QB1 spot throughout the offseason, the Colts landed on Anthony Richardson to lead the offense. With that choice being made, Minshew became the backup and he has an argument for being the best backup in the league.

Minshew has 44 passing touchdowns to 15 interceptions, which translates to a 3:1 TD to INT ratio. Accuracy and decision-making are almost always the biggest problems in a backup QB, but Minshew eliminates those concerns with a 62.8% career completion rate.

Aside from the Minshew Magic, third-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger showed his potential after guiding the offense down the field for 17 unanswered points in one quarter against the Bears. Ehlinger threw for 124 yards and one touchdown while rushing for another 60 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

With Minshew and Ehlinger leading the Colts to their first win, though unofficial, since Jeff Saturday's debut game, it feels like the quarterback room is as solidified as possible heading into Week 1.