By now, Colts fans are largely echoing the same refrain: Anthony Richardson is inconsistent. Anthony Richardson is a bust. Anthony Richardson should be benched in favor of Joe Flacco. But while Richardson has struggled in what is still essentially his rookie year, it's important to remember that he can be a lethal threat against the Steelers, specifically because he has the potential to become a once-in-a-generation talent.
And the Steelers know it.
Richardson is an athlete that not many in the NFL can touch. Despite his size, he's still fast; he can throw like a rocket, and he can run. He can lose his balance and still manage to break tackles and run for a first down, or throw 60 yards. The struggles he's had in 2024 have clouded the abilities that are still very much there.
At 6'4" and 244 pounds, Richardson has unusual athleticism. He can run a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, and cleared a 40-inch vertical leap, as well as a broad jump of 10-foot-9. These are the best of any quarterback in NFL history. He isn't able to just throw the ball down the field; he can run, too. And as Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said in recent interviews, this can pose a serious challenge for any team's defense.
“Yeah, he’s a big man who is agile,” he said. "He’s strong. You’ll see him on some designed quarterback runs, you know, guys will have angle on him and he’ll beat them out to the sideline. He’s unique in that way. He’s just an avatar of an athlete. And then obviously when you are talking about him running, he has the ability to — even as he’s moving a little bit off balance — to uncork a bomb. And so that’s always dangerous. So the thing we obviously preach with our guys is to make sure that don’t relax at any time versus this guy. He has enough ability to avoid rushes, create some space, and then also get the ball down the field.”
Anthony Richardson's rushing ability has been on full display through 3 weeks.
— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) September 25, 2024
Richardson has rushed for explosive yardage (10+ yards) on 40% of carries (excl. kneels). 5 of his 6 scrambles have resulted in either 10+ yards or a TD - only a 7.1% scramble rate. #Colts pic.twitter.com/izR0d07adS
As Austin pointed out, Richardson is dangerous even when the defense may think they have him cornered. His epic 60-yard pass to Alec Pierce happened when he slipped on the turf and lost his balance, all while defenders were bearing down on him. Richardson was able to recover his balance and launch a rocket to Pierce despite that. Despite his problems with accuracy, he's also been leading the league in avoiding sacks, because he's able to run so well and
“Quarterback mobility is everything,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “You can bottle up the rush game from the running backs, but if your quarterbacks are falling forward (and) having a bunch of yards that counts to it, as well. QB draws. It’s going to be about bottling up the quarterback and making sure he stays in the pocket. That’s put on the front but if that does happen, everybody’s got to rally to it and get to the ball fast.”
Richardson is also observant; when running back Jonathan Taylor ran for that 29-yard touchdown, it was Richardson who clued him in that the blitz was coming, allowing Taylor to adjust.
Part of the problem with Richardson is that he isn't being taken advantage of the way he should be. Head coach Shane Steichen has admitted that several of Richardson's interceptions are due to poor play calling from him. And he hasn't been taking advantage of Richardson's ability to scramble, of his athleticism. There needs to be less pressure on Richardson to attempt those incredible explosive throws, and more overall on the run game - from Taylor and Richardson alike.
If the Colts can take advantage of Richardson's many talents - his strength, his speed, his leadership, his willingness to literally do anything to win - he will be lethal... and not just against the Steelers, but against any team in the league.