Anthony Richardson puts AFC South on notice with cannon blast deep ball TD

The success of the Indianapolis Colts will be indelibly tied to the performance of star quarterback Anthony Richardson. As the ultra-talented No. 4 pick works his way back from a shoulder injury, the Colts will try to take advantage of his unfathomable athleticism and strong arm.

The Houston Texans presented a tough challenge. Not only are they a division rival, but they also have an elite quarterback in CJ Stroud and a very deep secondary led by Derek Stingley Jr. Even with those factors working against him and top target Josh Downs inactive, Richardson took advantage of his God-given gifts early in this one.

Indianapolis' first touchdown of the season may end up being their most impressive, as Richardson put the full strength of his arm on display. Despite the pocket collapsing and Richardson falling away as he made the throw, he connected with Alec Pierce for what ended up being a 60-yard touchdown.

Throws like this are exactly why Richardson was picked as high as he was. Even as the Colts work through some occasional accuracy issues, breathtaking throws like this one are exactly why the rest of the league is a bit nervous whenever they watch him play.

Anthony Richardson gives Colts lead vs. Texans with Alec Pierce touchdown

Richardson hasn't been using his legs as much as he did in the early going last season, preferring to stay back in the pocket and disprese the ball. Finding the perfect blend of pocket bombs and big breakout runs with No. 5 will be the key to success for Indianapolis this season.

Even though Richardson has just a handful of starts under his belt, he is no longer a rookie. Perhaps Shane Steichen could keep his foot on the gas and keep calling an aggressive style that sees Richardson and the Colts go more vertical than they did with Gardner Minshew last year.

Richardson needs to show that he can make deep throws like this consistently. However, this touchdown underscores the fact that fans can count on one hand the quarterbacks with the same base physical talent as the Colts' franchise signal-caller.