Colts QB Anthony Richardson Presents Unique Challenge for Steelers
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers defense will have a different kind of challenge this week in Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson. Unlike Justin Herbert, who was nursing a high ankle sprain on Sunday, Richardson will be a threat as a runner. He also has a rocket arm.
“Yeah, he’s a big man who is agile,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of Richardson. “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.”
Richardson, who stands at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds, ran a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine. He’s a special athlete.
“He’s a unicorn. He’s big. He can throw the ball. He can run. We just got to be able to get him down,” Steelers outside linebacker Nick Herbig said.
“Quarterback mobility is everything,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward added. “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 turned heads in Week 1 after making an incredible 60-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce. The ball traveled in the air nearly 60 yards and Richardson threw the pass off his back foot.
Richardson and Pierce have connected on three 40-plus yard plays this season.
“Man, Richardson has the arm strength to really highlight that component of (Pierce’s) game,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said during his Tuesday press conference. “We’ve got to keep a lid on it. If you don’t keep a lid on it, you’re going to have major problems playing anyone, but particularly a group like this in their venue. You’ve got to make them earn it. Can’t allow yards in chunks.”
ANTHONY RICHARDSON OMG 🚀
pic.twitter.com/PLhnKuDZQg— PFF (@PFF) September 8, 2024
While Richardson has capitalized on explosive plays, he’s struggled with accuracy in the first three game. He has a 49.3% completion percentage and leads the league in interceptions with six.
“Just stop thinking and just let it spin,” Richardson said. “Of course, I’m hearing all the noise or whatever, but forget about it – just let the ball go as you go out there and play football.”
Richardson completed only 50 percent of his passes for 167 yards and threw two interceptions in Sunday’s win over the Chicago Bears. He had a brutal 39.0 quarterback rating.
“Sometimes as a player, you try to think about technique and certain things like that,” he said of overthinking. “So, thinking about it too much while you’re also trying to think about a game plan and stuff, it can throw you off a little bit because you’re just thinking too much instead of just relying on instincts and playing. So this week, we’re just focused on playing football and just mastering what we can master.”
Richardson looks forward to going up against the Steelers’ No. 1 ranked defense on Sunday.
“We do have to acknowledge that they’re a great team,” Richardson said. “They have a great scheme over there, have great players. We all know that, but we don’t know necessarily have any concerns. We feel like we can match up with anybody. So, we’re just trying to play our offense and just execute play by play, not really thinking about who’s on the other side.”
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Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.
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