First and foremost, the Colts have a really succesful backup signal-caller in Gardner Minshew.
The 27-year-old signed with Indianapolis in March after enjoying 5 video games final season for the Philadelphia Eagles. Minshew made two begins in place of an injured Jalen Hurts in 2022 and has a profession touchdown-to-interception ratio of greater than 3:1 (46:15) throughout 37 video games, together with 25 begins.
The 2019 sixth-round choose has appeared in all 5 video games for the Colts this season because of Richardson’s multitude of accidents, going 57-for-83 with 553 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 95.1 quarterback ranking. Minshew would not have the athleticism or speeding skill that his youthful counterpart possesses, nevertheless it’s no coincidence that the workforce is 3-0 this season when he takes nearly all of the snaps (and 0-2 when Richardson does).
The No. 4 general select of Florida has proven glimpses of greatness early in his profession, and if he can keep wholesome, he is clearly the quarterback of the long run in Indianapolis. Colts followers in all probability could not ask for a greater chief underneath heart to in the meantime although.
Other components that ought to hold Indianapolis aggressive in the AFC South are Minshew’s offensive weapons and the workforce’s upcoming schedule.
The Colts have a stable WR1 in former second-round choose Michael Pittman Jr., who, regardless of a few down video games in current weeks, nonetheless leads the workforce in targets (46), receptions (31) and receiving yards (297), whereas scoring one landing as effectively. Behind Pittman is rookie third-round choose Josh Downs, who’s coming off of his greatest recreation in the Week 5 win over the Tennessee Titans with six catches on six targets for 97 yards.
Where Minshew may get probably the most assist throughout his upcoming stretch because the starter is in the backfield, the place Indianapolis rapidly appears to have a stable tandem of operating backs.
Now that he received his pay day, former speeding champion Jonathan Taylor appears to have mended his relationship with the group. In addition to the 2021 Pro Bowler, former Buffalo Bill Zack Moss has been top-of-the-line backs in the sport during the last month. Moss ranks second in speeding yards per recreation (111.3) and third in each speeding makes an attempt (89) and speeding yards (445), whereas including three touchdowns on the bottom and one via the air as effectively.
The Colts are tied with the Jacksonville Jaguars atop the division at 3-2, with each the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans at 2-3. Indianapolis travels to Jacksonville for a Week 6 matchup at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, with Minshew getting an opportunity at a “revenge game.”
The Colts then have back-to-back house video games in opposition to the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints, earlier than taking up the free-falling Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots on the highway in Weeks 9 and 10. Indianapolis has a Week 11 bye, and based mostly on the estimated timeline, Richardson may very well be returning to motion round that point.
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