Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson gave a mixed-bag performance in the preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night at Paycor Stadium.
Richardson and the starting offense played a total of five drives that lasted into the halfway point of the second quarter, which was exactly the plan laid out by head coach Shane Steichen.
It was truly a tale of two halves for Richardson, who faced off against the second-team defense for the Bengals.
The first drive went about as perfectly as the Colts could have hoped. Richardson went 7-of-8 for 65 yards and a passing touchdown.
He ripped an 18-yard crosser to Alec Pierce off play-action, had a nice hot read to Pierce on third down and played extremely well in a good rhythm.
He got the Colts on the board with a nice read against a blitz to find rookie Adonai Mitchell on a drag route for a nine-yard touchdown.
The next drive was a disaster that only lasted two plays. Richardson hesitated on a deep ball before overthrowing a checkdown on first down.
Then, a clear miscommunication between Richardson and tight end Kylen Granson resulted in a pick-six for Bengals safety Jordan Battle. Richardson expected his tight end to settle on the hitch, but Granson broke outside. It was an easy pick for Battle.
The third drive for the offense wasn't much better. Richardson made a decent throw over the middle for what would have been a chunk gain, but Michael Pittman Jr. dropped it.
The biggest note from the drive was Richardson missing Mitchell on a third-down crosser that would have gone for a massive gain. It was a layup that Richardson simply cannot miss.
The fourth drive was more of the same. Another miscommunication between Richardson and Mitchell led to a third-down incompletion. Mitchell didn't run his full route over the middle.
The fifth and final drive started well with a dot from Richardson to Granson on a seam route. But it quickly fell apart. Richardson fumbled on a scramble after being hit from behind by Justin Blazek. On a third-and-15, Richardson evaded the pocket and scrambled for three yards.
In all, Richardson finished 8-of-14 for 86 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a 69.3 passer rating.
This is the experience when it comes to watching Richardson. One drive, he'll look like an MVP. Then, he'll follow it up with a handful of miscues.
Richardson needs reps, and this is likely going to be the experience for the majority of the 2024 season.
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