Accountability For All, Or Just For Anthony Richardson?
As the Indianapolis Colts work their way through what is seemingly a mediocre season, a question keeps coming to mind.
Is anyone other than Anthony Richardson going to be held accountable?
Richardson, the 22-year-old quarterback in his 2nd season, rode the bench for two weeks while the Colts insisted that 39-year-old backup Joe Flacco gave them the best chance to win. Whether you actually believe that, or whether you’re one of many who believe that it had more to do with Richardson’s maturity and preparation, the fact remained that Richardson was being punished for not living up to expectations.
Of course, the move to Flacco promptly blew up in the Colts faces, and they quickly pivoted back to Richardson after two losses. Richardson, for his part, seems to have taken the right lesson from the move, having the best game of his career in his return against the Jets, and following that up with a performance against the Lions that was a lot better than the box score indicated. That being said, the Colts lost to the Lions in incredibly undisciplined fashion, reigniting fan frustration about the overall state of the team. They are 5-7, and while the remainder of their schedule is filled with what on paper appear to be winnable games, I’m not sure anyone truly expects them to run the table and make the postseason. This team is just too good at shooting themselves in the foot.
So where is accountability? Are we going to see changes on the offensive line, which while admittedly dealing with several injuries, is not playing well? What about in the coaching staff, and the sometimes-questionable play calling by Shane Steichen, or the front office and Chris Ballard, who decided to do nothing about the Colts putrid tight end room in the offseason? Or is accountability only for the 22-year-old?
During the Tuesday edition of The Ride With JMV, Nate Atkins of the IndyStar joined the show, and spoke about Richardson being held to a standard that other players aren’t.
