After the worst performance of their season, the Colts are sticking with Joe Flacco following their 21-13 defeat on Sunday Night Football.
Also Read: Colts Fans Want Anthony Richardson Back
Colts HC Shane Steichen: Joe Flacco starts at QB vs. Buffalo on Sunday
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) November 4, 2024
This move comes after head coach Shane Steichen insisted that the veteran Flacco gave the Colts the best chance to win right now. However, two of his three starts make up the two worst offensive productions from Indianapolis all season with his first start against the Jaguars relying on a couple of garbage-time touchdowns to make things interesting.
Joe Flacco is The Wrong Move
With Flacco under center, the Colts offense becomes stagnant and one dimensional. Having no threat of a quarterback run, Steichen’s patented inside zone schemes drop from over five yards per carry with Anthony Richardson to under four yards per carry with Flacco.
The flaws are evident with Richardson; he is inaccurate and panics when the pocket begins to collapse. Despite this, his mobility and deep-ball ability have continually kept the Colts in every game he has played.
When looking at which quarterback to start, the overall offensive production must be considered to make the decision.
One play in particular summed up Flacco’s night. On third and long early in the fourth-quarter inside the 25 -yard line after Nick Cross intercepted Sam Darnold immediately after Flacco had thrown the ball directly to Byron Murphy Flacco had a perfect opportunity to scramble or check down to Jonathan Taylor.
At his age and ability, scrambling for eight yards is unlikely, but the all-pro Taylor certainly would have been able to get the yardage needed. Instead, Flacco planted off his left foot and shorted a cross-body throw into the turf intended for a crossing Michael Pittman Jr on the other side of the field.
The Colts would settle for a 42-yard field goal which would essentially lose them the ball game, scoring zero offensive points and producing just two field goal scoring drives.
Also Read: Viking Fans Not Confident After Ugly Win
Fans React to Joe Flacco Starting
Since the announcement of another week of Flacco starting, a majority of Colts fans have continued to protest in favor of their young quarterback.
Fans have gotten #FreeAR and #FreeAR5 to the trending hashtags on X and have been persistent in comments for acknowledgement.
Actually glad they flexed this game to primetime…
Now the whole country can clearly see Flacco DOES NOT give this team a better chance at winning.#FreeAR
— Colts Enjoyer (@AR5Renaissance) November 4, 2024
Some fans have had enough that they are simply ready to jump ship to the NFC favorites and nearby Detroit Lions.
#OnePride who wants to become a Lions fan with me
— T (@TMangalam602) November 4, 2024
Regardless of what fans may be lobbying for, one thing that the Colts will have their hands full on Sunday against the Bills and the reality is that Flacco will be the quarterback repping the Horseshow in Indianapolis.
If the Colts want any chances of winning with Flacco under center, they will need to get an improvement in the run game which stems back to Steichen being able to adapt his playstyle. The creative-at-times play caller has gone bland in the run game and cannot rely on the backside defensive end to become frozen by the presence of Richardson taking off anymore.
With Flacco, Steichen will need to adapt to an outside zone scheme to get Taylor going in the run game. If that does not happen, he is better off going back to Richardson.
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