WESTFIELD — Anthony Richardson’s first interception of training camp wasn’t about the Colts starting quarterback.

Not really.

Julian Blackmon deserves the top billing. Based on the coverage the Colts were running, the Indianapolis strong safety should not have been in the middle of the field, rolling back and making a leaping grab, the best catch on a day filled with highlight grabs.

When Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen watches plays in practice, he does it from the mind of a quarterback, making his own reads and mentally deciding where his quarterback should go with the ball.

“The way (Blackmon) sees the game,” Steichen said. “The one interception he had, I threw it right there. I ran over there and dapped him up, because that was an incredible play.”

Blackmon initially drove down into the box, read the route combination, glanced at Richardson’s eyes and made a decision to peel off his responsibility to go get the ball.

“He’s got instincts,” defensive backs coach Ron Milus said. “We had a different coverage on, he realized there was nothing coming back short and he opened up, the next thing you know he’s in position.”

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Fight night

The first big fight of training camp erupted Sunday night.

Wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and cornerback Jaylon Jones went to the ground in a heap during 1-on-1 drills and came up jawing, then erupted, helmets flying and fists being thrown.

“Training camp, right?” Steichen said. “They have scuffles out there. They’ll put it to bed, though.”

The fight did not carry over to the rest of practice. Pittman and Jones faced off in coverage several times throughout the rest of the workout without an incident.

But it is also unsurprising that Pittman was involved. The team’s No. 1 receiver — who was once ejected from a game against the Patriots for fighting in 2021 — does not back down.

“If we’re stuck in an alley and we’re about to get jumped, we all know Pitt is one of those dudes we want with us,” wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne said. “He’s going to find a way to get it done. I will say, if there’s a plan to get it done, as soon as he gets hit in the face, that plan is out the door.”

Big-play passing game

Blackmon interrupted the momentum of a practice full of big passing plays before his interception.

Richardson opened the session by completing his first seven throws, including an explosive catch-and run to slot receiver Josh Downs for roughly 50 yards, then a completion for 20-plus yards to crossing tight end Jelani Woods. Downs led the way for the starting offense with three catches on the day.

Even after the interception, Richardson completed his next three throws, getting to 10 of 11 before another Blackmon breakup gave the defense momentum. Richardson fired incomplete on his final four throws to finish 10 of 15, including a play where Alec Pierce slipped out of his break, a missed throw to Pierce that was nearly picked by linebacker Zaire Franklin and an incompletion in Adonai Mitchell’s direction.

Veteran backup Joe Flacco produced his fair share of explosive plays in a 10 of 15 day on Sunday. Flacco opened the practice with a catch-and-run to Ethan Fernea for 40-plus yards in the first period, then fired deep to Ashton Dulin for the best offensive catch of camp so far.

Flacco underthrew the deep ball a bit, and Dulin leaped over cornerback Darrell Baker Jr., catching the ball with his hands wrapped around Baker’s body.

Mitchell, the second-round pick who had his first catch of training camp earlier in the session, provided the final highlight, reaching back for a ball behind him, juggling it and making the catch for a gain of roughly 20 yards, although in a live setting, the safety likely would have dislodged the ball with a hit while the rookie was juggling it.

The rookie also got his first big roar from the crowd, beating Dallis Flowers on a leaping deep ball in 1-on-1 drills on a play where he lost his helmet going to the ground, then got up and flexed, celebrating to the biggest roar of training camp.

Another rookie rising

Fifth-round defensive back Jaylin Simpson’s biggest play of the day was nullified by a penalty.

Running deep with a receiver in the middle of the field, Simpson picked off an underthrown deep ball by Sam Ehlinger, only to get flagged for pass interference.

But it would be a mistake to let that missed opportunity overshadow the rest of Simpson’s day.

Simpson, a fifth-round pick who finished his Auburn career at free safety, is playing cornerback early in training camp, and he has been impressive. The rookie made at least two pass breakups on Sunday, closing hard on throws to knock them away.

“We’re trying to transition him and see if he can do it, “ Milus said. “If he can play corner, that would even be better, because we know he can play free safety in the future. He looked quick. Some of those plays he made today, OK, he was flashing.”

Injury report

Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo did not practice due to a calf injury suffered during Saturday’s practice, but Odeyingbo was riding a stationary bike during the workout. Defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, who has been on the non-football/illness list since the start of training camp due to high blood pressure, was also riding the stationary bike.

Early in Friday’s practice, defensive end Samson Ebukam suffered a calf injury and left the practice field on a cart.

Odeyingbo and Ebukam were the only two Colts on the active roster dealing with an injury. Right tackle Braden Smith, who is still on his way back from offseason knee surgery, practiced for the first time in training camp.

Defensive back Chris Lammons remains on the physically unable to perform list due to offseason ankle surgery.

Quick hitters

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner picked up a “sack” of Richardson — no one can hit the quarterback in practice — on the second play of practice and potentially could have produced another on a scrambling Richardson at the end. … Tight end Drew Ogletree made four catches in 11-on-11 drills, three of them coming on short throws from Flacco. … Third-year safety Nick Cross has been participating in the team’s developmental period at the end of practice, but not because he’s getting extra snaps in the battle for the starting free safety position. Cross can play multiple positions; he spends the developmental period getting ready to be the emergency nickel … Veteran wide receiver Laquon Treadwell made his first catch of training camp in the developmental period.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts camp has Julian Blackmon's pick, explosive passes, big fight