The aspect of the Indianapolis Colts benching Anthony Richardson that probably wasn’t analyzed enough was what happened if Joe Flacco was terrible replacing him.
The Colts might need to ask that question this week. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Flacco is the team’s quarterback moving forward, but the first game after that proclamation wasn’t pretty. The Colts got almost nothing going on offense. Flacco didn’t pass it well and the Colts didn’t have Richardson’s running ability as a counterpunch. They were just inept in Sunday night's 21-13 defeat at the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings broke a two-game losing streak with the victory. Sam Darnold had three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown, and the Colts still couldn’t win. That’s concerning. It also will bring up questions over the Colts’ decision to bench Richardson for Flacco, and then watched Flacco pass with all of the struggles Richardson had without any of the extra playmaking ability the much younger Richardson brings to the offense.
The Colts are 4-5, which isn’t out of the AFC wild-card race. They have to make another determination over which quarterback will help keep them in that race.
The first half was bad for the Vikings, a continuation of issues that caused them to fall into a two-game losing streak.
Darnold has had issues with turnovers throughout his career, and that cropped up Sunday night. He threw an interception deep in Colts territory, moving left and then forcing a pass to the end zone that had little chance of being completed to any Viking.
Darnold’s next turnover was even more damaging. He was sacked and fumbled, and it was scooped up by cornerback Kenny Moore II and returned 38 yards for a touchdown. That ended up being the only score of the first half. The Colts' offense didn’t get a point in the first half. It didn’t score in the third quarter either.
Sam Darnold was a little carless with the football on Sunday night but made enough plays to help Minnesota snap a two-game losing streak. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
The first half was troubling for the Vikings. The Colts' defense hasn’t been able to stop anyone this season. Minnesota couldn’t score a point before halftime. It didn’t help that kicker Will Reichard missed two field goals, including one from 31 yards out.
The Vikings started the season 5-0, but they didn’t look like that team in the first half. Luckily for them, the Colts weren’t doing anything with their opportunities.
Vikings take 3rd quarter lead
The Vikings' offense showed life in the third quarter. Darnold completed some nice passes, including a pair of touchdowns. That gave the Vikings a 14-7 lead.
The Colts weren’t out of the game at that point but Flacco wasn’t playing like he could do much with the chance. Flacco threw an awful interception early in the fourth quarter. Fortunately for him and the Colts, Darnold returned the favor with an equally terrible INT of his own. Flacco and the Colts couldn’t pick up a first down after that and they settled for a field goal.
The Colts' defense played a pretty good game and it didn’t matter. The offense was too poor to win.
The Colts had a shot to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. But after getting into Vikings territory Flacco threw incomplete on third down and again on fourth, each pass seemingly a beat late which allowed a Vikings defensive back to make a hit and jar it loose. The Vikings picked up some first downs after that to bleed most of the rest of the clock, and with 2:05 left Darnold hit Josh Oliver for a touchdown. That put the game away.
Richardson wasn’t completing passes at a high enough rate to keep his starting job. But Flacco wasn’t much better Sunday night. It doesn’t seem like the Colts could turn back to Richardson right away. They might be stuck.
That'll seal the win to put Minnesota back in the win column to improve to 6-2. The Colts fall to 4-5, and after a poor stat line for Joe Flacco 16-of-27 for 179 yards and and interception with three sacks, questions will continue to swirl around the Colts about who should be starting at quarterback.
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Pass interference penalty on Vikings sets up Matt Gay field goal with 28 seconds left
The 54-yard attempt is good, to cut the lead to eight, and now the Colts will need to recover an onside kick to have a shot at a Commanders-like miracle.
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Colts pick up a first down
Josh Downs is now up to six catches for 60 yards on the night. Not a great night, but 12 points if you've had to start him an a PPR Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football league.
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Another Vikings sack
This has been a defensive clinic by the Vikings, and its Jihad Ward getting co Flacco this time to bring up 3rd and 22
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A 1st down sack sends the game to the two-minute warning
Jonathan Greenard picked up his sixth sack of the season with the sack that puts Indy behind the sticks, making a comeback attempt all the more challenging.
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Darnold finds Josh Oliver for a big touchdown
Darnold now has three touchdown passes in the game, and the Vikings lead 21-10. The Colts do have a timeout, and the two-minute warning, but they need two scores, and Joe Flacco has a 58.1 passer rating in this game.
Darnold rolls to his left and finds Josh Oliver for the TD to extend the @Vikings lead!
Aaron Jones picks up a big 1st down on a 3rd and inches to get the ball deep in the Colts' redzone. Kicker Will Reichard apparently has been dealing with an issue to his kicking leg — he was seen with a wrap on it throughout the game and was walking gingerly after a kickoff and extra point. He has missed two field goals in this game, and if Minnesota is able to score a touchdown and go up two possessions that might do it. The Colts do have a timeout with 2:53 left in the game, an still also have the 2-minute warning.
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Vikings force turnover on downs wuth just over 5 minutes remaining
The Minnesota defense has been brilliant. Yes, the Colts are starting a backup quarterback and haven't done much on the offensive side of the ball in recent weeks, but Indianapolis is 3-for-10 on 3rd down and is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry in the run game.
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Colts pick up 3rd and 1
Jonathan Taylor gets the ball into Minnesota territory on a 3rd and 1 as The clock ticks toward six minutes
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Kwity Paye with a big 3rd down sack to halt a Vikings drive.
With a 3rd down pressure package, the Colts are still hanging around, and while the offense hasn't done much, it only takes one drive to be able to take the lead with under 10 minutes remaining.
Matt Gay connects on a 42-yard field goal to make the score 14-10 Vikings, but it was another drive where the Colts couldn't get a first down. Indy has just nine first downs in the game — the Vikings had 13 at halftime, but the Colts are still connected because of a cavalcade of Minnesota miscues including three turnovers and two missed field goals
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And just as soon as it looked like Indy was out of it, Darnold gets picked off.
This is the VERY next play after the Byron Murphy interception, and Nick Cross came up with a giant play for the Colts, and they're starting at the 25-yard-line in plus territory.
The @Colts get it right back! Nick Cross picks off Darnold 😱
After a spectacular catch by rookie A.D. Mitchell on a 2nd and 30 to get it to 3rd and 8, Joe Flacco found Byron Murphy — the problem with that is that he's in purple, and not white and blue. First down Vikings after another bad mistake by the Indy offense.
Two second half drives. Two second half touchdowns. Vikings lead 14-7
Jalen Nailor's first catch of the game goes for a touchdown, and the Vikings are now matching the scoreboard to their statistical advantage. Sam Darnold is 26-of-30 for 255 yards and a pair of touchdown passes.
Jalen Nailor grabs his 4th TD of the year from Sam Darnold to give the @Vikings their first lead!
Nine plays and 70 yards on this first scoring drive for the Minnesota Vikings, and Addison made a spectacular catch for his second touchdown of the year.
Jordan Addison on the grab to make it 1st and Goal as the Vikings try to avoid another Reichard field goal attempt.
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Jefferson getting the drive started for Minnesota to open the second half
They've gained a bunch of yards tonight, but still need a spark — must be nice to be the Vikings to have this guy to get you started when you need to get things going.
Another 20+ yard reception on the night for Jefferson.
Reichard with a doink from 31 yards and the Vikings are still scoreless
Minnesota has 13 first downs and has out gained the Colts nearly 2-to-1 in this first half, but the miscues have been devastating. Two missed field goals, two turnovers — one of which was turned into the game's only score — and a turnover on downs. Justin Jefferson has four catches for 74 yards and Sam Darnold ia 13-for-16 for 138 yards.
If there's any good news for Minnesota, its that Indianapolis' offense had just five first downs and 92 yards in the first half.
In a first half that's been largely devoid of highlights, another lowlight for the Colts — a drive that has come up empty again in a game that hasn't seen an offensive score as we approach halftime.
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Vikings' Reichard misses from 53
And the Vikings remain scoreless. Minnesota offense has turned the ball over on downs, has the Darnold pick, the sack-fumble and now a missed field goal. That would make it seem like the Vikings' offense isn't working, but they already have 11 first downs in the game and 150 yards of offense midway through the second quarter. Colts still lead 7-0.
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Colts' defense strikes first
Grover Stewart with a sack-fumble and Kenny Moore grabbed it for the scoop-n-score. While the game was still scoreless, the Colts needed that shot in the arm after having trouble moving the ball over their past few possessions.
Fumble six! Grover Stewart forced the ball out and Kenny Moore II scoops it up and scores for the @Colts!
The Defenses are in control of the game right now. Indianapolis' receivers are having trouble getting open, and unlike the first drive, aren't winning first down with Jonathan Taylor on the ground.
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Vikings get the ball into Colts territory with Justin Jefferson's first catch but punt it away
Jefferson's first catch went for 20 yards. Sam Darnold has been mostly sharp early. While he has the one interception, thats the only pass he's thrown that wasn't caught was that pick, and is 9-for-10 after the first quarter.
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Colts give the ball right back
A short drive with a couple of Flacco incompletions, following that interception gives Minnesota the ball back with just over four minutes left in the first quarter.
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Zaire Franklin picks off Darnold in the endzone
Much like the the Colts, the Vikings' first drive ends in a turnover, with Sam Darnold throwing his sixth interception of the year. Also, much like Indy's first drive, Minnesota got what the wanted running Aaron Jones. Darnold will have to protected the ball better, although he did make a nice play to buy some extra time.
PICK! Zaire Franklin intercepts Sam Darnold in the end zone! @Colts ball.
Vikings take over and open with first down pass from Sam Darnold
Darnold has cooled some over the past two weeks, but he's got 14 touchdown passes and just five interceptions as Minnesota got off to a 5-0 start, but has lost a couple in a row and will try to right the ship tonight.
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First mistake of the game results in a turnover.
A poor exchange between Flacco and Taylor on a handoff ends a promising first drive for the Colts as the Vikings take over after the fumble.
Indy opens with a couple of runs to Jonathan Taylor, and the run game could set the tone for Indy. He had 105 yards rushing in Week 8 vs. Houston.
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Joe Flacco gets the start for the Colts on Sunday Night Football
Anthony Richardson is headed to the bench "going forward" according to coach Shane Steichen. The move is believed to be a "soft benching" and that Flacco will remain at the helm as long as Indianapolis is in the AFC playoff race.
Filling in for an injured Deshaun Watson in Cleveland last year, Flacco led the Browns to five-straight wins down the stretch and an unexpected playoff berth.
Per Coach Steichen, Joe Flacco will start at quarterback "going forward."
Jason Fitz is joined by Jori Epstein and Frank Schwab to deep dive on the latest news and storylines from around the NFL, including the Anthony Richardson benching and trade deadline moves that either have already happened or could happen over the next week.
Week 9's Sunday slate is in the books and there were performances and injuries that will have long term fantasy implications. Andy Behrens joins Matt Harmon to breakdown all the action and place the games in three categories: Games we care about the most, games we sort of care about and games that could have been an email.
