NFL gameday guide: Did Anthony Richardson deserve to be benched? Plus impressive Bo Nix and Jared Goff's MVP hopes

nfl Sunday 3 November 2024 15:15, UK

When are breaks in the workplace acceptable? And when is it fine to lie? That is something Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is still learning. We look ahead to NFL Sunday as the 2024 season reaches the halfway stage on the road to Super Bowl LIX...

"I just think as a whole, there's not enough emphasis put on the organisation's role in the development of the position, meaning I believe that organisations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organisations," Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell recently said on the Rich Eisen Show.

The value of elite preparation and the ability to both tailor and tinker a scheme according to the quarterback in play has become a prevalent theme during the 2024 NFL season. While Matt LaFleur delivered a clinic in offensive architecture with Malik Willis in the absence of Jordan Love, Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins slumped miserably with their back-up plan when Tua Tagovailoa went down with a concussion. Elsewhere O'Connell has inspired a resurgence from a written-off Sam Darnold to lead the Vikings to a winning start to the season. Coaching matters.

The latest, and most pressing, case study is Anthony Richardson after the Indianapolis Colts this week benched their 22-year-old No 4 overall pick from 2023 for a 39-year-old Joe Flacco. Richardson entered the NFL as the most athletically-gifted player to ever test at the quarterback position, armed with an ever-enamouring downfield cannon along with the out-of-pocket absurdity to terrorise defenses, but with one of the smallest college sample sizes - not helped by last season's year-ending shoulder injury - that left him in need of delicately-handled repetition.

As a dropback passer his explosive chunk shots downfield have been marred by accuracy issues, the kind of which only really iron themselves out with game time. But there is an argument as to whether Shane Steichen and the Colts have committed to using him in the right way; he had never been touted as a slice-and-dice drive-building dropback passer, but a unicorn dual-threat that could be unleashed in a tormenting read option and play-action game alongside Jonathan Taylor and teed up for haymakers by consistent ground control, at least early on in his NFL career as he was adjusting to the transition. It feels as though the Colts have jumped between both at times, the only real primary difference being Flacco's superior passing efficiency on later downs.

"Tough decision, but one I felt was in the best interest of our football team," Steichen said. "Feel that Joe gives us the best chance to win right now."

Richardson has completed just 59 of 133 passes (44.4 per cent) for 958 yards and four touchdowns to seven interceptions this season, ranking 27th in EPA per dropback and last in passer rating among qualifying quarterbacks. As much lingers to an even greater extent when it comes to a situation like that of Sunday when Richardson removed himself for a third-down play in his side's defeat to the Houston Texans, later admitting it was merely because he was tired. Everybody is tired.

Comments like that do not sit well with the offensive linemen who barely miss a snap all season as they protect their quarterback, while making Richardson an easy punch-bag for critics in the media. Speaking on Kay Adams' show, former Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly was swift to point out that Cam Newton never pulled himself out of a game despite being one of the most mobile quarterbacks in NFL history. Maybe next time, you lie about being tired.

Flacco can still run an offense to a playoff standard; he did as much after taking over from Deshaun Watson in Cleveland last year. But Richardson is only going to get better by being on the field right now, as opposed to the Colts slipping back into a mode of purgatory that saw them hobble through eras of Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan and Gardner Minshew in their desperate bid to find a long-term Andrew Luck successor.

Richardson isn't done yet, far from it. He is too tantalising a threat on the ground for offensive minds around the league to give up on him, and is capable of too much downfield destruction for teams to turn a blind eye. For a quarterback criticised for his accuracy, the touch and anticipation to his more aggressive shots is staggering and should be considered a clue to improvement.

But the ability to nurture a young quarterback can be era-defining for a coach and for an entire franchise. Is reaching the playoffs this year more valuable than dedicating a whole uninterrupted year to integrating Richardson and letting him learn on the job? It's tough to look at the might of the AFC, not to mention the presence of the win-ready Texans in the AFC South alone, and think the answer is yes. Let's see...

Sunday, 6pm - Denver Broncos (5-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (5-3): Bo Nix, come on down! For the stats lovers out there, the Denver Broncos quarterback technically out-performed his fellow rookies in October as he threw for 870 passing yards and seven touchdowns having also recorded just one interception since Week Two. Granted, he doesn't excel in the eye test as Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams have, but his continued growth in assurance and command in a Sean Payton offense that had been perplexing him earlier this season is impressive. Nix had his best game of his rookie campaign Sunday as he completed 28 of 37 for 284 yards and three touchdowns, with Courtland Sutton reeling off the first 100-yard game by a Broncos receiver this year in the process. Yes, it was the Panthers. But a clean game from Nix is seemingly the route to success right now.

At their bulldozing best, the Ravens look like Super Bowl favourites behind an offense piloted by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. But they enter Week Nine off the back of a shock defeat to the Jameis Winston-led Cleveland Browns, Kyle Hamilton dropped a gimme and potentially-decisive interception late in the game as Baltimore's pass defense again proved a glaring weakness. Baltimore are dominant in the run on both sides of the ball, but currently rank last in passing yards allowed and 28th in dropback EPA.

Sunday, 9.25pm - Detroit Lions (6-1) @ Green Bay Packers (6-2): The Jared Goff career transformation continues, and with it Detroit's script-ripping rise as Super Bowl contenders. Goff has thrust his way into the MVP conversation as the pilot to Ben Johnson's kid-in-a-candy-shop offense, having completed 140 of 189 passes for 1,695 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions while managing a passer rating of at least 140 in three straight games earlier this season. He was near-immaculate even when the Lions didn't need him to be on Sunday, throwing 12 passes for just 85 yards and three scores in a 52-14 demolition of the Tennessee Titans. Goff has completed 83 per cent of his passes over the last five games, an NFL record over such a stretch.

The Green Bay Packers could meanwhile be trending towards another opportunity for Malik Willis in the absence of Love as the 2022 third-round pick continues his season as LaFleur's inspired Plan B. Willis has thrived when called upon in the company of LaFleur's scrimmage eye-candy and one of the league's most sophisticated rushing schemes. With that, Josh Jacobs is contributing to the trend of veteran running backs dominating the 2024 season having posted a fourth-most 667 yards on the ground along with three touchdowns, as well as making 17 catches for 115 yards and a score.

Sunday Night Football, 1.20am - Indianapolis Colts (4-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-2): All eyes turn to Joe Flacco as he is entrusted to take over from Richardson as the starting Colts quarterback, for how long, who knows? Flacco has completed 71 of 108 passes for 716 yards, seven touchdowns and an interception this season, the Colts deeming him their best option of making it to the postseason, even if it derails the development of Richardson, it seems. He will be shielded by one of the league's most effective pass protection units in the league, if not THE most effective, as the Colts encounter Brian Flores' blitz-heavy Vikings defense.

Flores' unit had been Minnesota's primary source of strength across their 5-0 start to the campaign, but has endured a dip in production during successive defeats over the last two weeks. Goff and the Detroit Lions got over a slow pressure-ridden start to decipher the Vikings pass rush on the way to a 31-29 victory, before Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams neutralised their opponents by limiting them to just four pressures, their lowest ever in a game under Flores (NextGen Stats), and second-lowest blitz rate of the season as they were forced to drop men into coverage. Time to see how Flores and co. respond.

Monday Night Football, 1.15am - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-0): The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense continues to stay afloat despite losing both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to injury. Tight end Cade Otton has been a welcome remedy as Baker Mayfield's new favourite target with 17 catches from 20 targets for 181 yards and two touchdowns over the last two games. Left tackle Tristan Wirfs also continues to prove himself as one of the elite in his position having allowed just six pressures from 344 pass-blocking snaps this season, per PFF.

As for the Chiefs, the unbeaten start to their Super Bowl defense has been built on production from all areas as Patrick Mahomes continues to face his, statistically, worst start to a season. Kareem Hunt has come off the street to assert himself as the recent heartbeat of a gritty offense ranked eighth in rush EPA as Andy Reid leans on ground control, aided by a dominant interior offensive line trio of Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and Joe Thuney. Sunday meanwhile awaits as the second outing for DeAndre Hopkins after he managed two catches for 29 yards on his debut following his trade from the Tennessee Titans. On defense, Steve Spagnuolo persists to evolve Leo Chenal as one of the league's most potent utility men, using the former Wisconsin linebacker as anything from edge rusher, off-ball linebacker and downfield coverage option. One of the more fun studies within this outstanding Chiefs defense.

Browns quarterback Jameis Winston: "Bro, listen, this is who I am. Like a lot of people, if you spend time trying to figure out, 'Who is this guy?' You're wasting your time, all right? That's just who I am. I'm not rehearsing things. What I am rehearsing is our plays. If you want to hear me, call a play call out, I'll rehearse that for you. I am doing that in the mirror. I am having my wife call out plays and stuff like that. So, if you want to see some rehearsal stuff, find me going over the playbook."

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on recent addition DeAndre Hopkins: "He was chomping at the bit on the sideline wanting to play. And at the same time, knowing that he didn't have all of it down so there was a patience there, but he was into the game and I think you'll be able to see more this next game."

Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson on his mistake for Washington's Hail Mary: "I let them down, and those guys hold me to a higher standard. So does everybody in this building. It's something that can't happen ever again and won't happen ever again."

New Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson on his trade from the Panthers: "Once I found out where I was going, I was excited. Sigh of relief. I'm ready to work."

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell on the return of tight end TJ Hockenson: "I think T.J. is ready to play, as good as he has really looked since we've gotten him here and that's saying something considering the impact he made right away in '22 and then the season he was having last year at the time when he got hurt. I know he is excited. Everyone is excited to have him back out there. Huge part of our system and offense and organisation to have 87 back out there."

Watch the Denver Broncos face the Baltimore Ravens live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm on Sunday, followed by the Detroit Lions against the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts against the Minnesota Vikings as the 2024 NFL season reaches Week Nine on the road to Super Bowl LIX; Also stream with NOW.