EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — This is one quarterback matchup for the ages.
When 22-year-old Anthony Richardson takes the field for the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, he'll square off against 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets in a showdown between the NFL's second-youngest starting QB and the league's oldest.
Colts coach Shane Steichen made the move this week to return Richardson, the fourth overall pick last year, after a two-game benching. Otherwise, the game at MetLife Stadium would've featured the league's two oldest quarterbacks in Rodgers, who turns 41 next month, and 39-year-old Joe Flacco.
“I have to make sure I’m doing the right thing and keep showcasing to Shane that I can be the guy and that I am the guy for this team,” said Richardson, who's three months older than New England's Drake Maye. “So, it’s not really up to him. I felt like the past couple of weeks was up to me as well. I just have to showcase the work and just keep showing them that I’m willing to be the quarterback for this franchise.”
Richardson has struggled in his second season, completing 44% of his passes and throwing seven interceptions with just four touchdown passes in six games. He started the first four games, missed two with a hip injury and then started two more before being benched.
“Sometimes it gets overlooked on how young he is," Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said, “and the grace you have to give some of these young quarterbacks coming into the league.”
It was hoped Flacco would provide a spark, but the Colts (4-6) enter the game against the Jets (3-7) having lost three straight and are falling behind in the AFC playoff race.
Rodgers and the Jets have had an even worse go of it with losses in six of their last seven. They're also 1-4 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich, who took over for the fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 8.
“This is a chance for us to go into the bye week feeling good about ourselves, getting everybody back healthy and then looking realistically at the last six games,” Rodgers said. “There’s, I think, a lot of things to be hopeful for, but we've got to win this weekend.”
A lot will depend on how Rodgers plays. He threw three second-half TD passes in a win over Houston, but then struggled to get anything going in a 31-6 loss at Arizona, going 22 of 35 for 151 yards.
“The verdict’s still not out on this season yet, but I think it’s always a challenge when they’re singing your praises or tearing it down outside the building,” Rodgers said. “It’s an important challenge.”
Tackling the problem
After the Jets missed 20 tackles against the Cardinals, according to Next Gen Stats, Ulbrich showed the entire team a tackling presentation. He also had them work on tackling in a few padded practices this week.
Ulbrich said his team had an “egregious, criminal amount of missed tackles” and the players agreed it was a pitiful performance.
“As a defense, you never want to be that and you never want to see that,” said defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, who missed the game with a knee injury. “You need to make corrections off that and it's definitely something we take personal. It's our job, our livelihood, so we have to take it personal in a non-judgmental way to fix it.”
Double trouble
Running back Jonathan Taylor might be the most excited guy in the Colts' locker room to see Richardson back.
Why? He knows Richardson’s running threat will stress opposing defenses, even ones as experienced as the Jets'. And he believes that will open things up for a Colts offense that has struggled to stay on the field, convert third downs and sustain drives — regardless of whether Flacco or Richardson was behind center.
“He brings a unique skill set, so it puts a defense in a bind. They have to pick their poison,” Taylor said Thursday, referring to Richardson. “It’s a whole different dynamic when he’s in the game and that’s what makes him special.”
Garrett's grabs
Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson ranks second in the NFL with 65 receptions, one behind Cincinnati's Ja’Marr Chase, and has the most catches through 10 games in franchise history.
Wilson will look to extend his streak of at least five catches to nine straight games when he faces the Colts and their 27th-ranked pass defense. That run is the second longest in Jets history, trailing only Laveranues Coles' streak of 13 consecutive games with at least five receptions in 2002.
More from Moore
Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II provided a blunt assessment following Indy’s third straight loss last weekend.
He said the Colts were “not working as hard as possible” and he didn’t believe the “urgency” existed. On Thursday, he didn’t apologize for anything.
“I think it was appreciated. I think it was respected, and we move forward,” said Moore, a team captain. “I think everything is being watched, so you want to make sure teammates are serious about the job and serious about the team.”
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AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Dennis Waszak Jr., The Associated Press
