NFL media giant talks Colts’ Richardson-Taylor combination a ‘problem’ in 2024

The Indianapolis Colts have one of the most unique players in the NFL in second-year starter Anthony Richardson. While last season was a disappointment from an injury standpoint (he played in just four games due to a sprained AC joint), Richardson showed innate abilities to make big plays and hurt defenses in both the running and passing game.

In an episode of the famous Rico Eisen On the show, Rich Eisen discusses his thoughts on Richardson when healthy, Shane Steichen’s offensive playmaking and the threat of Jonathan Taylor in the Colts’ backfield.

“Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor are at the mesh point and ask ‘who has it?’ and when they find out, who has it creates a big problem for them.”

– Rico Eisen | The Rich Eisen Show

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In the modern NFL, it’s vital to have a quarterback who can at least move with his legs to some degree. The days of the pocket passer who stands still and shoots are over. However, Richardson isn’t just a quarterback who can move at a good pace and mildly threaten a defense. He’s also a dynamic runner who can and will destroy a game plan if given the chance. Adding a running back like former All-Pro Taylor makes Steichen’s approach potentially more volatile for defenses.

Eisen then talks about Steichen and his time with the Philadelphia Eagles as offensive coordinator during the 2022 season. That was the performance that not only allowed Steichen to land the Indy head coaching job, but also enticed Chris Ballard to pursue Richardson given what Steichen accomplished with Jalen Hurts.

“Steichen is the guy who did all that with Jalen Hurts in his (Philadelphia Eagles) Super Bowl season.”

– Rico Eisen | The Rich Eisen Show

Steichen can open up the entire playbook with a quarterback-running back combination like Richardson and Taylor. Receiving opportunities also open up tremendously. Players like superstar Michael Pittman Jr. can take advantage of his experience level, while underlying threats like Josh Downs can take advantage of quick-win situations and pick up yards after the catch. While Adonai Mitchell is a rookie, there’s still a chance he could be the most explosive receiver on the roster. All of this weaponry in the passing game benefits Richardson greatly.

Finally, Eisen mentioned that the Richardson-Taylor combination could be a factor in deciding which team leads the competitive AFC South division in 2024.

“It’s an interesting turn for the AFC South.”

– Rico Eisen | The Rich Eisen Show

If both Richardson and Taylor can stay on top for the entire season, the Colts have a chance to shine and take down opponents like the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars. Plus, outside divisional matchups like the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets demand that Richardson and Taylor be on the field, or else Indy might not be as competitive against quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers. We’ll see what happens as 2024 training camp progresses at Grand Park at Westfield.

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