1 week Ago By Eric Smithling, Yardbarker
Colts head coach Shane Steichen called an audible on Wednesday, announcing benched former starting quarterback Anthony Richardson will start in Week 11 against the Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
Per Coach Steichen, Anthony Richardson will start at QB in Week 11. pic.twitter.
com/iwLCNxQ0M5 The No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft was benched after six starts when he completed just 44.4% of his pass attempts.
As dysfunctional as Indianapolis is, it's not alone when it comes to questions at quarterback. Here are the six NFL teams with the worst quarterback situations. Indianapolis Colts (4-6) Quarterbacks: Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, Sam Ehlinger ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky asked the question on everyone's mind after Steichen announced the Colts were returning to Richardson.
Is there a plan? https://t.co/kK74ofsYcq "Is there a plan?" questioned Orlovsky. It's fair to wonder whether the Colts are using any method or are strictly running on madness.
After a poor performance in against the Texans, Steichen benched Richardson for Flacco. BREAKING: The #Colts are benching Anthony Richardson and will start Joe Flacco on Sunday night vs. the Minnesota Vikings, per @AdamSchefter .
pic.twitter.com/mbmUni5T0p Following consecutive losses to the Vikings (7-2) and Bills (8-2), Steichen stood by Flacco, who threw two touchdowns and four interceptions in the two starts.
"Until I saw otherwise, Joe is the starter," said Steichen on Sunday. Shane Steichen says he did not consider putting Anthony Richardson in the game: "Until I say otherwise, Joe is the starter." The second-year Colts head coach only needed three days to change his tune.
His reasoning doesn't pass the sniff test, either. ESPN's Stephen Holder reported Steichen emphasized Richardson's "attention to detail just needs to be higher ..
. And over the last two weeks, he's made strides in those areas." Shane Steichen opens with addressing Anthony Richardson's process: "What I mean is the attention to detail just needs to be higher.
.. And over the last 2 weeks he's made strides in those areas.
" It's as hard to imagine Richardson's problems being solved in two weeks as it is him faring much better than Flacco in arguably the Colts' most brutal two-game stretch. Minnesota has the league's highest blitz rate (38.9%), and Richardson has completed 29.
4% of his passes when blitzed this season . Richardson's 5.3 interception rate is the highest among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts.
Meanwhile, Buffalo forces a turnover at the fourth-highest rate on opponent drives (17.5%). The constant shuffling at quarterback has squashed Steichen's credibility, instead revealing a leader without a plan.
As unappealing as Flacco and Richardson are, the Colts' problems start at the top. Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) Quarterbacks: Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O'Connell (IR), Desmond Ridder The Raiders don't know how to quit Minshew. Despite being benched for the third time this season in a 41-24 Week 9 loss to the Bengals, the sixth-year NFL quarterback will start against the Dolphins this Sunday.
Gardner Minshew will start at QB for #Raiders , says coach Antonio Pierce. Pierce didn't give Minshew a ringing endorsement, however, telling reporters, "What do we have to lose at this point? We're 2-7." Pierce: "We have to give Gardner confidence .
.. Let it loose.
What do we have to lose at this point? We're 2-7." Raiders quarterbacks have combined for nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Las Vegas enters Week 11 with the No.
5 pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft , but without elite quarterback prospects, it might not have a quick fix. New York Giants (2-8) Quarterbacks: Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito Jones lost the "Bad Quarterback Bowl" in Munich against Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, earning the Giants a spot on this ignominious list. The 2019 first-rounder has regressed since earning a second NFL contract during the 2023 offseason.
Over his past 16 starts, Jones has 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Backups Lock and DeVito had memorable "Monday Night Football" wins in back-to-back weeks last season, but neither should be considered viable long-term options since they haven't surpassed Jones in practice. Cleveland Browns (2-7) Quarterbacks: Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Bailey Zappe, Deshaun Watson (IR) Cleveland's gamble in trading for Watson and signing him to a five-year, $230M fully guaranteed contract in 2022 is one of the worst front-office decisions in NFL history.
Before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury, Watson was 137-of-216 (63.4%) for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in seven starts. Winston provided a spark in a surprising, 29-24, home win against the Ravens in Week 8 but reverted to his turnover-prone form against the Chargers a week later, throwing three interceptions in a 27-10 loss.
New York Jets (3-7) Quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis (injured) Rodgers, who turns 41 on Dec. 2, has been a disappointment for the Jets. The four-time MVP is averaging his fewest yards per attempt (6.
4) in a season he started at least 10 games while also posting his lowest passer rating (86.8), which ranks 23rd among qualifying quarterbacks in 2024. Taylor is a serviceable backup, and Travis is an unknown after being selected in the fifth round (No.
171 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. He suffered a lower leg injury last November at Florida State and hasn't played since. Chicago Bears (4-5) Quarterbacks: Caleb Williams, Tyson Bagent Whereas the other teams on this list have bad quarterback situations, the Bears appear to be a bad environment for quarterbacks.
Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of April's NFL Draft, has been sacked a league-high 38 times, and Chicago hasn't scored an offensive touchdown in its last 23 possessions. The Bears fired first-year offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday, potentially the first of many coaching staff changes during the upcoming offseason.
The coaching instability could hinder Williams' development, potentially making him another Bears quarterback casualty..
