Colts begin final five-game stretch against Patriots with a chance to make a run at the playoffs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Anthony Richardson has been through a bit of everything during his first two NFL seasons.

He had his rookie year cut short after four games because of a shoulder injury last season. He dealt with a hip injury this season and then was benched for two games after he drew criticism for taking himself out of the game because of fatigue.

But after an up and down start to 2024, Richardson also still has a chance to lead the Colts (5-7) somewhere they haven’t been been since 2020: the playoffs.

Beginning Sunday with a trip north to face the New England Patriots (3-9), Indianapolis' remaining opponents - Denver, Tennessee, New York Giants and Jacksonville - have a combined 17-41 record. The only remaining opponent currently above .500 is Denver at 7-5. Win out and Indy will be at 10 wins with a puncher's chance of the postseason.

"Everything's still on the table for us,” Richardson said. "But there's a sense of urgency just getting some Ws, stacking them up, because we know that we need the rest of them to get what we want."

Colts coach Shane Steichen knows that task begins by trying to invigorate an offense that’s struggled to be consistent over a five-game stretch that’s seen Indy lose four of five. But his confidence is high.

"I think it's the guys in the locker room,” Steichen said. "I've got a lot of faith in those guys and all it takes - you get one game rolling, you get on a little rhythm, you get on a little roll.”

Belief in his players is also the mantra of Patriots coach Jerod Mayo.

Though the playoffs aren’t within striking distance in his first season, creating building blocks for the future is a priority the rest of the way. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye says that begins with taking care of the football, something he hasn’t done in turning it over seven times over three games. The team has eight over its last four games.

“That's a problem,” Maye said. "I think we're losing the turnover margin in most of the games with me back there, so that's something I need to improve on."

As much as the Patriots’ offensive deficiencies have stuck out this season, the past two games have brought just as much focus on the defense and coordinator DeMarcus Covington.

The first-year play caller’s unit has surrendered 603 passing yards over the past two games, including a 317-yard, four-touchdown day last week to Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa. Mayo acknowledged communication must improve among members of the secondary, but dismissed the idea of stripping Covington of play-calling duties.

"DeMarcus is doing a good job as far as calling plays. It comes down to executing what play is called," Mayo said.

Richardson’s passing numbers certainly don’t jump off the page.

His 47.1% completion percentage remains the lowest among the NFL’s starting quarterbacks and he needs to improve his ratio of touchdowns to interceptions (five and seven), too. But Steichen doesn’t believe the numbers tell the full story.

Richardson has caused defenses problems the last two weeks while posting two of his three best single-game passer ratings this season in games he’s started and finished. Steichen likes what he’s seeing on tape, too.

"I don't think his stat line reflected the way he played," Steichen said after Richardson went 11 of 28 with 172 yards in last week’s loss to Detroit. "We had some big plays negated by penalties. But I thought he was efficient running the football. He threw it to the right guy, made the right reads. I know he missed a few he wants back, but man, I thought he did a great job."

The Colts have started three rookies along the offensive line each of the past two weeks, and they may be forced to reshape that starting lineup again this week if left tackle Bernhard Raimann is out again with a knee injury.

Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries are still on injured reserve. Fries is not expected to return this season and it’s unclear if Kelly will, either. But things became more complicated Monday when Kelly’s replacement, rookie Tanor Bortolini, entered the concussion protocol.

"He came in (Monday) this morning with concussion symptoms so he is currently in the protocol," Steichen said before projecting veteran Danny Pinter as the likely replacement. “I think right now we're looking at Danny at that spot."

Pinter has started seven games in his five-year career with Indy and has appeared in nine games this season. But he made his last start Sept. 25, 2022. He missed all of last season with a broken ankle.

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