In his return to the starting lineup, Anthony Richardson had a career day, capping his performance by leading the Indianapolis Colts' offense with a game-winning drive in the final minutes.
The win improves the Colts' record to 5-6 on the season and keeps them alive in the AFC playoff hunt. While that's important, the bigger picture from Sunday's game is that Richardson's performance did more than just boost the Colts' playoff chances; He gave additional long-term hope and showed the player what he can be.
While Richardson's performance will be the focus of the conversation, there was a lot more going on in Sunday's game. So let’s break it down here.
Final result
It was over when…
… we might say, as Richardson gave the Colts the lead with less than a minute to play. Although the Jets' offense is struggling, I don't think anyone will underestimate what Aaron Rodgers can do, even when time isn't on his side. So we will say that the game was over when the clock actually showed 0:00 after Kwity Paye's ejection.
Key to the game
Steichen adjusts the game plan: As I wrote about itThe schedule we saw on Sunday was what I think many Colts fans expected this season. It was a run-centric approach with Jonathan Taylor carrying the ball 24 times and Anthony Richardson also chipping in with ten runs. And while that sounds simple, that hasn't often been the case this season, for whatever reason. A commitment to the running game and designing plays based on that running action can open up opportunities in the passing game, which Richardson took advantage of as he performed most efficiently on short-to-intermediate routes. Overall, it was a very good mix of running and passing games that Steichen established.
Success in the red zone: The Colts offense made the most of its opportunities in the red zone. In the four visits they had to that part of the field, they scored a touchdown on three of those possessions. For some context, a 75 percent success rate over the course of the season would be the second-highest mark in the NFL in 2024.
Breece Hall gave the Jets a chance: After the Colts defense shut down New York's offense for nearly the entire first half, it was Breece Hall who provided the spark for this unit. He was responsible for a 29-yard touchdown catch-and-run before halftime and then an 18-yard touchdown run on the Jets' first-third-quarter possession. Hall finished the game with 78 rushing yards on just 16 carries and had another 43 yards passing.
Now it's the offense's turn to assert itself for the defense: Over the last month, the Colts' defense has done a lot to keep Indianapolis in several of those games. However, the offensive didn't have enough power to get through. On Sunday, the offense was able to respond when the defense leaked oil late in the game – something we've seen before. Trailing 24-16 after a Jets touchdown, Richardson responded with a touchdown drive of his own, completing 5 of 7 passes for 69 yards. Then, after the Colts defense pinned New York to a field goal, Richardson responded again with a second straight touchdown drive, this time giving the Colts the lead late.
Stars of the game
Anthony Richardson: As we discussed, Richardson helped the Colts overcome an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter with consecutive touchdown drives. Richardson finished the game completing 20 of 30 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 32 yards and two scores.
Josh Downs: Another big game for Downs. He caught all five of his receptions and totaled 84 yards, including 31 yards and a touchdown.
Matt Gay: In that game, Gay was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts, which included a 56-yarder, and he also made his attempt at an extra point. In a one-point win, every kick counted.
Kwity Paye: He finished the game with six solo tackles, two of which resulted in a loss, and also had two sacks, including the game-ending one on the Jets' final drive.
Jaylon Jones: It won't be perfect against the Jets' talented receiver duo, but Jones was on fire with five tackles, some of which went around the line of scrimmage, and he also had several pass breakups.
Injury updates
There were no Colts injuries reported, at least during the game. That's always great news.
What's next?
The Colts are back at home in Week 12 and face the 9-1 Detroit Lions, who have been dominant on both sides this season. This will be a big test for Indianapolis.
