INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts had been going about their standard Sunday morning routines forward of their 1 p.m. ET kickoff towards the Arizona Cardinals when a seemingly regular day turned something however routine.
Backup quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr., earlier than even leaving the locker room, sustained a weird harm whereas utilizing elastic bands to stretch for the sport. The incident left Richardson with an orbital fracture, in response to coach Shane Steichen, and required hospitalization. A supply advised ESPN that Richardson was additionally anticipated to want stitches.
The specifics had been murky, however the supply stated the incident occurred when an equipment gamers use to connect the warmup bands to malfunctioned, leading to an influence with Richardson’s face. Richardson was inactive for the 31-27 victory over Arizona and will miss extra time. No. 3 quarterback Riley Leonard is the first backup “proper now,” Steichen stated.
“It was sort of a whirlwind,” quarterback Daniel Jones stated.
All that was compounded by one other pregame scenario some time later when No. 1 cornerback Charvarius Ward accidently collided with tight finish Drew Ogletree throughout on-field warmups, leaving Ward concussed and unable to play. Ward, who was backpedaling on the time of the high-speed collision, remained on the bottom for a while earlier than returning to the locker room with help.
“There was one thing within the air as we speak,” working again Jonathan Taylor stated afterward.
The pregame mishaps left the Colts unsettled, with gamers involved for his or her teammates. With kickoff approaching, Steichen and crew leaders realized the necessity to regroup as shortly as doable.
“It was a bizarre day, I received’t deceive you,” linebacker Zaire Franklin stated. “Dropping two guys that you simply depend upon. Anthony, we rely on him in a pinch. And clearly, [Ward], shedding these guys pregame was robust. It obtained to a sure level the place, within the locker room, you see guys simply whispering about what occurred to the purpose the place you’re like, ‘Hey, we’ve obtained a job to do.’
“I really feel like myself, Shane, Quenton [Nelson], [DeForest Buckner], did job of getting guys again targeted. It’s like, ‘Hear, it’s tousled. We’re praying for Anthony. We’re praying for [Ward]. However on the similar time, we’ve obtained to lock in and maintain what we’ve got to maintain.’ And fortunately, we had been in a position to rally and get a win as we speak.”
The Colts moved to 5-1 with the victory, changing into the primary crew this season to attain greater than 23 factors towards an Arizona protection that was fourth in scoring protection coming into Week 4.
However the problem was important. The moments after the Richardson harm had been notably scary, teammates stated.
“I didn’t see the precise factor that occurred,” receiver Josh Downs stated. “However I did see him over there and everybody gathered round him. We prayed for him. We sort of paused. Everyone was preparing [for the game] however all people simply came visiting and huddled round him. It was a wild pregame.”
In the meantime, the Ward harm left the Colts additional depleted within the secondary, the place they already had been short-handed coming into the sport. His absence pressed undrafted rookie Johnathan Edwards into motion in his first intensive enjoying time. Edwards performed 68 snaps after enjoying a career-high 17 in Week 5. The younger secondary compelled security Cam Bynum to do some on-field teaching, he stated, as a result of that’s what the scenario required.
“We needed to double and triple verify each single little factor,” Bynum stated. “And that’s how it’s if you’re enjoying with youthful guys that haven’t seen as a lot enjoying time. You wish to make them really feel assured.”