Both Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor dealt with injuries last season. Richardson ended up undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery and Taylor ended up missing seven games due to ankle pain and a torn thumb. Even though these two playmakers did not have the seasons that they were hoping for, it is safe to say they are the two most talented players on the offense. Therefore, if they can remain healthy, the explosive capability within this unit is limitless.
Richardson and Taylor can be explosive as a duo because they are explosive on their own. They both can take over the offense and put up big numbers. In head coach Shane Steichen’s philosophy, the goal is to “throw to score points” and “run to win”. This kind of production can only be achieved with a dynamic quarterback and a dynamic running back. The Indianapolis Colts have just that in Richardson and Taylor.
A Look Into the Explosive Capability of Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor
Anthony Richardson
Anthony Richardson’s promising rookie season was cut short due to injuries. He only finished one game out of the four that he started because he would end up coming out of three games due to injury. Nonetheless, the sample size given has been enough for people to see what Richardson is capable of. He showcased exceptional athletic ability, throwing velocity, and arm strength. While his mechanics and accuracy still need work, he far and away overachieved any expectations the league had for him in his rookie year.
Richardson totaled seven touchdowns on the ground and through the air, including 557 passing yards and 136 rushing yards. He also averaged 2.5 deep ball attempts with a 30% deep ball percentage completion and a 40% deep ball catchable rate. The fact that these numbers can be calculated indicates that Richardson is not afraid to let the ball air out. The Colts offense operates with RPOs and play-action, so having a quarterback who can burn defenders with his arm and legs will lead to monumental production. On 25 rushing attempts, Richardson managed 5.4 yards per attempt and eight first downs. He also had a 64% rushing success rate. On top of a comeback year, Richardson is primed for a breakout 2024 season
Jonathan Taylor
Superstar running back Jonathan Taylor made a name for himself as a rookie in 2020. He finished the year with 1169 yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, and 5.5 rush yards per attempt. Taylor was also a key contributor to the Colts winning 11 games in 2020 with Philip Rivers at quarterback. Since his rookie season, he continued to produce and be a key playmaker on this offense. In 2021, he would shatter franchise records with 18 rushing touchdowns. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl and was a First-Team All-Pro in that same year. Unfortunately, injuries plagued Taylor’s the last two seasons, but after signing a three-year extension in 2023, he is primed and ready to get back to his 2021 form.
Even within the seasons where injuries were present, Taylor was still relatively productive when healthy. He managed 861 yards in 11 game appearances with a 4.5 rush per attempt in 2022. In 2023, he appeared in 10 games and rushed for 741 yards with a 4.4 rush per attempt. Needless to say, Taylor is up there with the elite running backs in this league and when he is healthy, he is lethal. Coupling his ability with Anthony Richardson, the sky will be the limit for this team. The league will have one explosive duo to watch out for every week.
Main Image: IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports
