CINCINNATI – For the second consecutive year, the Colts will play their starters in a Thursday night preseason finale. And for the second consecutive year, the Colts' opponent – in 2023, the Philadelphia Eagles; in 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals – will rest their starters.
So while we won't get juicy matchups like seeing the Colts' defensive backs against Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins and the Bengals' top offense, there still will be plenty to watch for Thursday night at Paycor Stadium.
One last look at the safeties
The Colts' top safety pairing is not settled yet, but with the starters playing against the Denver Broncos in Aug. 11's preseason opener, it was Julian Blackmon at strong safety and Nick Cross at free safety. Thursday's preseason finale will be a significant opportunity for Cross to solidify himself as a Week 1 starting safety next to Blackmon.
"We're looking at all that stuff right now," head coach Shane Steichen said. "The guy that makes the most plays here – we've got another week and a half before we start this thing off, and we'll make that decision when the time needs to be made."
Cross has played 56 defensive snaps this preseason, 30 of which have been at free safety and 26 at strong safety, per Pro Football Focus. Ronnie Harrison Jr., Rodney Thomas II and Trevor Denbow are still in the mix, so once the Colts' first-team defense is out of the game, there will be plenty to watch for in the back end.
An encouraging trend on offense
Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce have each done plenty of good things this preseason, and their competition is not a zero-sum game: The Colts expect both receivers to play a major role in their offense in 2024. Mitchell in particular has shown some important positional flexibility, with the 2024 second-round pick sliding inside to the slot at times while Josh Downs (ankle) has been out.
Both receivers will enter the 2024 regular season with positive momentum, and Thursday will be one last chance to add to it in a game setting before the Houston Texans come to Lucas Oil Stadium in a few weeks.
Consistent pressure
While the Colts were happy to have 51 sacks in 2023, they were 24th in the NFL in pressure rate (31.9 percent). It was akin to someone hitting 40 home runs but barely hitting over the Mendoza Line – when the Colts generated pressure, it frequently led to a sack, but they weren't satisfied with the amount of pressure they got up front.
"The thing is, we left a lot of sacks out there and you gotta to continue as a group to just have that constant pressure on the quarterback throughout the entire game," defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said. "That was one of the things, was our pressure rate as a unit throughout the season wasn't as high as — you put the sacks and pressure rate, yeah sacks are great and all, but we gotta continue to have an outcome on the game and threaten the quarterback a little bit more especially in the fourth quarter and crunch time. Those are all things that we can accomplish as a group."
While the Colts' front won't be testing themselves against the Bengals' starters, Thursday night will be an opportunity to actually take a quarterback to the ground – instead of having the whistle blow in practice, like when defensive end Kwity Paye ended a Bengals' end-of-game drive with a "sack" of Joe Burrow on Tuesday.
Anthony Richardson, of course
The important thing here is to keep context in mind when dissecting the drives led by Richardson against the Bengals. And that context is Richardson has, in totality, had a good preseason, with Thursday night being one final data point in it.
Even in Tuesday's joint practice, Richardson was able to overcome a shaky start by leading a few up-tempo scoring drives as the afternoon went on. It was a bit like last year's Rams game, where the Colts fell behind 23-0 before Richardson impressively led a second half comeback to force overtime.
So Thursday's game will be important, but however it goes, it won't define the Colts quarterback's preseason – which, again, has been generally encouraging to this point.
"I think it'll be really good for him," Steichen said. "Any time you can get out there in those game-like situations, it's good. Obviously, you want to be smart with these guys in the preseason because we've got a long season ahead of us, but we're excited to get those guys out there on Thursday."
View the best photos from the joint practice session with the Cincinnati Bengals
LB Segun Olubi #50
Reggie Wayne Wide Receivers and Mike Epps
Mike Epps and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
Reggie Wayne Wide Receivers
LS Luke Rhodes #46
CB Clay Fields III #34
S Marcel Dabo #42
LB E.J. Speed #45
S Nick Cross #20
Gus Bradley Defensive Coordinator and CB Kenny Moore II #23
Cato June Assistant Linebackers
CB Chris Lammons #35
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
CB Chris Lammons #35
S Ronnie Harrison Jr. #48 and CB Darrell Baker Jr. #39
Carlie Irsay-Gordon Vice Chair/Owner and DT Raekwon Davis #98
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Laiatu Latu #97
61 DE Levi Bell
DT Eric Johnson II #93
DT Eric Johnson II #93
DT Grover Stewart #90, DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
LB Zaire Franklin #44 and LB Grant Stuard #41
DE Dayo Odeyingbo #54
69 DE Derek Rivers
Shane Steichen Head Coach
Richard Smith Linebackers/Run Game Coordinator and LB Zaire Franklin #44
LB Zaire Franklin #44
LB Grant Stuard #41
LB Austin Ajiake #58
DT Raekwon Davis #98
LB Craig Young #49
Shane Steichen Head Coach
WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
LB Austin Ajiake #58
Shane Steichen Head Coach
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
DT Raekwon Davis #98
TE Kylen Granson #83, TE Jordan Murray #84 and S Michael Tutsie #38
WR D.J. Montgomery #2 and LB Jaylon Carlies #57
CB Ameer Speed #37
LB Craig Young #49
LB Zaire Franklin #44
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
Joe Burrow and QB Sam Ehlinger #4
C/G Will Fries #75, G Dalton Tucker #68, C Ryan Kelly #78, C Danny Pinter #63, G Quenton Nelson #56, T Bernhard Raimann #79 and G Arlington Hambright #64
C Ryan Kelly #78 and G Quenton Nelson #56
C Ryan Kelly #78
QB Anthony Richardson #5
LB Zaire Franklin #44
QB Anthony Richardson #5
DT Grover Stewart #90
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
DE Laiatu Latu #97
WR Alec Pierce #14 and WR Adonai Mitchell #10
QB Joe Flacco #15
TE Eric Tomlinson #49, WR Alec Pierce #14 and LB Craig Young #49
RB Trey Sermon #27 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5
69 DE Derek Rivers, WR Derek Slywka #13 and S Trevor Denbow #43
C/G Will Fries #75, G Dalton Tucker #68, C Ryan Kelly #78 and G Quenton Nelson #56
RB Jonathan Taylor #28 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
Joe Burrow and QB Anthony Richardson #5
Shane Steichen Head Coach and Gus Bradley Defensive Coordinator
Joe Burrow and QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5 and Joe Burrow
DE Kwity Paye #51, S Julian Blackmon #32 and LB Zaire Franklin #44
Justin Hamilton Assistant Defensive Backs
LB Zaire Franklin #44 and S Nick Cross #20
LB Zaire Franklin #44, S Julian Blackmon #32 and DE Kwity Paye #51
C Danny Pinter #63
LB Zaire Franklin #44, S Julian Blackmon #32 and DE Kwity Paye #51
QB/WR Jason Bean #8
C Ryan Kelly #78, C/G Will Fries #75, G Quenton Nelson #56 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Joe Flacco #15
Brian Mason Special Teams Coordinator, CB Jaylin Simpson #30, TE Kylen Granson #83 and Laquon Treadwell
QB Joe Flacco #15
QB Sam Ehlinger #4
WR Alec Pierce #14
QB Anthony Richardson #5
T Braden Smith #72 and QB Anthony Richardson #5
K Matt Gay #7
QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5
C/G Will Fries #75 and C Ryan Kelly #78
QB Anthony Richardson #5
WR Alec Pierce #14
C/G Will Fries #75
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
G Quenton Nelson #56
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Alec Pierce #14
LS Luke Rhodes #46
RB Evan Hull #26
LS Luke Rhodes #46
RB Evan Hull #26
RB Evan Hull #26
RB Evan Hull #26
TE Eric Tomlinson #49 and RB Evan Hull #26
67 C Mike Panasiuk
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
TE Jordan Murray #84
TE Will Mallory #86
C/G Will Fries #75
C Ryan Kelly #78
TE Eric Tomlinson #49, G Quenton Nelson #56, WR Alec Pierce #14 and C Ryan Kelly #78
TE Will Mallory #86
TE Will Mallory #86
TE Will Mallory #86
TE Will Mallory #86
WR Ashton Dulin #16
TE Will Mallory #86
QB Joe Flacco #15
TE Will Mallory #86
WR Ashton Dulin #16
WR Ashton Dulin #16
WR Ashton Dulin #16
LB Jaylon Carlies #57
G Dalton Tucker #68 and QB Joe Flacco #15
C Danny Pinter #63 and G Dalton Tucker #68
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Joe Flacco #15
QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Anthony Richardson #5 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Anthony Richardson #5
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
TE Jordan Murray #84
QB/WR Jason Bean #8, QB Anthony Richardson #5, QB Sam Ehlinger #4 and QB Kedon Slovis #17
TE Jordan Murray #84
QB Sam Ehlinger #4
C/G Will Fries #75 and C Ryan Kelly #78
WR Juwann Winfree #9
TE Will Mallory #86, WR D.J. Montgomery #2, RB Evan Hull #26, WR Anthony Gould #6 and QB Joe Flacco #15
QB Anthony Richardson #5
WR Juwann Winfree #9
QB Anthony Richardson #5
WR Anthony Gould #6
DE Laiatu Latu #97
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
QB Anthony Richardson #5 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
DT Jonah Laulu #74
QB Anthony Richardson #5 and WR Michael Pittman Jr. #11
WR Adonai Mitchell #10
QB Anthony Richardson #5
QB Anthony Richardson #5
WR Alec Pierce #14, WR Adonai Mitchell #10, QB Anthony Richardson #5, TE Kylen Granson #83 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
WR Adonai Mitchell #10 and TE Kylen Granson #83
QB Anthony Richardson #5
S Marcel Dabo #42 and S Nick Cross #20
WR Josh Downs #1, WR Juwann Winfree #9, WR Tyrie Cleveland #12 and RB Trey Sermon #27
TE Kylen Granson #83
QB Anthony Richardson #5
TE Kylen Granson #83
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95 and DT DeForest Buckner #99
S Marcel Dabo #42
S Nick Cross #20
S Nick Cross #20
S Trevor Denbow #43
RB Evan Hull #26
DE Genard Avery #92
DE Dayo Odeyingbo #54 and DE Kwity Paye #51
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81 and TE Drew Ogletree #85
DE Isaiah Land #55
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and DT Grover Stewart #90
S Julian Blackmon #32 and CB Kenny Moore II #23
QB Kedon Slovis #17
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
G Dalton Tucker #68
CB Dallis Flowers #21
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
RB Trey Sermon #27 and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
CB Kenny Moore II #23
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
Laquon Treadwell
LB Zaire Franklin #44
Shane Steichen Head Coach
TE Drew Ogletree #85
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
DE Tyquan Lewis #94
Shane Steichen Head Coach
CB Ameer Speed #37 and CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Raekwon Davis #98
LS Luke Rhodes #46
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Eric Johnson II #93
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81, RB Zavier Scott #34, TE Kylen Granson #83 and LB Liam Anderson #47
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and DE Tyquan Lewis #94
WR Josh Downs #1
S Nick Cross #20, S Trevor Denbow #43, CB Ameer Speed #37 and S Marcel Dabo #42
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81, RB Zavier Scott #34, CB Kenny Moore II #23 and LB Liam Anderson #47
Chris Ballard General Manager and Mike Epps
LB Segun Olubi #50
T Matt Goncalves #71, C Danny Pinter #63, T Braden Smith #72, G Dalton Tucker #68 and G Arlington Hambright #64
DE Laiatu Latu #97, DT Eric Johnson II #93 and 61 DE Levi Bell
DT Eric Johnson II #93
