The Colts enter Week 3 having possessed the ball for 20 minutes or fewer in each of their first two games. Over the last five seasons, teams that've possessed the ball for 20 minutes or fewer in a game are 2-19.
Increased time of possession is not always correlated to offensive success – in Week 1, the Colts possessed the ball for just three minutes and four seconds on their first three touchdown drives thanks to a 60-yard touchdown, a 54-yard touchdown and a blocked punt that was turned into a five-yard touchdown one play later.
But those drives aside, offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter emphasized this week the Colts' total time of possession this season – 39 minutes and 49 seconds out of a possible 120 minutes – is not going to cut it.
"We need to do a better job, and we want to," Cooter said. "The standard's higher around here for sustaining drives. Nobody wants to have a three-and-out. It's going to happen to you in the NFL from time to time. Then from time to time, we've had some explosive plays, which will shorten a drive. But we would like to have those drives where you're making first downs, you're converting those first downs through a mix of different play types. You're able to sort of control the ball, control the line of scrimmage. That'll ultimately help you control the game. We can do that better as an offense and think that'll be good for our whole group."
One player won't fix all these issues, but there is a possibility the return of wide receiver Josh Downs – who's missed Weeks 1 and 2 with an ankle injury – could help significantly. Downs, who was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, said his plan is to play on Sunday against the Chicago Bears.
So where, specifically, could Downs make an impact? Let's start here: Richardson and the Colts' offense have not found consistent success targeting the slot in 2024. The numbers (via Pro Football Focus) when targeting the slot through two weeks:
| Stat | # |
|---|---|
| Attempts | 18 |
| Completions | 7 |
| Completion% | 38.9 (last in NFL) |
| Yards | 132 |
| Yards/attempt | 7.3 |
| Average time to throw | 3.01 seconds (highest in NFL) |
| Average depth of target | 14.4 yards (second-highest in NFL) |
Compare those numbers to what Richardson did when targeting the slot over four starts as a rookie in 2023:
| Stat | # |
|---|---|
| Attempts | 26 |
| Completions | 16 |
| Completion% | 61.5% |
| Yards | 198 |
| Yards/attempt | 7.6 |
| Average time to throw | 2.22 seconds |
| Average depth of target | 9.1 yards |
We can dive a little deeper, too. When Richardson gets the ball out quick to the slot – under 2.5 seconds from receiving the snap – he's completed one of five attempts (20 percent) this season. No other quarterback has a completion percentage under 50 percent on quick throws to the slot in 2024.
But last year, when Richardson got the ball out quickly to a slot pass-catcher, he completed 13 of 19 passes (68.4 percent) for 137 yards.
And when he targeted Downs from the slot on those get-it-and-throw-it plays, he completed seven of eight attempts (87.5 percent) for 83 yards (10.4 yards/attempt). Not all were short throws, either – one of them was a remarkable 30-yard completion Richardson ripped through traffic in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams.
"They had a good connection last year obviously – and getting that going and the easy completions there," head coach Shane Steichen said. "But they've got a good connection so it'll definitely help having Josh back if he plays."
Richardson and Downs built that strong rapport ever since they had a throwing session in the hotel parking lot before their rookie minicamp in the spring of 2023. Downs was one of the Colts' most impressive players – not just receivers – prior to sustaining an ankle injury during an Aug. 7 training camp practice.
But even though Downs didn't return to practice until last week, and has yet to make his 2024 debut, the second-year receiver said his chemistry with Richardson still grew over the last few weeks.
"I feel like (before and after) the injury, it was the same, pretty much," Downs said. "Just being on the field is one relationship, but off the field is another. I feel like when you grow your relationship off the field, that builds chemistry on the field. That's still my dog, I still talk to him every day. It didn't change a thing."
Downs' ability to create quick separation and work into open space from the slot was an important part of the Colts' 2023 offense; he earned a 92.1 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus when lined up in the slot, sixth-highest in the NFL a year ago.
The Colts see Downs as more than just a slot-only player, and generally speaking, his return to the field – whether it's in Week 3 or later – will be welcome for the offense.
"Josh played really good ball in his first year as a rookie, and was having a really, really strong camp," Cooter said. "So, to have a really good player – obviously, he's played primarily in the slot, but I think he can play outside a little bit. But he's played primarily in the slot – to have a really good player that's going to come in, I think he and Anthony have a really good chemistry. So, whenever that time is, we're excited to get Josh back.
"He's put in such a great offseason and training camp of work. We're looking forward to watching that pay off for him with a really productive season this year. ... And for Josh especially, just kind of knowing how hard he's worked to get back whenever that time comes, we're excited to see it and I'm sure Anthony is too."
The Colts will find out as the week goes on if Downs will be back for Sunday's game against the Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium. But as the Colts filed out of Lambeau Field last weekend, Richardson asked Downs: "Are you playing this week?"
Downs told Richardson his plan is to play against the Bears as long as he's able to get through this week's practices healthy.
"I'm ready to get back out there with my boy," Downs said.
