Joe Flacco figures to be leading the Colts into Jacksonville on Sunday.
Indianapolis has downgraded Anthony Richardson (oblique) from questionable to doubtful against the host Jaguars, thereby handing the reigns to the 39-year-old veteran in the likelihood the young quarterback is inactive on game day.
Richardson, who was designated as questionable on Friday, injured his hip during a Week 4 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was optimistic of playing against the Jags, but the Colts might be erring on the side of caution with their 22-year-old franchise quarterback.
Richardson would miss the 14th game of his career out of a possible 22. As a rookie, he missed games due to a concussion and a shoulder injury that landed him on injured reserve to end his 2023 campaign.
Flacco is now likely to start for his fifth NFL club. He spent 11 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, which included winning the Super Bowl XLVIII MVP. Thereafter, he played for the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns, whom he came off the couch to rescue last season, helping the squad to the playoffs and winning AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year for his efforts.
Flacco looked to be in 2023 form in Week 4 for the Colts, coming on in relief of Richardson and throwing for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns against a staunch Steelers defense.
Playing in his 17th NFL season, Flacco would be tasked with doing something no Colts starter has done since Andrew Luck: beat the Jaguars on the road. Indy has lost nine straight road games against the Jaguars (eight in Florida and one in England), since Luck and the Colts won, 44-17, at EverBank Field on Sept. 21, 2014. Flacco was helping the Ravens to a 23-21 win over the Cleveland Browns on that same day.
Flacco is 4-4 as a starter against the Jaguars, including a Week 14 win with the Browns last season in which he threw for 311 yards and three touchdowns.
The Colts (2-2) will kick off Sunday against the winless Jaguars (0-4).
