Top 3 Things to Watch When the Colts Travel to the Bills

Here is what to keep an eye on when the Indianapolis Colts play the Buffalo Bills this Saturday.

The Indianapolis Colts will play their first football game this Saturday since January 8th, 2023. In time we may remember that as the infamous game that landed the Colts their potential franchise quarterback. 

While there are a ton of reasons why this game is important (even for a preseason game), I’m going to focus on three specific things that I’m going to be paying close attention to.

3. The Offensive Line

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The most difficult position group to evaluate in training camp is the offensive and defensive lines. Players in camp are not typically going as hard as they can, so it’s difficult to determine who does what. A better indicator of who is playing well is during a preseason game or a joint practice. The Buffalo Bills will be an excellent test for the Colts.

They bolster one of the deepest D-line groups in the entire NFL. They are about ten deep when it comes to guys that will be in the rotation for them, and even if they decide to rest their starters, the second unit would give most teams a fit. If the Colts can protect well early on, I will feel much better about this group moving forward.

2. The Cornerbacks

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The cornerbacks may be the most intriguing position group on the entire team. Chris Ballard made the decision to go with a full fledge youth movement when he traded Stephon Gilmore, didn’t re-sign Brandon Facyson, and cut Isaiah Rodgers Sr. after his suspension was handed down. We have seen the Colts do this before, and it hasn’t worked out in the past with pass rushers, and just recently with wide receivers last season.

According to the Colts’ depth chart, it’ll be Darrell Baker Jr. and Dallis Flowers getting the first crack at starting. While Baker has been having an excellent camp, it’s now time to see if he can translate it to an actual game. In the second quarter and into the second half, I’m going to be paying attention to the trio of rookies who will be playing in their first NFL game. JuJu Brents, Darius Rush, and Jaylon Jones are all healthy at the same time for the first time this off-season.

1. Anthony Richardson

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Who are we kidding here? We all knew who and what is the most important thing to watch this weekend when the Colts head to Orchard Park, and that’s the young phenom Anthony Richardson.

I’m probably less focused than most on him actually starting and more focused on the number of reps he’s given. I’m excited to see him starting to get a taste of what it’s going to be like playing against a potential top-5 defense. My expectations for Richardson are to show he belongs. I want to see if he can command the huddle, go through his progressions, get the ball out quickly when needed too, and show that great pocket presence that he’s had since his Florida days.

I would be lying to you guys if I said I didn’t want to see at least one or two of those special, jaw-dropping plays but I know how nervous he’s going to be out there for the first game. If Richardson can come out Saturday and put together a solid performance, it will go a long way to making his case to be the starter for Week 1, and at the end of the day, that should be his goal.

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